The Monday Photo

At the bottom of Winslow High Street is the Bell Hotel. At one end of the hotel is Bell Alley, and that’s where we are standing.

The Bell can be seen in the photo; the white gable end of the front range at centre bottom, and the five windowed brick building to its right; once the farmer’s bar, well used on market day.

The first detailed reference to the Bell was in 1591, though the present timber framed building is listed as being 17th Century. It was refronted in the 19th Century. At least some interior walls are wattle and daub.

On the right of the photo is what was once another pub; the 17th Century George Inn. Not to be confused with the present day George nearby, it spent some time as a workhouse. It is now a restaurant and part of the Bell. This alley was once known as George Alley.

Centre left of the photo is the 1870 ironmonger’s shop built by W.H. French. The Midgeley family later took the shop over and ran it as an ironmonger’s for a century. I think the building far left is part of it.

This shop and all the other buildings in this block, once known as the Buttermarket, were built on the once much larger Market Square, as were the block across the road that includes the modern George pub.

You might find similar encroachments were made on the market in your own town. If so, please let me know in a comment.

This post's photo was taken with a Pentax camera and fisheye zoom lens.

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