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Spring Gardens

The view is looking north, the High Street was behind the photographer.

(Old) Spring Gardens was a narrow alley between numbers 253 and 254 High Street; it was a little higher than the High Street road level and was accessed from the High Street by a flight of three steps. No. 254 was the One Tun public house.

Between the One Tun and no. 255, running parallel to Spring Gardens, was One Tun Yard. The One Tun was demolished (around 1905) along with the outbuildings behind it causing Spring Gardens and One Tun Yard to merge.

However Spring Gardens retained its elevation above the High Street road level, as is clear in this photo. Spring Gardens runs off to the left near the lamppost. Alexandra Road, the new thoroughfare at High Street level, continues north to meet Back Lane.

'Just past the white painted house were some doors which led into the Sunday school hall which I think may have been a very old school at some time.' (In 1834 non-conformists opened a British School in Old Spring Gardens (Q103), I think this became the Sunday School Arthur mentions.)

1894 OS map showing Old Spring Gardens and the One Tun. Google Maps Street View shows the County Court building on the western corner of Alexandra Road and High Street is elevated with railings along the Alexandra Road side - an echo of the past.

Published February 2011