Burges and Cross Cheaping

Another cracker I don't think I've seen before. Looks like pre-Corporation Street so before 1929. © Cov Digital

Yes, that date looks about right. The Fountain Inn ceased trading in 1929 and the new Comley's building was already there on the 1914 traffic plan.

One Aussie resident will be pleased to see the clock on the extreme right!

MR,

The Castle Hotel has been mentioned on the forum before, with none other than Charles Dickens using it for a stay. © Coventry Digital

A real pity that that one isn't of the usual high standard of the time but it is a great composition. Distance shots like that are often spoiled by the smog, so good views up to Bishop Street are rare anyway.

This one by Mr. Wingrave from 160 years ago still amazes me....

Cracker, Rob! Not seen that one before.

A very rare image of a fairly boring shop front. It was common for shops to create postcards as a form of advertising and sometimes they're the only half decent record of certain buildings. I've given the image a very quick fix, while I await the original to make a better copy. This is number 9 and 10 of the Burges. West side of the road, south of the Radford Brook. The building is newish and in the 1610 map, the area was free of buildings.

I see the 'flat caps' brigade is out and about Helen. It always amuses me to see poultry hanging outside. The flies would be having a feast today it that were here. A great advert for the tea rooms.

Another shot including that Jag sign!

A Troughton view of the Radford Brook and the back of the Burges, plus the view from the front in a later photo. The brook had been redirected into the Sherbourne in West Orchard by the time the photo was taken

Whilst I was at the Coventry Cross last week - I hadn't noticed this original Road Sign before opposite - It's been there a while - © Coventry Digital - Was the junction in to Bull Ring the meeting point for Burges and Cross Cheaping pre-war?

Well spotted Cross Cheaping ended at the bridge over the Sherbourne. The Fountain Inn (left of the picture) was the last building on that side, then there was a small lane with various names over the years (including Catesby Lane and Lancastrian Yard). Then the river and then St John's Bridges or the Burges. The Inn was obviously kept as the changeover point. There is evidence on the Board of Health map that the Fountain Inn might have previously been called The Lancastrian because yards were often named after the business or owner of the property in front.

Thanks Helen - so that sign indicates where the southern end of the Burges was then.