Towngate

This was formerly known as Water Street, between Hough Lane and Mrs Jolly's Corner, the name coming from the wet ground conditions, with natural springs being a feature of the area. When the flats were built on the site of the step houses, the pile drivers had to go to great depths to reach stable ground.

At the S bend formerly known as Mrs Jolly's Corner, the new road of Water Street met the end of the old village at the junction with Westgate. The numbering of the houses on Towngate originally began with the Seven Stars as No 1, followed by The Ship Inn as No 2., though according to the 1844 Map, the length of Towngate from Westgate to Spring Gardens was also known as Chapel Street. The development of Towngate can be seen to be well under way from this Map with most of the road developed from Westgate to the Cross.

West Side

Kwik Save Store

This was the site of the Regent cinema from 1932 until 1949, when the building had a fire, which closed the cinema forever. The building later became the Leyland branch of Woolworths, with its distinctive wooden floor, the area still known as Woolworths corner. The name of the Regent is still remembered with Regent Road further along Towngate.

Adjacent to this site in School Lane and now forming part of the Kwik Save car park, formally stood Wellfield House. In the survey of 1844, this house was owned and occupied by Mr. John Eccles and in 1877, by Mr. Frederick Deacon. In 1898, Wellfield House was taken over by Mr. James Iddon, a former student at Balshaws Grammar School, and who was the founder of Iddon Brothers. The house had previously been in the occupation of a market gardener and also by a Colonel Mosley, hence the name of nearby Mosley Street.

Methuen Terrace

This terrace was built in 1902 being named after the Boer War general, the shops that were established on this length included McKittricks dressmakers, Littlewoods opticians and Fred Stringfellow hairdresser.

In 1938, however, commerce entered the area when the Williams Deacons Bank moved into town eventually taking over most of the terrace.

Booths Terrace

While the whole terrace was taken over by Booths with a new supermarket in 1969, the terrace was originally a collection of diverse businesses, including Rawcliffes Fish & Chips Shop, Harrisons Shoe Shop, Dunderdales Radio & T.V. Shop, while the shop at the corner of Mosley Street was the original Booths shop opened in 1922.

Upstairs, the rooms were used by various photographers, Mr H Wade being there until his death in 1945, the business then passing to Arthur Winter, whose previous photos were displayed on a board outside, the business then being taken over years later by Francis Turner before his move to Chapel Brow.

The Old Smithy

The Sumner family had conducted business at the Smithy for many years until in 1892; it passed down to James Sumner as a going engineering concern, the business producing iron and brass castings. Following experiments with steam, the successful production of a prize-winning lawn mower resulted in the formation of J. Sumner Ltd. The Preston firm of T. Coulthard and Co. took a half share in Sumner's works to make more capital available.

Later George Spurrier from Manchester took over the Coulthard interests, George's brother, Henry, returning from the U.S.A. where he had been working as a railway draughtsman. The Lancashire Steam Motor Company was formed in 1896, with Sumner being joined by the Spurrier family on the board of directors; the firm then moved to a small works in Herbert Street.

The building was then taken over by George Damp and Sons Ltd., who continued with the engineering blacksmiths and also opened a small hardware and ironmongery shop next door. Following the war, the hardware and ironmongery shop continued to prosper until in 1980 the two remaining brothers retired. The shop then passed to Websters Furnishers, the building having since been converted into units.

Mrs Jolly's Corner

This terrace included many old shops including Jack Thackers newsagents (brother of Bert Thacker), Singleton & Pickering confectioners, Hindles “White Shop” the butchers - later owned by Jimmy Walker, while the row on the bend itself, known as Mrs Jolly's stuck out almost to the edge of the present pavement. Mrs Jolly's was a small sweet shop.

Garden Terrace was constructed in 1898, when the village was expanding beyond the end of the old boundary at the Ship.

The Ship and the site of the Seven Stars

The Ship is on the site of an earlier public house known as “The Sun”, in 1800, then changing to “The Shoemakers” or “The Cordwainers Arms” by 1819, changing again in 1823 to Bannisters Ship Inn. The Seven Stars which was demolished in the last twenty years was a much smaller building, much older looking with the mock tudor frontage though of a similar age to the Ship next door.

Industry could be found at the rear of these premises with the large stone gateposts next to the Seven Stars site leading the way to Berry's stonemasons yard. While behind the Ship was established the villages first gas works in 1849, well away from the village centre.

Leyland Garage

When the early Congregationalists required a place of worship, they built in 1844 the Ebenezer Independent Chapel, though this soon became too small and they eventually moved to the new church in Hough Lane in 1877.

The chapel was then bought by Fr J.C. Proctor for use as a Roman Catholic School. Following demolition of three adjoining cottages to make way for a playground in 1883, the school was further expanded the following year. The school was then demolished in 1897, a purpose built building costing £7050 and taking six months to build taking its place. This school continued in use until the Balshaws Grammar School became empty in 1932 following their transfer to Church Road, and the school children marched in procession from Towngate to their new home on School Lane.

The building was then known as St Marys Hall becoming for a time the Employment Exchange then during the war being used by the National Fire Service until in 1946, it was purchased by Frank Marsden for use as a garage and showroom. Thereafter, it was known as Leyland Garage, confusing since it was the main Ford dealership in the area. Whilst the name remains, the garage itself has recently sadly become a name of the past.

Towngate Cottages

These cottages featured in one of David Grant's drawings, being demolished in 1875 by John Stanning, of the Bleach Works to make way for three cottages he had erected. Of these, two have been demolished to enable the Conservative Club to be built.

The George IV Hotel

This Hotel was built onto the original adjacent cottages, being known prior to 1820, when George IV came to the throne, as " The Grapes ". The street down the side of the hotel is now known as Spring Gardens, but was previously called Bradshaw Street, with a row of weaver’s cottages and its own Sunday School.

Leyland & Farington Co - op Towngate shop

Jack Frodsham, started work at the Towngate store in 1926, when the manager was Bob Ryding and John Staples was under manager. Built in 1900, this was typical of the Co - op stores of the period. The building was centrally heated by coke stoves with cellar and upper floor storage access to which was by a door, which is now built up.

The hoist can still be seen at the rear of this building, which is now occupied by Bill Nickson Cycles. This shop had a delivery service, which included the Runshaw area of Euxton.

The site of the Lower Townfield

The row of shops, banks and other buildings have long since disappeared under the demolition caused by the new town centre scheme, it can be said that the site has now reverted to the earliest type of field cultivation though at the moment it does seem to have laid fallow for too many years.

To follow Towngate south from the junction with Lancaster Gate you would have first passed the Public Hall built in 1900, for many years the council offices prior to the building of the Civic Centre down West Paddock. It then became known as the Civic Hall and, in the years prior to demolition, it was used as a Snooker Hall.

There then followed a terrace of shops named Manchester Terrace, the most ornate being the Electricity Showroom with its multicoloured glass window. The old Conservative Club was next, followed by Town House, a three storey building at the junction of Cow Lane, known as Cow Lane House for a time. It was once occupied by the manager of the Bleach Works, before becoming the branch of the Lancaster Bank later the National Commercial Bank.

On the other side of Cow Lane, was a house and barn, which was used as Barons salerooms on the site of the Osbaldeston Almshouses which were moved down Fox Lane. The last building demolished in 1989 being the Midland Bank which adjoined the Tudor House.

Towngate - East Side

Laburnum Cottage Terrace

The terrace was built to replace Laburnum Cottage, the home of James Quin, who had the rubber manufacturing business in Golden Hill Lane prior to the formation of the Leyland & Birmingham Rubber Company.

The Old Market site

On this site, there stood a row of step houses, this area then being known as Water Street, from the number of springs and wells that could be found hereabouts. These houses were built for the use of handloom weavers, with each house having a cellar and two floors for living accommodation. There was twelve in the row, the north end house being larger, occupied by the merchant manager, who organised the weaving and purchased the finished cloth, his cellar being the managers warehouse.

At one time the cottages were owned by the Brethertons of Runshaw Hall. In 1844, the owners were the heirs of John Finch, and the manager's cottage was occupied by John Snape. The last known hand loom weaver in these cottages was Mr. Hugh Holding, who at one time lived at Sodd Hall, which stood on Leyland Moss.

It was in this house that Richard and Alice Sumner lived between 1850 and 1860 and where in 1859, their son James was born. It was this James Sumner, who later made the steam tricycle, which eventually led to the formation of the Lancashire Steam Motor Company and later to Leyland Motors Ltd. When in 1936, the eight most southern step houses were demolished, a new market place was opened, the wooden permanent stalls being adjacent to Towngate. The old market on Golden Hill Lane eventually closed.

The remaining three houses and managers house which had since become a greengrocers shop managed to survive until the market was again moved in 1970 to the present position at the Cross. The whole site then, including a short terrace in Forge Street, being redeveloped into the present day sheltered accommodation.

Gordon Terrace

This terrace was built in 1887, named to commemorate General Gordon of Khartoum, the design of the terrace being identical to another terrace in Stanley Street, off Turpin Green Lane, which was built two years later and named Goulding Terrace.

Broad Bank Terrace

With a date stone reading M over J & S 1897, this property is built on the site of Coopers Farm, which was on the edge of the village.

The Old Timber Yard

Formerly the site of the Coup's Candle factory, this building was used by the school across the road while it was being rebuilt in 1897. The site was then taken over by John Tomlinson's timber yard.

The Old Library

As denoted on the front of the building, this was Leyland's first constabulary station, being established in approximately 1857, the Lancashire Constabulary being formed in 1839. This building was designed to accommodate a married sergeant and a married constable. Two cells were provided but there were no court facilities and this omission may account for its premature closure. When they moved to their new station on Golden Hill in 1882, it was used for police accommodation.

In the 1930's, the library, which until then had been conducted from a room under the stage in the public hall, moved into the building, remaining there until in the early seventies. Leyland finally got a purpose built building on Lancastergate; the old building now being home to the Job Club on the ground floor while upstairs is the Navy Club, previously the Hall Club.

Food Giant and the Mall

On this length of Towngate from William Street to the Cross, there were many old established Leyland businesses, including John Clarkson - Butcher, Frank Parr - Decorator, Pickups - Furnishers (the last shop to be demolished), John Jump - Salerooms, John Booth Moss - Barber, Les Bowling - Tripe Shop, Davies's Chip Shop and Holmes - Fruit & Vegetable shop.

Though to take one shop as an example, Arthur Cocker - Decorator, from the late 1920's to the early 1960's had been up to 1918 "Bradleys - Mens & Boys Outfitters", and after Cockers until demolition the National Coal Board.

While Bakers the Chemists moved into the new shopping precinct, it is not clear whether "Bakers Breathe Easy" continued to be produced. The advertisement in the 1969 Festival Programme states that it was " highly approved and strongly recommended on account of its safe and effective character, containing neither opiate nor other objectionable ingredients. Its soothing and expectorant properties make it an invaluable remedy for the treatment of coughs, colds, bronchitis and difficulty in breathing all for 2/3 or 3/11!

A large house with bay windows being the home of John Stanning before he moved down to his new house adjoining the factory on Broadfield. It was also home to Dr. John Smith who with Dr. Barnes attended the sick at the Leyland Workhouse on Golden Hill Lane. Dr. Smith it was who bought Leyland House in Worden Lane for the use of the Roman Catholics of Leyland.

When the shops had been demolished, there was quite a delay before the redevelopment that became the supermarket could be completed. The hoardings that surrounded the site were therefore used as an official painting exhibition organised by Mr Stanley with the help of local schoolchildren who depicted the history of Leyland on the large boards.

The subsequent owners of the supermarket when opened in 1979 were many and to date include Mainstop, Carrefour, International, Gateway, Food Giant and now it’s the new Tesco.

Leyland & Farington Co - op Main Store, Towngate

The first stage of the redevelopment of Central Leyland by Metrolands began with the new Co - op Superstore and the adjacent shop units and open-air market. What started in 1970 as a modern, thriving store gradually succumbed to the changing economic climate of the late 1970's / early 1980's finally closing down in 1987. Since then it has stood empty merely adding to the scene of dereliction that is now the old centre of Leyland.

St Andrews Green

This area has had many names including the George V Playing Fields, the name with a different King later appearing on Worden Park as the name of the children's playground. The Rec (short for recreation ground, not a description of the area), was the usual scene for the visits of the Fairs and Circuses until the building of the supermarket car park led to the visiting shows having to relocate to West Paddock.

The Market Place

The new market place, opened on December 4th 1970, replaced the former site further down Towngate. The shops demolished in this area included Heatons Iron mongers situated on the corner of Church Road, nearby there was also the Bolans decorating shop and Brindles cycle shop.

Parish Church of St. Andrew, Leyland

The church is said to have been built in 1050. In 1086, it was recorded in the Domesday Book that among the inhabitants of Leyland there was a priest, who would no doubt have a place of worship. In 1220 a new church was built and the chancel of this church still stands today. The tower is said to date from 1220, but has been extensively restored C 1500. There are many emblems carved near the top of the tower to commemorate some of the notable people involved in the work.

In 1816, the nave was taken down and rebuilt the following year, the width being increased by nineteen feet. When the old walls were taken down, the foundations were left in below the floor of the nave. When alterations were made in 1852 in the south - east corner removing some of the old foundations, there were fragments of a still earlier church found including 12th century masonry, incised slabs and parts of stone coffins.