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By Mike Chapman
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The village had few street amenities, nor is it likely that the parish had a livery of its own. Street name-plates were introduced in the late 19th century, probably when the numbering system was altered in 1891. The old plates on the corners of Mill Lane and Waterloo Buildings appear to be survivors from this period. The only pre-WWII direction post, indicating ‘to Englishcombe’, was attached to the wall of the house (since demolished) on the west corner of Shophouse Lane. Other old signs include a cast-iron notice prohibiting cycling at the top of Little Hill, and the Turnpike Trust mile stone in the wall next to Rose Cottage. The latter had a distance plate (now missing) marked ‘Guildhall 2 Miles’, which was still marked on maps of the 1930s, but by 1952 is shown as ‘defaced’.
A post-office was established somewhere in the High Street as early as 1811, and in the 1840s and 1850s was run by the Kelson family who appear to have had a haberdasher’s shop in Fern House. After 1857 it was located at Newman’s drapers shop in Providence Place (11 and 12 High Street) until 1891 when it moved to No.1 Mill Lane, where there was a post-box in the front wall. After 1920 the post office disappeared altogether from the High Street when it was re-located to ‘Albany House’ on the corner of Jew’s Lane on the Lower Bristol Road. In the meantime the post-box was removed to the orchard wall next to Chilcott’s Buildings until nos. 26-41 High Street were built on the site in 1963 and it was moved again to its present site in the front wall of Clyde House. The post office returned from Jew’s Lane to the High Street in the 1990s (to the Spar store), together with a pillar box. Phone booths have always been installed away from the High Street, in the adjoining residential areas.
There have never been any fountains, troughs, memorials, or ornamental trees in the High Street, but the public conveniences near the Parade were installed in the early 1950s, and seats have been subsequently provided in front of the Parade and on the corner of Shophouse Lane.
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