1. : The 19th Century Need
The Market had always lacked a major route to and
from the North; the (nearest) alternatives being the
narrow alleys of Dove Street, Little London Street
and Goat Lane(s).
Amusingly, now that Exchange Street exists, it still
leads into St. Andrew's Street ("Broad Street", formerly
Wymer Street); and not directly to any bridge.
Indeed, the "new" bridge at Duke Street (c. 1822)
was, and still is, approached via Dove Street !.
There was another particular reason, however :
being the construction of the New Corn Exchange on
the south-west corner of (what is now) Bedford Street,
and the access thereto. This replaced the old Exchange,
held in St. Andrew's Hall.
2. : Dates
The Corn Exchange was completed
in October 1828, and the first half of the
new street opened by August 1828.
This clearly shows that the Exchange was the real
driving force for the highway, rather than the
6-year-old Duke Street bridge.
However, the overall, modern, northern route became
fully useful when the bottom half was finished in
May 1832.
The Exchange itself did not last very long (1860)
and was replaced by an enormous Victorian
edifice, opened in November 1861.
A photo of the facade is on page 27 of PLUNKETT,
George : Commemorative Collection.
That building, too, was demolished about a century later
(1964), and is now the rear entrance (and loading bay)
of Jarrold's main store.
3. : Pubs Lost
The demolition of pubs was an
important element in the scheme.
To begin with, the Tunns was an Inn with a large
adjoining open area (as inns required), which made for
an easy start to constructing the new road at the
Market corner. Sadly, the inn was also sacrificed.
For the Exchange building, the historic Wrench's Court
was destroyed, which had housed - inter alia -
the New Lobster pub.
Sir Benjamin Wrench's house may have been
demolished by April 1825; but the pub still
appeared in the Trades Directory of 1830.
Further down the hill, the Sun & Anchor was on the
line of the new road, on the opposite side of
"Bedford Street" from the New Lobster
(but probably located down an alleyway,
nearer to the site of St. Crouch's Church).
Continued . . .
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3. (contd.)
The remains of the said church (largely demolished
c. 1515) and its grounds, fell victim to the roadbuilding
- at the Wymer Street end. Also affected was the former
chancel, long since used as
the Hole in the Wall pub.
This pub stood on the East side of a lane - of that name -
running from 7, Bedford Street; probably the one now
called School Lane. The pub was still listed as late as
1836; and, as the new road was opened in 1832, the site
must have been used for yet more new building in the immediate area.
4. : Pubs Gained
Unlike the present Jarrold's building (or the second
Exchange), there was enough space left behind the
original Exchange for a pub on the north-west corner
of Little London Street - called, unsurprisingly, the
New Corn Exchange.
The Sun & Anchor (also a Wine and Spirits Merchant's)
was grandly re-built on the north-east corner of the new
crossroads, and is now home to Jarrold's Commercial Dept.
Eventually, a rival merchant's premises - even grander -
appeared on the opposite (north-west) corner : styled
Monument House, better k/a Chamberlin & Smith's.
Further down the hill, the Post Office Tavern was
created, possibly on part of the Sun & Anchor site.
In later years a number of hotels/pubs have been opened
along the stretch nearer the Market; always (it seems)
on the opposite side from Messrs. Jarrold's; and always
(it seems) commercially unsuccessful !.
5. : Street Names
The upheavals of 1828 - 32 created, as we have
observed, a new crossroads. This gave opportunities to
re-name old sections of highway, as well as the new one.
In the case of the new route, the name "Exchange Street"
was restricted to the top half - nearest the Market.
The bottom half, for good and obvious reasons, was
called "Post Office Street"; which explains the name of
one of the new pubs. However, the Post Office itself had
moved from the street by 1870 (possibly 1875).
Pottergate Street, one of the very longest in the City,
had formerly run all the way from St. Andrew's Hill
- by London Street - to the City Wall.
So an early change to "Bedford Street" was
in order for the easternmost section.
The short stretch, between the new crossroads and the
old (at St. John Maddermarket), adopted the name of
"Lobster Lane" - as the old Lobster pub had remained unaffected.
P. S.
It is probable that 'Lobster Lane' included
'Bedford Street' even earlier than 1828
- there being two Lobsters at the time . . .
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