83/84 High Street/Staple Gardens - TrustNews Summer 2001
83/84 High Street/Staple Gardens
The last newsletter's request for information concerning the building on the corner of High Street / Staple Gardens, has brought some enlightening responses, the editor is most grateful for these contributions.
Mr. Ian Smith, surveyor, working currently in the building, Talbot House, 83 High Street has sent some extracts from Alderman Thomas Stopher's 'A History of Winchester Streets' (1895 - 1926):
No. 82 High Street.
Here stood a private residence some distance back from the street, in a line with Wakot. It was a mean-looking, uncared-for house, the garden wild and much overgrown. The occupier was a Mr. Brookman, a wine merchant carrying on a business in the wine vaults next "The Royal" in St. Peter's Street. Over the door to the vaults was this Inscription: "VINO BONO NON OPUS EGT HIDERA" Latin I believe for "Good wine needs no bush".
The Capital & Counties Bank building that now occupies the site was from the design of Mr. Crutchlow of Southampton. J.W. Snelling, an old friend of mine, was one of the early managers of the bank. Unfortunately he got into difficulties, had to leave, and died soon after. Mr. Merrick succeeded him and then the present manager, Mr. C W Joy came. The interior of the bank was altered and enlarged to my plans, and again in 1913.
Gross value £180, Rateable value £144
Nos. 83 & 84 High Street.
'The Star' public house. This was erected for Mr. G.H. Pointer in 1885 from my design at a cost with the adjoining, shop, of £2,448. it was greatly against my judgement that (it) was built so high. The old Star Inn was a low building occupied by Mrs. Lawrence for many years, with a small greengrocers' shop adjoining which is in my album of "Old Winchester". It was much used by tailors.' Three' skeletons were found in digging for the foundations of the new building all buried in an upright squatting position in square cists plastered with clay. They were evidently very early burials. I have written a full account in my "Milner's History of Winchester". Asa "hotel" the rebuilding has been a great loss to the owners. The old house paid much better. The shop has had several tenants, but has now been a butchers' for some years.
No. 83. Gross value £77, Rateable value £62
No. 84. Gross value £75, Rateable value £60.
Mr Nick Goulder's comments:
"As a frequenter of Winchester pubs, and by coincidence also a member of the City of Winchester Trust, I was delighted to see the picture of The Talbot in the Spring edition of your excellent organisation:
The Talbot unfortunately turned into an estate agent's office some time in the early 1970's. As a pub it was notorious in more ways than one during the sixties. This notoriety was not unconnected with the reputation subsequently gained by the entire sixties decade.
Mr R Dudley Uttley RIBA (Rtd) writes:
I can assure you it was a fine hostelry up to that point - I guess that it was designed and built as an Inn".
"The building illustrated is what was known in the 50's and prior to that date as 'The Talbot Hotel' and was owned by Strong and Co of Romsey the Brewers, later to be taken over by Whitbread & Company. It was of course a Pub (much used by news reporters covering spectacular cases at the Assizes in those days) with letting rooms over. I was offered the top floor as a flat soon after qualifying and lived there for some two years, as it was but 200 yds form my office then over the former Westminster Bank, at 91 High Street. The building was obviously constructed in Victorian times, of stout brick, flint and stone work, the latter probably coming originally from Hyde Abbey as much of it was used in building works in the North and North-West parts of the city."