You are in [Places] [High Street Properties] [120 High Street]
[-->119 High Street] [-->Demolished for Railway Bridge (East)]
Summary:
Earliest information: 1769
Original estate: Hungerford
Common Rights? Yes (Frontage 38ft; 2 horses or 4 cows)
Date of current building: Mid 18th century
Listed: Yes
Thumbnail History:
[House and malthouse, quit rent 6d.]
Westall > Reeves > Langford > Alexander (coal merchants) > Bennett's (garden shop & pets) > 1989 redevelopment
Description of property:
From Listed Building records: House, now house and shop. Mid 18th century altered early 19th century. Tiled roof with end chimney and two gabled dormers with glazing bar sashes, dentilled eaves and band at first floor, variegated brick with rubbed flat arches over openings. Two storeys and attic. Tripartite glazing bar sashes with exposed frames flanking single sash, 19th century shop front to left with tall pilasters, fascia and blind box, central 6-panel door in plain surround with flat hood on cut brackets, tripartite sash to right.
Photo Gallery:
Martin & the Magpie, Nov 2010
Alexander's heavy coal wagon, with Bill Lewington holding the reins, standing outside the London & Provincial Stores (25 High Street), c1900.
Joseph Alexander, c1880. "Coal, Hay, and Straw Merchant. Radstock, Forest of Dean, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire Coals always in stock. Carting done at very moderate rates."
Alexander Bros. 10-ton open coal wagon No. 37, made by Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Works, Co. Ltd., in their Midland Works at Birmingham for use on the Great Western Railway.
Alexander Bros. 10-ton open coal wagon No. 37, made by Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Works, Co. Ltd., in their Midland Works at Birmingham for use on the Great Western Railway.
Hungerford Carnival c.1956. One of the fund-raisers was the "Lump of Coal" competition. A huge lump of coal is on the lorry outside Roy Alexander's coal merchant's shop, 120 High Street (now "Martin & the Magpie" florists). Roy Alexander is standing outside his shop with tickets in hand; Miss Bell, who sold pet foods and took coal orders is proudly posed for the picture. The competition cost 3d. a guess. The prize..? "Guess the weight, and win the lump!". This one weighed in at 14 cwt.
Bennet's, 120 High Street, 1974
Alexanders group photograph in station yard, mid 1930s?
Alexander Bros sign on railside building, Dec 1978
Alexander Bros sign on railside building, Dec 1978
120 High Street, Jan 2010
The weighbridge at the rear (station) entrance to Bennet's yard, Nov 1988. [Ivor Speed collection]
Bennet's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989
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Bennett's Shop closed, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
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Bennet's Shop closed, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
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Rear entrance to Bennet's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
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Rear barn at Bennet's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
Bennet's shop c1975
M&P Hardware, Aug 2020.
John Brooks' survery of 120 High Street c1987.
Martin and the Magpie, and Red Cross Shop, Feb 2021.
![19881200 120 High St (Bennet's closed) [Ivor Speed]](https://new.hungerfordvirtualmuseum.co.uk/images/phocagallery/Modern_Hungerford/High_Street_66-132/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_19881200 120 High St (Bennet's closed) [Ivor Speed].jpg)
Bennet's closed, Dec 1988 [Ivor Speed].
F & Class Barbers, 23 October 2022.
- Martin & the Magpie, Nov 2010
- Alexander's heavy coal wagon, with Bill Lewington holding the reins, standing outside the London & Provincial Stores (25 High Street), c1900.
- Joseph Alexander, c1880. "Coal, Hay, and Straw Merchant. Radstock, Forest of Dean, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire Coals always in stock. Carting done at very moderate rates."
- Alexander Bros. 10-ton open coal wagon No. 37, made by Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Works, Co. Ltd., in their Midland Works at Birmingham for use on the Great Western Railway.
- Alexanders group photograph in station yard, c1935. Identified as L-R: Joseph Alexander; J Roy Alexander; H Donaldson & Olive Rosier (clerks); C Deacon (foreman); five yard staff; Pike (stationmaster); Dore (GWR Inspector).
- John Brooks' survery of 120 High Street c1987.
- Hungerford Carnival c.1956. One of the fund-raisers was the "Lump of Coal" competition. A huge lump of coal is on the lorry outside Roy Alexander's coal merchant's shop, 120 High Street (now "Martin & the Magpie" florists). Roy Alexander is standing outside his shop with tickets in hand; Miss Bell, who sold pet foods and took coal orders is proudly posed for the picture. The competition cost 3d. a guess. The prize..? "Guess the weight, and win the lump!". This one weighed in at 14 cwt.
- Bennet's, 120 High Street, 1974
- Bennet's shop, c1975
- Alexander Bros sign on railside building, Dec 1978
- Alexander Bros sign on railside building, Dec 1978
- The weighbridge at the rear (station) entrance to Bennet's yard, Nov 1988 [Ivor Speed collection]
- Bennet's closed, Dec 1988 [Ivor Speed].
- Bennett's Shop closed, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
- Rear entrance to Bennet's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
- Rear barn at Bennet's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989 (John Allen).
- Bennett's, 120 High Street, Feb 1989
- 120 High Street, Jan 2010
- M&P Hardware, Aug 2020.
- Martin and the Magpie, and Red Cross Shop, February 2021.
- F & Class Barbers, 23rd October 2022.
Timeline:
1752 (NH) Will of Joseph Shipton: Freehold messuage with malthouse and 17½ acres which were bought by me from Mr Hawkins to Joseph Westall, grandson (another 6 acres, apparently separate, to Mary Joseph Shipton's widow, for life and after to Joseph Westall, when he is 21).
1753 (QR) Catherine Westall.
1757(?) (NH) D/E2/57/1 Messuage and malthouse adjoining plus 23 acres (later replaced by 20 acres under Enclosure Act), between William Litman on North side (=GWR), and John Hayne, gent on South side (=119HS). In 1757 marriage settlelement John Westall, currier (10 Catherine Murray, widow (2). Other parties = Geo. Glasse of New Inn, Mx (3) and Thos Mundy of Hungerford, gent and Henry Ellis of Hungerford, innholder (4) in respect of marriage of Joseph and Catherine. Messuage had been given to Joseph Westall by will of his grandfather Joseph Shipton. Tenants were Joseph Biss(?); Joseph Povey(?) and John Cannon.
1769 (NH) D/E2/57/1 contd: Joseph Westall of Charnham Street, victualler and Catherine and James Shipton of Hungerford. William King has replaced John Cannon as a tenant (see below)
1777 (NH) Royal Exchange Assurance: Catherine Westall, house, brick built, occupied by John Pettifer.
1781 (CL) Catherine Westall.
1785 (NH) D/E2/57/1: Lease for one year of the property by Katherine Westall, 18th August, widow (again), of property to John Deadman. Says property now has John Cox(head?) on north (now railway bridge) and Matthew Bance on south (119 HS, NatWest).
1785 (NH) D/E2/57/1: mortgaged to William Coxhead and John Deadman.
1792 (UD) No entry for Westall nor Reeves
1795-1804 (QR) Thomas Watson for house and malthouse late Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.
1805-17 (QR) Thomas Reeves (amended to ..?.. Watson) for house and malthouse formerly Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.
1818-25 (QR) Thomas Reeves for house and malthouse formerly Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.
1819 (EA) Reeves: No pathway on north side, but entrance between next property (Cundell's) to south, Pearce's to north, ?Everlands Road.
Thomas Langford, maltster, c1828-c1865:
1832 (QR) Thomas Langford for house and malthouse formerly Thomas Reeves and wife, q.r. 6d.
1836 (QR) Thomas Langford for house and malthouse formerly Thomas Reeves, q.r. 6d.
1843 (CL) Thomas Langford.
1844 (PD) Thomas Langford - maltster.
1847 (CL) Thomas Langford - owner and occ.
1851 (CS) Thomas Langford (66), farmer with 60 acres, emp 1 man.
1857 Thomas Langford died (will with deeds of 32 HS. T.L. owned 32 HS 1854-1866, latterly by his wife).
1861 (CS) Miriam Langford (70)
1861 (CL) Mrs. Thomas Langford - owner and occ.
1862 GWR railway bridge erected over High Street. Cundell's and Spearings houses demolished. See CL 1896.
Alexander's Coal Merchants, c1865-1969:
1871 (CS) Joseph Alexander (55) - Coal Merchant.
1891 (KD) Joseph Alexander & Son - Coal Merchants.
1896 (CL) Devisees of Joseph Alexander (owners). William Alexander (occ). [William became Constable in 1901-02]
1902 (T&M Register) Devisees of Joseph Alexander (owners)
1903 (KD) Alexander Bros. - wholesale & retail coal, corn, seed, hay and straw merchants. Artificial manure.
1903 (T&M Register) William George Alexander (occupier until 1910; void 1911)
1912 (T&M Register) Joseph Alexander (occupier; void 1913)
1914 (T&M register) Horace Coker (occupier until ?1921)
1914 (CL) Devisees of Jos. Alexander (owners). Horace Coker (occ).
1920 (KD) William Alexander (owner) - Alexander Bros. Coal Merchants, Station Road. H. Coker - butcher (occupant of shop).
1921-7 (*1) William Alexander (owner). Mr. Turner - plumber (occ)
1922 (T&M Register) Arthur Richard Turner (occupier until ?1927)
1927-69 (*1) Joseph Roy and Constance Alexander. (two sons).
1928 (T&M Register) Joseph Roy Alexander (occupier)
1932 (QR) #17) Alexander Bros., for " House and Malthouse formerly Catherine Westall's afterwards Reeves", q.r. 6d.
1939 (Blacket's) Alexander Bros Ltd (J.R. Alexander)
1947-68 (CL) Joseph Roy Alexander (Constable 1947-49)
<1968 (T&M Register) Joseph Roy Alexander (owner)
1968 (CL) Joseph Roy Alexander
1969 (*1) Joseph R. Alexander died.
Death of Mr Joseph Alexander:
The death took place on Tuesday of Mr Joseph Alexander, of Beacon farm, Hungerford, at the age of 87. He was the managing director of Alexander Bros (Hungerford) Ltd, agricultural and coal merchants, which firm was founded by his father the late Mr Joseph Alexander, and celebrated its centenary in December 1944.
He had been associated with it all his life. Mr Alexander ented Beacon Farm in 1888, purchasing it some years later. In 1920 he also bought Horn Hill Farm, Hungeford. He was connected with the Hungerford Savings Bank, but although interested in the affairs of the town he did not take an active part in public life. He was a strong Methodist.
The funeral takes place tomorrow (Friday) at the Bath-road Methodist Church, at 1.30pm.
1969 (T&M Register) Personal representatives of Joseph Roy Alexander (owner); Constance Elizabeth Alexander (occupier)
1970 (T&M Register) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett (owner)
1970 (CL) Void
1970 Mrs. C. Alexander moved to Wyttnam, Fairview Road.
I. A. Bennet & Sons, garden shop, 1970-1988:
1970 Roy Bennett (own)
1971 (T&M Register) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett (occupier)
1976 (CL) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett – Pets and Garden Centre
1970-85 ( ) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett.
1978 Bennet – garden shop and pets
1983 (CL) Roy Bennett – Pets and Garden Shop
1984 (CL) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett
1985 (CL) Roy Archibald Davis Bennett
Dec 1988: Roy Bennett moved out.
Major redevelopment, including The Cuttings:
1989 Redevelopment and complete renovation of building and site. Addition at rear of shops and offices ("The Cuttings") and rest of land sold to become part of municipal car park (with rear of 119HS), retaining line of burgage plots with original flint wall dividing the plots.
2005 (CL) Void
2011 (CL) Emma Bakker
2016 (CL) Martin Rene Bakker
South side:
Mar 1990 Paroo's gift shop (glass, porcelain, confectionary)
In 1993 Paroo's
Jan 1998 Red Cross Charity Shop
North side:
Mar 1990 G & D.I. Smithers (florist)
In 1993 G & DI Smithers, florist
2003 Hello Flower (florist - Sarah Matthews, proprietor)
Jun 2010 Hello Flower closed
Nov 2010 Martin & the Magpie (florist) opened. Partners: Martin Bakker and Kay Davies. (Closed October 2022)
Oct 2022: F & Class Barber opened (Traditional Turkish barber).
North side, rear:
?1990: MacAuley & Co., solicitors.
The Cuttings:
Unit 1:
- M&P Hardware, hardware and DIY retailer.
Unit 2-3:
- M&P Electrical, electrical retailer.
- 2023: Laura Neal Hairdressing
Unit 4:
- Orange Key Design Studios, architectural designer.
- 2023: Hungerford Bathrooms
See: "Unique plans for town centre micropub" NWN 13th October 2022.
- "Town Council objects to plans for micropub" NWN 17th November 2022.
The Canal Wharf, 2011