11 - 19 Rock Street
Between the Oxhouses and the Seven Stars
Rock Street
11 Rock Street
13 Rock Street
15 Rock Street
17 Rock Street
19 Rock Street
Seven Stars
The above plan dated 1880 shows the area around the junction of Outer Back Street (now known as Rock Street) and Chapel Street. We believe the two houses on the right of the photo show numbers 11 and 13 Rock Street, but we would like someone to confirm this!
The earliest record we have seen relating to these houses is an indenture dated 1822 which also refers to the Cock Inn on the High Street. This refers to the property situated on what was then called Nelme Street adjoining the Severn Stars. It was described as 'formerly a barn and stable afterwards used as a workshop' which had been converted 'lately' by the owner, William Cowley, into 'four messuages or tenements and necessary house adjoining and now occupied therewith in the several tenures of Daniel Underhill, Jane Walker, Hester Cossham and Henry Liddiatt'. The description implies that there was one toilet (or necessary house) shared by the four houses. The dimensions of the 4 properties were in length about sixty one feet and in depth next to the Seven Stars about eighteen feet and a half and in depth next to the adjoining property on the north about sixteen feet.
The indenture shows the property was formerly part of the messuage and garden on the north and eastwards side, which were the estate and inheritance of Ralph Grove on whose death the property descended to Kingsmill Grove the younger, his nephew and heir-at-law, who sold and conveyed the property to William Cowley. The property referred to as being on the north and east sides was 'late of Richard Collins and Ann his wife, but now of a person called Allen (whose forename was omitted from the indenture), late in the occupation of James Saunders, but now of Charles Cossham'. We suspect that this was the house which later became number 11 Rock Street.
We don't know when the property was bought by William Cowley and the houses were built, but it was before 1814 the year when Kingsmill Grove died.
Another indenture dated 18th October 1839 appears to show the houses (along with the Cock which had been demolished and rebuilt as The New Inn) were then owned by James Martin Baxter and three of the houses were occupied by John Lester, Abraham Gale and Joseph Lippiatt.
In the 1840 Tithe Survey, this section of road was covered by Plot 119 on which there seems to be three houses, but the description refers only to two: a cottage and garden owned by Edward Doward and occupied by John Lester and cottage owned by Edward Doward and occupied by Abraham Gill (whom we think to be Abraham Gale). The buildings shown on the 1840 plan appear to have had the same outline as the five buildings that were there in the 1880 plan. It is likely that some of these buildings were sub-divided.
We know from the 1876 Rate Books that the 5 properties were then owned by Sarah and Ann Butler. In 1880 Rate Book they are owned by Ann Wishman, in 1885 to 1905 by John Reed Gale and in 1910 by Mrs John Reed Gale. It is interesting to note that when John Reed Gale was living with his parents in Tormarton, his brother is shown as James Butler Gale. We haven't yet found the connection between the Butlers, Ann Wishman and the Gales but it seems very likely that there is a connection.
The houses were demolished in the early 1960's as part of the town's re-development and replaced by the Police Station and adjoining landscaped garden area.
This page was last updated: 04/01/2009