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Ross-on-Wye

Church Street

Church Street, Ross-on-Wye, runs approximately north - south from Old Maids Walk to the High Street. According to maps from the earliest 19th century, this street was originally called Lower Church Street and what is currently St Mary Street was called Upper Church Street. The two 'Church Streets' was unusual as most towns and cities only had one Church Street, very much like Ross does now, and quite why Upper Church Street was changed to St. Mary Street, and Lower Church Street to just Church Street is unclear.

The street used to have several offices and businesses run from it, for example in the mid 1800's there was an insurance agent for "Liverpool and London and Globe" doing fire and life insurance, a painter and decorator, a physician (who also worked in the hospital and dispensary as a surgeon), several solicitors, the rector and vicar lived in the Rectory, a railway clerk and a few general towns folk who had houses there. There was also a inn on Church Street called The Great Inn in the mid 17th century. Quite a busy street at the time considering its size.


Up Church Street
Looking south up Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

Church Street looking south from where it meets the High Street.

The building on the far right was the Ross Gazette print shop until around 1915 when it moved down to Kyrle House next to the Market House.

The building on the far left was Turners Shoe Shop and the entrance still has the name written on it as a mosaic.


The view north back to the High Street. This area, back from the High Street, is mostly housing and miscellaneous offices.

North down Church Street
Looking north down Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

South up Church Street
Looking south up Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

The view south up Church Street with the Rudhall Alms Houses on the left and on the right is the start of the churchyard and the steps into it.


The Rudhall Alms Houses on Church Street were founded in the fourteenth century and rebuilt in 1575. More details can be found [ here ].

The Church Street Alms Houses
Rudhall Alms Houses
(Click for a larger image)

The Church Yard steps
Looking up the steps to the church yard and the Plague Cross
(Click for a larger image)

The view up the church steps with the Plague Cross visible in the churchyard. The Plague Cross marks the graves where around three hundred townsfolk were buried due to an outbreak of the plague in 1637.


St. Mary's Church from the steps down to Church Street. More details on St. Mary's Church can be found [ here ].

St. Marys from the steps
The Church
(Click for a larger image)

Looking up Church Street
Looking south up Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

Church Street looking south towards Old Maids Walk.


The Alms Houses from the Churchyard beside Church Street.

Rudhall Alms Houses
Rudhall Alms Houses
(Click for a larger image)

Church Close
Church Close on Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

Church Close which was built on and behind the site of the old Rectory.


The current rectory was built in the 1935 on the site of the garden for the old rectory. The old rectory, which was a very large three storey Georgian building, was situated where Church Close is now and was demolished as the upkeep was too great. It had a large garden running up the side of Church Street as far as Old Maids Walk and several fields behind it and along side Old Maids Walk right up to Copse Cross Street.

The old rectory was used as a police station until 1957, when a new station was built off Old Maids Walk, and the old rectory was soon demolished to allow police housing to be built there.

The Rectory
The Rectory
(Click for a larger image)

Looking down Church Street
Looking north down Church Street
(Click for a larger image)

Church Street looking north from where it meets Old Maids Walk.

The wall to the right follows the line, or may even be, the wall of the garden from the Old Rectory illustrating the extensive size of the garden.

To the left is the main entrance to the church yard and the Perkins and Bellamy kissing gate. More details on Perkins and Bellamy can be found [ here ].



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[Page updated: Feb 15 2011 13:31:58]






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