Station Street, Ross-on-Wye, was originally known as Queen Street or was divided at some point along its length to form two streets. Queen Street does not appear on a map of the town by Thomas Wakeman from 1823 (as seen as an endpaper to The Book of Ross-on-Wye - Martin H. Morris) but it does appear in the Trades Directory - Littlebury's Directory and Gazetteer of Herefordshire, 1876-7 but the street is referred to as Queen Street and as Station Street. The Queen's Head public house is mentioned as being in Queen Street along with a few other trades people but Alton Court Brewery is mentioned as being in Station Street along with other trades people, hence the division existed or the change of name occurred at around this time. Being as the railway did not open until 1855, then it was unlikely to have been called 'Station Street' prior to the coming of the railway. The Queen's Head later changed it's name to the Drop Inn and it still has that name today and is now in Station Street.
Station Street was almost completely filled by the Alton Court Brewery [ more info on the Brewery ] which is now part of Somerfield Supermarket and a retirement housing development.
Station Street looking east from where it meets Broad Street and Brookend Street.
On the left you can see the old Malt House and opposite that is the site of the old brewery.
Looking east down Station Street (Click for a larger image)
The General Tool Store (Click for a larger image)
What is now The General Tool Store was Blake's Hardware Store, which was established in 1815, and sold all manner of tools and household items. The Blake Brothers made their wares locally in the Crofts where they had a foundry.
They forged items that were used and are still visible around the town. This drain cover, although now broken, is one such example.
An example of Blake Brothers work (Click for a larger image)
An example of Blake Brothers work (Click for a larger image)
Here is a much better example, with a slightly different design, from a different part of the town.
Station Street looking west, from the Henry Street junction, back towards the junction with Broad Street and Brookend Street.
Station Street (Click for a larger image)
Station Street (Click for a larger image)
Station Street looking east, from the Henry Street junction, towards the junction with Millpond Street.
The site of the Alton Court bottling plant in Ross-on-Wye (Click for a larger image)
Station Street (Click for a larger image)
Station Street looking west, from the junction with Millpond Street back towards the brewery.
You can see some of the interesting housing on the street. The red brick house in the middle
of the shot has several 'Norwich Union' plaques on it.
Station Street ends at the roundabout where it meets Cantilupe Road, Smallbrook Road and Station Approach.
The building immediately to the left occupies the site of Arthur Weale's cycle and gun works which used the area in 1903. This building was then pulled
down and more recently was used as T.C. Longford's car showroom and then it was Newent Windows for a few years. This business then ceased trading on this site in August 2005 and the site is currently empty (26-9-05).
Looking west down Station Street (Click for a larger image)
The old road surface Station Street (Click for a larger image)
Signs of what Station Street used to look like are still visible, for example these stones, just visible under new road surface, used to mark the edges of the road.
Station Street has some of the finest examples of Perkins and Bellamy's casting work in Ross. For example this cellar cover is the best one I have found so far around the town.
A Perkins and Bellamy cellar cover in Station Street (Click for a larger image)
A Perkins and Bellamy water channel in Station Street (Click for a larger image)
This is an example of a Perkins and Bellamy water channel running across the pavement. It is worn by the passing of people but it is still a fairly good example.
Where the entrance to Morrisons Supermarket was the site of a Coal Yard Office that was Ross Tyre Service that was demolished circa 18/5/1987 to make way for the building of the Safeway Supermarket.
In front of the building a weighbridge can just be seen flush with the ground, this was one of three that were situated on Station Approach. This one has been removed, one partially remains (the bed has been removed and filled in with tarmac) and the third is complete.
Site of Coal Yard [Photo: J.C.Coombes] (Click for a larger image)
Shop Fronts
1 Station Street
[2010] The Tool Shop
[2006] The Tool Shop
[1975] Bryan & Sprake
[1950] Blake Brothers Hardware Store
The Hardware Store
The Hardware Store (Click for a larger image)
Blake Brothers Hardware Store circa 19501 (Click for a larger image)
Blake Bros. advert 2 Brass and Ironfounders, Manufacturing Ironmongers, Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineers, & c. (Click for a larger image)
Alton Court Brewery
Alton Court Brewery advert c.19102 Brewers, Maltsters and Mineral Water Manufacturers (Click for a larger image)
Alton Court Brewery advert c.19383 Brewers, Maltsters and Mineral Water Manufacturers (Click for a larger image)
12 Station Street
[2010] W. James Repairs & Welding
[2006] W. James Repairs & Welding
[1941] T. W. Ryall
T.W. Ryall
T. W. Ryall advert from 19415 Brewers, Maltsters and Mineral Water Manufacturers (Click for a larger image)
T. W. Ryall was an undertaker and builder who had his showroom and yard at 12 Station Street, Ross-on-Wye.
[1952] The Alton Court Brewery Co. Ltd bottling plant
[1900] The Alton Court Brewery Co. Ltd bottling plant
25 Station Street
[2010] Service entrance to Sainsburys
[2009] Service entrance to Somerfield
[1992] Shacs Ltd [demolished]
[1990] Shacs Ltd
26 Station Street
[2010] Downing Upholstery
[2006] Downing Bros Re-upholsterers
1Burrow's Wye Valley Illustrated Hereford to Chepstow - 4th Edition (circa 1950) 2The Wye Valley Illustrated from Hereford to Chepstow No.323 Burrows Royal Handbooks [Fifth Edition c.1910] published by Edward J. Burrow (1) 3Ross - The Gateway of the Wye Valley - Ross-on-Wye Chamber of Commerce [c.1938] (3) 4Ross The official Guide of the Ross Urban District Council No.287 The "Borough" Guides [c.1903-1914] printed by Lawrence & Fowler, Market Place, Ross (2) 5Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire 1941 - Kelly's Directories Ltd
Old Receipts & Bills
Blake Brothers
The Blake Brothers were ironmongers, blacksmiths, fitters and sanitary engineers based on the corner of Station Street and Brookend Street.