The Village Square, Timberscombe
Title
The Village Square, Timberscombe
Subject
Description
A photograph of the Village Square of Timberscombe. The photograph is undated but is likely c. 1910. In the centre background, the southern end of Brook Street is visible and on it's right is an open doorway. This was Poole's, a shop, ran by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Poole. Their sign, reading "R. POOLE, TAILOR, DRAPER & GROCERS" is over the door, which can be seen more clearly at item reference SP-034, a photograph dated 1909.
In later years, Poole's will become a residence, renamed Butterflies. Semi-detached to the shop's left, is the cottage called Brooklyn and to it's left is The Old Malt House (formerly known as Ye Olde Malthouse and before that as Old Malt House). This was possibly a slaughterhouse at this time for Stenner's Butcher Shop (1), operated by Samuel James Stenner, on the northern end of this row of buildings (not seen in this photograph). A sliver of the Stenner family home is visible on the left of The Old Malt House, extending into the road. This house, later demolished, can seen at SP-030. Some of the thatch above The Old Malt House is worn, also apparent in the 1909 photograph.
Facing the Village Square, on the right, is Lion Inn. The landlord at this time is likely Samuel Stenner, the father of Samuel James Stenner, the butcher. An alehouse called The Boot, was on this site by 1820 and it is believed there were other alehouses here at least since the 1600's (2). By 1841, The Boot was renamed Lion Inn, possibly being partly rebuilt at that time (3). In the upcoming years, the doorway and sign seen here will be altered. The door will be enclosed by a porch, with "LION INN" enlarged over it (and later being altered to "THE LION INN"). The left corner of the front facade (as well as the unseen right), will have raised detailing added to it's edges, similar to the style of the detailing over the lower left window that is visible. On the northern side of Lion Inn, a large arched opening is visible. This will be relatively new, not seen in some early photographs (such as SP-029) and will later be enclosed. At other times a stable door will be installed in this area (as seen at SP-013).
Before c. 1883 there was no main road exiting Timberscombe to the west. The row of stone buildings on the left of the photograph already existed. They appear on the Tithe Map of 1843 and are thought to be possibly late 18th or early 19th century (4). In 1883, work began to widen the pathway in front of this row and continue as a road out to the west. By 1887 the work was complete (5) and Jubilee Terrace was established as the name of the road, as visible in the foreground of this photograph. Jubilee Terrace continues until it passed The Old Vicarage (unseen in this photograph but just past the end of row), where it became called Addison's Folly (later renamed Bemberry Bank).
The window seen on the photograph's left edge is part of Combe House (often called "Coombe"), likely with a shop on the street level. In 1969, this will become Timberscombe's Post Office (6). A bicycle, that looks equipped to deliver goods, is visible in front of the next doorway. This is to No. 3 Jubilee Terrace, also a village shop in this photograph--there appears to be a shop sign over it's window. Later No. 3 Jubilee Terrace is the site of other shops including Jeffery's, seen at SP-008 (as is a similar bicycle), which closed in 1953 (7). After that, Grace Yeandle ran a shop (mainly known as "Mrs. Yeandle's Shop) on these premises and in 1966, it became Jubilee Store, operated by Mary Holcombe until 1978 (8).
The windows to the right of No. 3 Jubilee Terrace are part of No. 2 Jubilee Terrace. A boy sits on the pavement at about the spot of it's unseen doorway. As always in village squares, groups of children have gathered. The photograph is labeled "Village Square, Timberscombe" on it's upper left. The photograph was donated by The Lion in 2018. Another copy was donated in September 2021 by John D. Jones of Monmouthshire, that had been part of the estate of his late aunt, Mary Wright, who had served as Head Teacher of Timberscombe School from 1976 to 1985. Mrs. Wright's copy is stored in the St. Petrock's History Group Archive, labeled as SP-005B.
In later years, Poole's will become a residence, renamed Butterflies. Semi-detached to the shop's left, is the cottage called Brooklyn and to it's left is The Old Malt House (formerly known as Ye Olde Malthouse and before that as Old Malt House). This was possibly a slaughterhouse at this time for Stenner's Butcher Shop (1), operated by Samuel James Stenner, on the northern end of this row of buildings (not seen in this photograph). A sliver of the Stenner family home is visible on the left of The Old Malt House, extending into the road. This house, later demolished, can seen at SP-030. Some of the thatch above The Old Malt House is worn, also apparent in the 1909 photograph.
Facing the Village Square, on the right, is Lion Inn. The landlord at this time is likely Samuel Stenner, the father of Samuel James Stenner, the butcher. An alehouse called The Boot, was on this site by 1820 and it is believed there were other alehouses here at least since the 1600's (2). By 1841, The Boot was renamed Lion Inn, possibly being partly rebuilt at that time (3). In the upcoming years, the doorway and sign seen here will be altered. The door will be enclosed by a porch, with "LION INN" enlarged over it (and later being altered to "THE LION INN"). The left corner of the front facade (as well as the unseen right), will have raised detailing added to it's edges, similar to the style of the detailing over the lower left window that is visible. On the northern side of Lion Inn, a large arched opening is visible. This will be relatively new, not seen in some early photographs (such as SP-029) and will later be enclosed. At other times a stable door will be installed in this area (as seen at SP-013).
Before c. 1883 there was no main road exiting Timberscombe to the west. The row of stone buildings on the left of the photograph already existed. They appear on the Tithe Map of 1843 and are thought to be possibly late 18th or early 19th century (4). In 1883, work began to widen the pathway in front of this row and continue as a road out to the west. By 1887 the work was complete (5) and Jubilee Terrace was established as the name of the road, as visible in the foreground of this photograph. Jubilee Terrace continues until it passed The Old Vicarage (unseen in this photograph but just past the end of row), where it became called Addison's Folly (later renamed Bemberry Bank).
The window seen on the photograph's left edge is part of Combe House (often called "Coombe"), likely with a shop on the street level. In 1969, this will become Timberscombe's Post Office (6). A bicycle, that looks equipped to deliver goods, is visible in front of the next doorway. This is to No. 3 Jubilee Terrace, also a village shop in this photograph--there appears to be a shop sign over it's window. Later No. 3 Jubilee Terrace is the site of other shops including Jeffery's, seen at SP-008 (as is a similar bicycle), which closed in 1953 (7). After that, Grace Yeandle ran a shop (mainly known as "Mrs. Yeandle's Shop) on these premises and in 1966, it became Jubilee Store, operated by Mary Holcombe until 1978 (8).
The windows to the right of No. 3 Jubilee Terrace are part of No. 2 Jubilee Terrace. A boy sits on the pavement at about the spot of it's unseen doorway. As always in village squares, groups of children have gathered. The photograph is labeled "Village Square, Timberscombe" on it's upper left. The photograph was donated by The Lion in 2018. Another copy was donated in September 2021 by John D. Jones of Monmouthshire, that had been part of the estate of his late aunt, Mary Wright, who had served as Head Teacher of Timberscombe School from 1976 to 1985. Mrs. Wright's copy is stored in the St. Petrock's History Group Archive, labeled as SP-005B.
Creator
Anonymous
Source
Date
c. 1910
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Village Square / Timberscombe
Acquisition Date
2019
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Village Street/Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
Entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
13 X 20
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) as recalled in 2018 by Peter Bright of Orchard Close, Timberscombe, other Timberscombe residents and as remembered in 1995 by Mrs. Jennifer Ingles of Feltham. Middlesex, who grew up in Timberscombe at Little Farthings, the daughter of Fred Bond, the village postmaster (2) Victoria County History.ac.uk and as recalled by Timberscombe residents (3) VCH (4) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park (5) VCH (6) TimberscombeVillage.com/History of Timberscombe/Other Historic Structures/History of Post Office, written by Tom Sperling, 2019 (7) Mr. James Jeffery, the proprietor of Jeffery's died in 1953, as recounted in "J.P. Martin, Father of Uncle, A Master of the Great English Nonsense Tradition" by Stella Martin Currey, published by Matador, 2016 (8) as recalled in 2019 by Mary, Reg and Andrew Holcombe
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2020
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-005
Technique
Copy
Citation
Anonymous, “The Village Square, Timberscombe,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 15, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3168.
Comments