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Marlborough

High Street, Marlborough

A suggested walk around Marlborough: Starting on Bath Road observe Marlborough College's Grade II Listed 1925 opened Memorial Hall, pass their late 19th century Grade II Chapel pass the Porter's Lodge and under the arch. You then have North Block on the right and Morris House on the left. The former stables are then on the right before taking the first left into the High Street, putting the 15th century Grade II* Church of St Peter and St Paul on your right, where Cardinal Wolsey was ordained priest in 1498. On the left are a range of Listed shops which continue on both sides of the High Street, however first turn left into Hyde Lane to see the Grade II* 17th century Hermitage, and coach/stable block. You may have parked in the car park further on, either way head back to the High Street. On the left is Prezzo cafe in a 15th century house, Grade II*, formerly timber frame exposed, now with Georgian frontage. The 17th century Merchant's House, with shop in front, is open to the public. There's a very good 18th century shop at No.s 142/143, Grade II*, occupied by Costa at the time of writing. In the centre at the top of the High Street is the Town Hall, built in 1902. Behind that is the Grade I Church of St Mary, founded in 1160. No.'s 13 and 14 Silver Street are particularly notable amongst the wealth of Listed buildings around Marlborough as these 16th century houses retain their timber framed frontage. The length of The Green, as well as Oxford Street, are well worth walking, not missing that William Golding, the Nobel Prize winner and author of 'The Lord of the Flies', grew up at 29 The Green, which was built in 1502 and is found at the beginning of the tree-lined walk. Then returning to the High Street, this time going down the opposite side, take in the other shops and cafés, the favourite of this writer's being in St Mary's Church as the food is good, and it also houses an art gallery. Some prefer The Polly Tea Rooms though, and Rick Stein has opened a restaurant in Marlborough, so that maybe should be tried?

It seems that most of the shops in the High Street are Listed, reflecting their architectural and historical merit, yet they reflect that on the 28th April 1653 the Great Fire of Marlborough destroyed much of the High Street and what you see are mainly rebuilds from then onwards. The fire started in a tanner's yard and, as most buildings had thatched roofs and were of timber construction, it spread rapidly. Amongst buildings lost were the Guildhall, St Mary’s Church and the County Armoury, along with 224 homes, shops, and pubs. During this rebuilding of the town, the High Street was widened and a later Act of Parliament was passed to prohibit the use of thatch in the town.

For reviews of places to eat in Marlborough click here.

Film/TV Location For: Tess of the D’Urbervilles; Walking With Shadows

The Duchess of Cambridge (née Catherine Middleton) went to school at Marlborough College, as did: Anthony Blunt, communist spy; William Morris, textile designer; John Betjeman, poet; Siegfried Sassoon, poet; Chris de Burgh, singer-songwriter: James Mason, actor; Francis Chichester, round the world yachtsman; Frank Gardner, BBC News Security Correspondent; Hugh Pym, ITN and BBC News journalist; Sir Mark Tully, BBC India correspondent and author; Ian and Kevin Maxwell, former publishers.

Excerpts From The Wiltshire Council Timeline Of Marlborough (scroll)

1070 - Algeric, Bishop of the South Saxons, imprisoned in Marlborough by William I
1100 - Building work started on Marlborough Castle
1170 - Thomas Becket spent Christmas here with Henry II
1189 - King John married to Queen Isabella at the Castle
1195 - First reference to the Town Mill, a corn mill
1220 - St. Thomas's Leper hospital founded
1237 - King's Mill, a corn mill, established
1241 to 1281 - Five Jewish families lived in the town before being ordered to move to Devizes
1267 - Parliament held in Marlborough passed the 'Statute of Marlborough' giving rights and privileges to the smaller landowners
1281 - A prison is first mentioned
1316 - Priory of the White Friars founded
1379 - There are 10 tanners in the town and the tanning industry flourishes from the 14th century
1498 - Cardinal Wolsey ordained in the Church of St. Peter
1524 - The Hermitage dedicated for the use of a hermit (replaced in 1628 by a house bearing the same name today)
1538 - Priory of the White Friars dissolved
1539 - St. Margaret's Priory dissolved
1575 - An almshouse in existence
1578 - The ducking stool constructed at a cost of 7s 6d ( 37p)
1631 - Workhouse built
1642 - Town captured by Royalists in the Civil War; the town's gallows last used to execute 2 Welshmen who deserted from the Royalist forces
1645 - Parliamentary forces re-occupy the town
1653 - The Great Fire of Marlborough destroys 250 buildings with damage estimated at £70,000; the Merchant's House in the High Street built for Thomas Bayly, a rich silk merchant
1656 to 1658 - Following a sermon by George Fox in 1656 c.24 Quakers are imprisoned and publicly humiliated
1658 - Quaker meeting house built at Manton Corner
1663 - Charles II stayed at the Castle
1668 - Samuel Pepys stayed at the White Hart
1690s - Town lighted by oil lamps
1709 - Workhouse demolished and rebuilt in Hyde Lane
1725 - The almshouse becomes St. Mary's Workhouse
1771 - There is a coffee house in the town
1786 - Thomas Hancock, inventor of the process of India Rubber manufacture, born in Marlborough
1790 - There are 25 inns in the town
1804 - White Horse cut on Granham Hill
1807 - The pillory used for the last time
1831 - Gas lighting has been installed in High Street by this time
1835 - St. Mary's Workhouse closed
1836 - From this date all inhabitants of Marlborough granted rights of pasturage on Marlborough Common
1843 - Marlborough College founded
1847 - Duke of Wellington visits Marlborough College
1850 - 44 stage coaches a day are stopping at Marlborough by this time
1864 - Railway line linking Marlborough with the Great Western main line at Savernake opened
1871 - Isolation hospital built in Blowhorn Street
1874 - Numbering of houses in the town introduced
1881 - Railway line linking Marlborough to Swindon open by this time
1896 - Mains water supply has been provided by this time; railway line between Marlborough and Grafton via Savernake opened
1900 - Sewage works opened in Elcot Lane
1907 - There is gas lighting throughout the borough by this time
1920s - First council houses built; William Golding the novelist lived at 29 The Green and attended Marlborough Grammar School
1922 - Town mIll ceased to be a working mill
1923 - Electric lighting introduced
1928 - Isolation hospital demolished
1933 - High Level railway station closed
1961 - all railway passenger services withdrawn
1990s - The Merchant's House owned by a charitable trust, renovated and opened to the public

Rick Stein restaurant, Lloran House, High Street, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II.

50 and 50a, High Street, Marlborough, Grade II, Listed, 1761.

Church of St Peter and St Paul, High Street, Marlborough, Grade II*. 15th century.

65 and 66, High Street, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II.

The Cloisters, 73 and 74, High Street, Marlborough, circa 1610, Grade II.

High Street, Marlborough

Ailesbury Court, , 1 High Street, Marlborough, 1843, Grade II.

Kingsbury Street, Marlborough

Town Hall, High Street, Marlborough, 1902, Grade II.

Kingsbury Street, Marlborough

Castle and Ball Hotel, High Street, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II.

Old Lion Court, High Street, Marlborough.

43 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, 1654-6, Grade II*.

A pair of Renault Twizzy electric cars outside Bite Me burger bar in Marlborough, used for deliveries.

42 Kingsbury Street and 1, Silverless Street, both 17th century Grade II, both timber framed.

15, Silverless Street, Marlborough, 17th century, Grade II.

13 and 14, Silverless Street, Marlborough, 17th century, Grade II.

Greenways and 7, Silverless Street, Marlborough, both 17th century, Grade II.

1, The Green, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II*.

2,3,4, The Green, Marlborough, 16/17th century, Grade II, Listed.

from 2nd from left - 8,9,10, The Green, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II, Listed. No. 10 was refronted early 19th century.

30-32, The Green, Marlborough, 17th century, Grade II, Listed.

29, The Green, Marlborough, 16th century, Grade II, Listed. Former home of William Golding, author of 'Lord Of The Flies'.

19-21, The Green, Marlborough, 18th century, Grade II, Listed.

23-24, The Green, Marlborough, 16th century, Grade II, Listed.

6 and 7, Oxford Street, Marlborough, Grade II, 18th century.

Marlborough College

Marlborough College

Morris House, Marlborough College

Marlborough College Chapel, Grade II, 1863

Memorial Hall, Marlborough College, 1921, Grade II.