Riseley Historical walk – SW

A walk heading South-West along the High Street towards the pub from the shop.

Turning down the High Street you’ll see number 75 on the right. This house used to be three cottages. As you can see by moving the slider it looks smarter now.
As you continue your walk along you will pass the Barns on your right, just passed number 75. This was the site of the Riseley Reading Rooms, used by a Kimbolton company for stitching shoe components. In the background you can see the petrol pumps just past the white house, number 69.
Opposite the Barns is number 86, the old Methodist Chapel. It was used up until the late 1960s when alternative accommodation was built at the top of Wells Road.
This is the view looking back down towards the shop and Keysoe Road with the old Methodist Chapel on the right, numbers 86 to 94 High Street. The iron railings were taken down during the Second World War to aid the war effort.
A snowy day, probably in the 1920s, looking down towards the Fox and Hounds. 82-84 High Street, Old Mill Cottage, is on the left.
A little further down the road we have Mistletoe and Cherry Trees cottages, 80- 76 High Street, on the left.
On the right of the High Street is a close of houses, Litchfield. This was the site of Taylor’s Garage. The business closed in 1979 when Royale Racing moved in to manufacture racing cars. When Royale Racing left the site was empty for some years before the houses in Litchfield were built.
This photo of the happy motor cyclist was taken in 1961.

On the left you will pass number 76, the policeman’s old house.

This photo was taken in the early 1900s with Sergeant Crowsley standing on the steps.

It is just after the turnpike plaque on the end wall of 78.

On the right of the road are the cottages at 61 – 67 High Street. If you look closely in the old photo Number 61 has a Lyons Tea sign over the window. It used to be a shop.
(Move the slider to see the old and new pictures)
The Dickens family dressmaking at the back of 61-67 High Street in the 1920s.
The terrible fire damage in 2002 at 61-67 High Street. The houses have since been beautifully restored.

Brook House, 72 High Street, dates back to the 17th century when it was a timber frame building on a stone plinth cased in bricks. Over the years the house has developed and grown. In the 1930s the house was owned by the Measures who kept a large racing stable. The Prince of Wales visited before attending the Point to Point Races which were a popular event held in the area at that time.

Prince Edward leaving Brook House for the Point to Point Races.
The back of Brook House, 72 High Street. During World War 2 many families were housed there in flats, it is now a Residential Home.
A keen kayaker making the most of the floods outside Brook House in 1992.
This is Jack Wesley riding his horse Simon through the flood past Brook House in about 1960. In the background is Mrs Seebon leaning against the fence outside her shop, the Bakery. Andrew and Nigel Gell are looking on with their friends.
A red phone box, by the bridge across the brook to Ross Meadow.
The view in the 1950s from the bridge in the previous picture across what is now Ross Meadow towards Field House, the vicarage and the church. Painted by Charles Brooks.
Field House, 59 High Street, hidden from the High Street up the drive beside the bridge across the brook.
May and Margaret Valentine from Field House playing in the fields that are now Ross Meadow in the early 1900s.
A marooned gentleman at Rosebank, 57 High Street, one of the oldest houses in the village dating back to beyond 1745. This date is on one of the dormer windows, but it is thought the house pre-dates this. Watch out for the free range chickens as you pass these days.
This picture dates from 1920s or 1930s. You can see the petrol pump outside the smithy and also the Bakery on the left where the mother and child and are standing. The Rosebank chickens were running free then too.
The village smithy at number 62 on the left has been there since before 1900. Alfie Pentlow bought the business in 1917 and created a thriving concern. Alfie’s son Ted took over the business and Ted’s son Bob followed him. This picture was painted by Charles Brooks in the 1950s.
Bob Pentlow with some horses waiting to be shod.
The blacksmiths was also the site of the first motor cycle business in the village with petrol pumps.
The motor cyclist here is Ted Pentlow.
Bob Pentlow, Ted Pentlow and Tommy Hales at work threshing at High Barn Farm.
The Fox and Hounds in 1950. The left hand section was the pub and the right, indicated by the geese in the garden, a private house. The property was previously a farmhouse.
Bridge House, on the corner of Gold Street, was formerly a shop run by Arthur and May Litchfield. The gentleman with the white beard is believed to be Mr Litchfield.
Children celebrating Armistice on Gold Street bridge, 11 November 1918.
The Old Boot pub, 42 High Street, opposite Gold Street was one of many beerhouses in Riseley.
42 High Street, the Old Boot
Children at the bottom of Gold Street.
The view up Gold Street. The Village Hall now stands in the space on the right.
38-40 High Street next to the site of the Five Bells pub. Number 38 was once a shop and general store.
38-40 High Street after a disastrous fire in November 1988. You can see the Five Bells pub on the right.
Queen Catherine of Aragon is said to have rested on the large stone opposite the site of the Five Bells in 1534 as she passed through Riseley on her way to Kimbolton Castle. Following the annulment of her marriage to Henry VIII she was imprisoned in various places around the country. She died in Kimbolton in 1536.
The Five Bells pub, closed in 2012, is now a private dwelling, with another house behind in what was its garden. The Five Bells pub was a farmhouse prior to 1810.
The annual fair was held on the green in front of the Five Bells.
Each village had its feast day. Riseley’s Feast Sunday is generally held to be the Sunday after 19th July. The celebration here is in front of the Five Bells pub.
High Barn House is on the right opposite the Five Bells Pub. After WW1 most villages were presented with captured German cannons. This cannon stood on the green in front of High Barn House until removed for scrap in WW2.
High Barn House was the farmhouse of High Barn Farm. In this photo, taken in the field that was beside the house, are three generations of the King family who lived there for many years.
High Barn Farm, 1909
In the 1920s High Barn House was described as “The Post Office with Dairy, Stabling, 3 pig-styes, fowl shed, cow house and chaff-shed”. It was also the public telephone office with a phone box. This photo is the side view of the house.
Litchfield’s workshop painted by Charles Brooks on the 1950s. This site is now the Police Post.
Next to 35 High Street was Litchfield carpenters and wheelwrights sited in a wooden building where the Police Post now stands. Wheels, coffins and other wood and metal items were crafted in the sheds. The picture is of Eli Litchfield with a wheel he made.
Litchfield’s workshop beside Carpenter’s Cottage.
35-37 High Street – a delivery by Valentine’s Bakery on a winter morning outside what was once the dairy of College Farm with Carpenter’s Cottage behind. This location is now where College Drive meets the High Street.
As you cross College Drive and look down the road Appletrees, number 29, is on the right. It used to be the Butcher’s house and shop. William Wyant was the Butcher from 1896 to 1937 and before him it was George Barker.
Built in 17th century 26 High Street, on the left, was known as ‘The Cottage’ until the 1940s. In 1880 Dr Banks lived and worked there. His daughters Ella and Clara are pictured in front of the house. From 1940s it was the home of George Stokes who was the village gamekeeper.
The cottages at 12-18 High Street date back to the 17th century.
Use the slider to compare the old and new.
On the left is Town Farm, this picture is circa 1920. The farm barns between the house and Lowsdon Lane have now been converted into houses.
Henry Waldock and his wife Cis enjoying the warmth of the fire with their faithfully dog at Town Farm in 1930s.
A Land Girl helping out at Town Farm during World War 2.
The view looking up Lowsdon Lane painted by Charles Brooks in the 1930s. The two houses on the right are numbered 6 and 8 High Street. Both the houses and the barns on the left have been much developed over the years.
Arthur Ball and his mum outside number 8 High Street, the second house up Lowsdon Lane, in the late 1930s.
People outside the White Horse pub, opposite Lowsdon Lane, possibly for an outing.
Agnes Beeby ran the White Horse in the 1920s with her husband Horace. She reported that summer trade was ’18 gallons per week with a tap-room, bar parlour and closed on Sundays’.
Looking back up the High Street towards the centre of the village the White Horse pub is on the left with Town Farm and the Lowsdon Lane turning on the right.
Playing bowls on the Riseley Bowling Green next to the White Horse. The White Horse is in the centre background.
Rosemary Cottage or 1 High Street was demolished in the 1960s. It was the home of Joseph (Dossie) and Rhoda Dickens.
The Sharnbrook turn in the 1960s before the demolition of 1 High Street, in the centre, and the construction of three bungalows.

You’ve reached South East end of the High Street. Maybe walk back to the Fox & Hounds pub for a refreshing drink or nice meal.

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