2-30a High Street, Eccleshall

Hello and a warm welcome back to my blog. I have had a quiet spell recovering from some  fractures and it is great to be back drawing again.

It has been a tonic to work on the second drawing of the rural Staffordshire town, High Street, Eccleshall. High Street forms part of Character Area One of Eccleshall Conservation Area. There are many listed buildings which are documented in British History Online but if you have any insight into the living history of these buildings, I would be delighted to hear from you, to include on the blog alongside the drawings.

The drawing is 1.6metres long and the cropped images which follow read from No 2 High Street, where the High Street crosses Castle Street, (A519) up to No 30a. The street runs east to west and this drawing looks towards the north side of the street. I still have one or two finishing touches to add to street level – if there is any small detail that you would like to see included, get in touch asap, before I scan the drawing!

Wynns Independent Haulage Ltd  below, marks the corner of High Street with Castle Street, a grade 2 listed building.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe – No 2a High Street.

Spencer the Jeweller is another grade 2 listed building, dating back to the 18th century.

Wines Etc, is in a listed grade 2 timber framed building.

Eccleshall Pharmacy at No 8

Katherin House Hospice shop.

The Arcade below is home to Gallery at 12  where Staffordshire Artists Co-operative showcase the work of artists and makers who live and work in West Staffordshire. The gallery is regularly updated with fresh examples of local art. The Arcade is also home to the independent children’s clothing shop Little Monsters and Eclipse Hair Salon

The Artisan Coffee Shop, 14 High Street

The Bell, an 18th century former coaching inn.

Francesco Group hair salon at no 18

Tucked quietly between these listed buildings is Eccleshall Library, a much more recent addition.

British History Online describes the grade 2 listed building below as “Early C19. Red brick; 3 storeys; one sash window with a smaller window at either side. Second storey has a semi-circular tripartite window and pediment overall. Fluted stucco frieze at 1st floor. Modern shop-front.”

London House  28 High Street, Eccleshall is now home to an Indian restuarant. British Listed Buildings online comments that the internal staircase hall remains intact with “C18 joinery on first and second floors”, including “moulded handrail and square newels with pendants and long turned finials”. All that along with a curry sounds worth a visit!

The drawing ends with Star Pizza, 30a High Street, Eccleshall and the independent estate agents Edge Goodrich.

To see the first of the Eccleshall drawings in full, the Stone Road, please have a look at the gallery on my website: www.drawingthestreet.co.uk

Thanks for reading.

Ronnie