THE HIGH STREET
PART OF THE NEWTON HERITAGE TRAIL
Newton developed as a settlement serving the agricultural community of the surrounding area, which was scattered widely in isolated farmhouses.
High Street has its origins as a medieval road, along which the town evolved, characterised by its burgages, which were formally administered plots of land. These were typically found in medieval towns such as Preston and Wigan and suggested that Newton was a borough as long ago as the late 1300s.
The 1465 Legh Survey indicated that the building pattern along the frontage of High Street was not continuous and this remained the case until the mid-1700s. However by the 1900s the street frontage had become almost completely built up.
By the 1500s Newton had declined to a minor market town, with activities mainly reflecting its agricultural setting, with little evidence of industry developing before the Industrial Revolution. However, it continued to be of value, probably due to its long-standing strategic position; the old Roman Road passes a short distance to the west of the town and re-joins the alignment of the A49 just to the north. Also Newton was on the old coaching routes from London to Scotland and Liverpool to Hull. The High Street was described in 1784 as being a, “wide unpaved street and thatched cottaged interspersed here and there with a few newer houses”, not a completely unimaginable picture when looking down High Street nowadays!
The Market
The earliest grant of a market and fair in Newton was to Sir Robert Banastre in 1257. There was a Tuesday market, and a fair between 29th and 31st October. A Saturday market was granted in 1301 by Edward I to John de Langton, along with two fairs between 5th and 7th May and on 31st July. The Saturday market was only discontinued in 1824, being revived periodically before being transferred to Earlestown in 1870.
As in other village centres, the process of change was that gradually some houses along the main routes were converted to shops, replacing market stalls. These routes then became the ‘High Streets’.
The fairs, although primarily economic in function, that is, they were held for the sale of livestock, were also important social occasions. The main event at the fairs was the Procession of the Grey Cloaks, which passed down High Street, where a proclamation was made, essentially reminding the public to be on their best behaviour!
PART OF THE NEWTON HERITAGE TRAIL
Newton developed as a settlement serving the agricultural community of the surrounding area, which was scattered widely in isolated farmhouses.
High Street has its origins as a medieval road, along which the town evolved, characterised by its burgages, which were formally administered plots of land. These were typically found in medieval towns such as Preston and Wigan and suggested that Newton was a borough as long ago as the late 1300s.
The 1465 Legh Survey indicated that the building pattern along the frontage of High Street was not continuous and this remained the case until the mid-1700s. However by the 1900s the street frontage had become almost completely built up.
By the 1500s Newton had declined to a minor market town, with activities mainly reflecting its agricultural setting, with little evidence of industry developing before the Industrial Revolution. However, it continued to be of value, probably due to its long-standing strategic position; the old Roman Road passes a short distance to the west of the town and re-joins the alignment of the A49 just to the north. Also Newton was on the old coaching routes from London to Scotland and Liverpool to Hull. The High Street was described in 1784 as being a, “wide unpaved street and thatched cottaged interspersed here and there with a few newer houses”, not a completely unimaginable picture when looking down High Street nowadays!
The Market
The earliest grant of a market and fair in Newton was to Sir Robert Banastre in 1257. There was a Tuesday market, and a fair between 29th and 31st October. A Saturday market was granted in 1301 by Edward I to John de Langton, along with two fairs between 5th and 7th May and on 31st July. The Saturday market was only discontinued in 1824, being revived periodically before being transferred to Earlestown in 1870.
As in other village centres, the process of change was that gradually some houses along the main routes were converted to shops, replacing market stalls. These routes then became the ‘High Streets’.
The fairs, although primarily economic in function, that is, they were held for the sale of livestock, were also important social occasions. The main event at the fairs was the Procession of the Grey Cloaks, which passed down High Street, where a proclamation was made, essentially reminding the public to be on their best behaviour!