Archive for June 2007
Johnny Cash Graffiti
Coming up Hollow Lane there will be found a set of steps towards the top, leading up on to Windmill Hill. There will be found a piece of ‘stencil’ graffiti that looks like Johnny Cash. A serendipitous find when walking Jo-Jo’s dog, Henry.
Windmill Hill Toilets
At the bottom left of Windmill Hill, was a public convenience and a telephone kiosk. These were still there up to the 1970s. By the 1980s they had been demolished. The gaps that were left behind are still there and not filled in. These two photographs illustrate the area that was once the Gentlemen’s WC; leaving behind the wonderful glazed tiles and ivy. The Telephone Kiosk area is just to the right of this.
Dino-Van
Not necessarily to do with Hitchin per se, but it was passing through it and it was a photographic opportunity not to be missed. It was an unusual van design and some thought had gone in to it and it wasn’t the usual dull, plain or un-imaginative thing that is usually sported on vans up and down the length and breadth of the British Isles. More please.
Set in Stone
The Vermiculated Stonework on Bucklesbury has some interesting letters and numbers incised in to them. Click on the above photograph for a larger view. The Letters W A can clearly be seen and the date 1867 (1857?) too. The combination are obviously the architect’s initials and the date of the facade of the building; the frontage being newer than the rest of the building. (Thank you to Alexander Palfreman-Brown for this previously unspotted gem)
Paternoster and Hale Printing Office
This photograph is to show the old Paternoster & Hale Printing Office building in more detail. You can see the Orange Tree Sandwich Bar as mentioned in the last blog entry.
Orange Tree Grille
The Orange Tree Sandwich Shop on Sun Street has a wonderful decorative grille on the front of it. The business is one of two in a nice three storey red brick c1800 building. This was The Paternoster & Hale Printing Office, originally Paternoster’s Bookshop and Stationers. They amalgamated with Hale in Bucklersbury and became known as Paternoster and Hale and then became a printers. (It printed the Hitchin Advertiser newspaper.) The raised lettering ‘Printing Office’ can still easily be seen on the top third of the building.
BT Telephone Exchange
This door in the BT Telephone Exchange of the corner of Queen Street and Hollow Lane really is a case of over egging the pudding. Red Tape gone mad me thinks. Why on earth would one door require 12 items on it? I think one large sticker with all the do’s and don’ts would suffice and be much simpler and less cluttered.
The River Hiz in Bridge Street
Just recently, someone or some business decided to clear up an area of The River Hiz that runs from The Priory to under the bridge on Bridge Street. Compare the photograph now, to only a year ago in June 2006 (below) to see how different the area is. You can now see the back of The Priory, (and a little spiral staircase) a nice design feature like a little Greek Theatre, and a nice contemporary staircase that leads up to the overhanging upper floor of the late 15th/16th century timber framed building that is now 32 Bridge Street. It is a joy to see another piece of Hitchin revealed again.
