Little Underbank

Image: © Gerald England Taken: 22 Jan 2022

As part of the "Rediscovering the Underbanks" project https://www.rediscoveringtheunderbanks.co.uk/ a full reconstruction of the carriageway and paving between Royal Oak Yard and the roundabout at the westerly end of Little Underbank has been undertaken. Until recently it was a through route for traffic, but no longer. Originally it was actually the main road to London. There is scaffolding on the Fish Box but the business is still open. Next door is the Grade II listed https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1067178 "Winters" building which was constructed in the late 19th century. The upper floors are decorated with three semi-circular headed niches, each with a pedimented canopy, hanging bell and a shaped plinth supporting a painted figure, to the left a soldier, to the centre Father Time with scythe, and to the right a sailor, each connected to the bell. A projecting illuminated square clock-face hangs above the doorway. Jacob Winter, a successful Jewish businessman, established a watch and clock repair business at 23 Little Underbank in c.1890, expanding into No.25 in the early 1900s, when the frontage was remodelled. The shop front included a patent mechanism to lower the entire display into the basement, for security. The clock has been restored and re-built on several occasions due to traffic damage. The jewellers closed in the 1980s and the premises were acquired by Holts who turned it into a pub. It closed in January 2018. It has since been extensively restored and is expected to reopen in Spring 2022. On the left is the tower of St Mary-in-the-Marketplace Parish Church. To the right is the Unicorn Brewery of Frederic Robinsons Ltd.

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