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King Street, WIGTON, CA7 9DT

Situated on King Street just below the closed HSBC Bank (see: Image] ) both pre-date the 1864 OS Map. The small two-storey "Black Swan" was once cleverly painted to represent stone blocks. Neither buildings are specifically named on the 1892 OS Map, so may have closed before the end of the 19th Century. Local historian Trevor Grahamslaw ("Wigton Through Time" - Amberley Publishing 2010) records that the hotel eventually became a Co-Operative store, while both buildings became Haldane's grocery store. Current use is clear! See also: Image] . Photograph is for record only - I have no connection with any business seen in the view and cannot advise on their products or services.

For information on these buildings, see: Image

Formerly the Cumberland Union Bank and appearing on the 1864 OS Map, it became part of the Midland Bank and later HSBC. An undated notice in the window informs local HSBC customers they must now travel to Carlisle.

The archway on the right suggests this may have originally have been a coaching house.

In the market place is an elaborate 19th Century fountain erected in 1872 by George Moore of Whitehall in Mealsgate, in memory of his wife. It is built of granite, and features four fine bronze relief of the Acts of Mercy by the Pre-Raphaelite sculptor Thomas Woolner. On the north side is 'Visiting the Afflicted', the east illustrates 'Clothing the Naked', the south has 'Instructing the Ignorant', and the west side has 'Feeding the Hungry'.

Postbox No. CA7 433. See Image] for context.

There is an Ordnance Survey benchmark Image on the near corner, right hand face, of the shop

Shoppers stroll through the centre of this pleasant Cumbrian town on a bright autumn morning. Wigton traces its history back to 1100 when the local Lord of the Manor built a church from the remains of a nearby Roman fort. In 1262 Henry II granted a market charter and by the 18th century the town had become associated with the weaving trade. Later dye works were established and calico printing was important in the early 19th century. Other industries including metal working and clock making gradually established themselves but by the end of the 19th century the town found itself unable to compete with the larger industrial centres further south and the area became quite seriously depressed. Today the largest employer is a company producing polypropylene - a thermoplastic polymer used mainly in packaging - which has a workforce of about 900.

Located at the side of Water Street car park. The old gas lamp and public pump stood in the market place http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2472063 until the memorial fountain was erected there in 1872. Wigton is known as "The Throstle's Nest of All England" (one explanation here : http://www.thecumbriadirectory.com/Town_or_Village/location.php?url=wigton ), hence the bird sculpture.

The water pump is appropriately enough on Water Street, by the town's main car park, but was originally located in the market place.