IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Duke Street, CONGLETON, CW12 1RY

This old sign for Image is set high up on the brickwork of one of the buildings at the top of the street.

Little Street runs from near the Lion and Swan Hotel to Bridge Street. It is a short and narrow lane that seems to have Tudor buildings on one side.

Both these 19th century houses are grade II listed (list entries 1130469, 1130479).

This is the sign attached to Image Although both the lion and the swan feature heavily in heraldry, the lion depicting strength and courage and the swan being a lover of poetry and music, they also have links with the Church in that the lion depicts the dignity of Christ with the swan standing for innocence; the Church and the inn have always been closely related with early monastic institutions often having a hostelry attached to them. In this case, however, the Lion and the Swan were two adjacent public houses that merged in the 18th century, so there are two separate interpretations of this name. But we mustn't forget, and this is very important, the spectre of the brown haired young lady who appears every new moon wearing nothing but a smile and a pair of clogs! On a more mundane, but equally as important note- there is a bench mark on the wall directly below this sign (Image).

Please note that the lower case 't' in the title is intentional, it is mimicking the pub sign. Situated on Swan Bank, the Maskery is a Smith and Jones owned pub. For more information and a close up of the sign see Image

The pub is owned by the Smith and Jones chain and is located on Swan Bank (Image). The name Maskery comes from the original owners of the building from 1831 to the 1950's who were bakers and confectioners well known for their gingerbread, hence the gingerbread man on the sign; during a royal visit to Congleton in 1913 a packet of gingerbread was presented to King George and Queen Mary. After this the premises became the first supermarket to open in Congleton, since when it has also traded as a DIY shop called Handi Cabin and latterly an Italian Restaurant. My grateful thanks to former Congleton resident Martin Tomlinson for the above information.

The hotel was built in the 16th century and extended in later years.

The side of the hotel, seen from West Street. The hotel was built in the 16th century and extended in later years.

Building on Swan Bank in Congleton.

Built in the 16th century, this Tudor building dominates the top of Swan Bank. there were originally two hostelries, the Lion and the Swan, that were built using recycled ships timbers with a wattle and daub infill. The two inns merged and were extended during the 18th century to accommodate a growing number of travellers using the canals, roads and railways. Reputedly the hotel is haunted by a brown haired young lady every new moon wearing nothing but a pair of clogs and a smile. As a bit of an anticlimax after that- there is a benchmark on the wall facing Wagg Street, behind the sign post just visible on the left of the picture (Image). For a close up of the sign see Image