IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Derby Street, LEEK, ST13 6HP

Clock Tower

There is a benchmark cut into this brick roadside wall, to the left of the one-way road sign.

This pub on Derby Street is one of what were two pubs called the Cock Inn in Leek, the other one was on the Market Place and is now a shop (see Image by David Stowell). Records show that there has been a public house on this site for more than 300 years. For a close-up of the sign see Image

Attached to Image on Derby Street. Although it looks nothing like a fighting cock, the name could allude to the now illegal sport of cockfighting. Cockfighting was a sport that pitted gamecocks against each other. The cocks were trained to be aggressive toward each other and then put into a ring to fight with most fights ending in the death of one of the birds. The history of cockfighting is thought to date back to around 1,000 BC in South-east Asia, and was probably introduced into Britain by the Romans around 55 BC. In the 16th century cockfighting was flourishing in England and during the reign of King Henry VIII, cockfights were held at Whitehall Palace. The game became a national sport at one point, and exclusive schools were required to teach students the finer points of cockfighting, such as breeding, walking, and conditioning of the gamecock. At its very height of popularity with even the clergy encouraging the sport, even churchyards and the insides of the churches were used as arenas for cockfighting. The sport declined in England during the reign of Queen Victoria in the 17th century, when she banned cockfighting with a royal decree.

A pub has been on this site for over 300 years.

This lovely half-timbered pub on Derby Street was built in 1626. To see a close-up of the sign go to Image

This sign is on Image and features a Roe buck with a rather magnificent set of antlers. The Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) is the smallest native deer in the UK, during the winter the colour of its coat varies from grey/brown to black while in summer it is reddish/brown to sandy. Although they can be found in most areas of Britain they are more common in East Anglia, the Lake District, the southern counties of England and most of Scotland. Although active throughout much of the day they are mainly active during the twilight hours (or crepuscular). Very quick and agile, Roe Deer prefer to live in woodland but will venture out into fields sometimes. When alarmed both the does and the bucks will utter a short bark and flash their white rumps. Roe Deer have been present in this country from before the Mesolithic period (6 to 10 thousand years before present), but forest clearance and over-hunting led to them becoming extinct in England by 1800. There were still some remaining populations in the wooded patches of Scotland however, and after several reintroductions during Victorian times and with their subsequent, natural spread aided by an increase in woodland and forest planting in the 20th century it has meant that the Roe Deer have become widespread and abundant today.

Social club in Market Street, Leek; the building was originally a mill. The six windows on the side wall are all false. On the left of the photo is the junction of Market Street and Derby Street, the main shopping street.

This rather imposing brick building on Market Street seems to be a popular social club. There is a bench mark to the right of the front door (Image).

This cut mark is located to the right of the front door of Image on Market Street. For more information on this and other marks in the area visit http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm37552 .