Sotonopedia

English Street was the medieval name for what since Renaissance times has gradually become established as the High Street. The name which is first recorded in the late 13th century was doubtless used to designate the common artery of the three English speaking parishes of All Saints, St Lawrence and Holy Rood (in contradistinction to French Street linking the French speaking St Michael and St John). Before this date the northern stretch in All Saints was called the Street of the Smiths; the St. Lawrence stretch was the Street of the Fleshmongers; while the Holyrood stretch, which was virtually cut off by the old Holyrood Church blocking the roadway, had no special name.

Many visitors to the town have remarked on the impressive appearance of the High Street. John Leland praised it in 1546 and Sir Henry Englefield wrote in 1801: “the most careless observer must necessarily be struck with the beauty of the High, anciently called English Street; which for breadth, length and cleanliness, can scarcely be equaled in England”. There are many fine 18th and 19th century views of the street, including Brannon’s engraving of 1849 (image 2) and the Tobias Young painting of 1811 (image 1). The Blitz and post-war reconstruction destroyed many of the architecturally interesting buildings, leaving the street a shadow of its former self (image 3). Notable buildings that still stand include two predominantly Georgian coaching inns, the Dolphin Hotel and Star Hotel, and the Red Lion Public House which has its origins in the medieval period.

A few 19th century bank buildings have survived, including the National Westminster Bank at no. 129 (1867), the neo-Baroque Midland Bank at nos.165-166 (1900) and the neo-Jacobean style Barclay's Bank, 171 High Street (1900). The former Bank of England building at nos. 31-33 still stands but has been converted into a public house. No. 6 High Street, situated between the Bargate and East Street, dates back to the mid 19th century; no. 56, the ornate former Oakley and Watling Fruit and Vegetable Merchants (image 4) premises built in c.1890, retains its original facade which is heavily decorated with circlets of various fruits, including pineapples, bananas and grapes; nos. 123-124 (image 5) is a three-storey red-brick building, formerly the premises of Mowat's Fish Merchants, built c.1870. Medieval stone cellars still exist in a number of locations, such as Lankester's Vault. Most of these buildings are Grade II or Grade II* listed.

1. Southampton High Street

By Tobias Young, 1811

2. Southampton High Street

By Philip Brannon, c.1850

3. Southampton High Street

A modern view, looking north west from East Street

4. 56 High Street

The former Oakley & Watling premises.

5. 123-124 High Street

Former Mowat's fish market premises.

Businesses and buildings on the High Street included:

• JT Lewis (early 1840s), number 16.
• Gilbert's Bookseller's (?-1875), number 103.
• Osbaldiston's bakers (1776 or earlier-1840s), number 109.
• Lankester and Son Iron Foundry and Shop, number 122 from around 1800, then, by 1840, at 136, until 1972.
• Laishley's drapery business, number 124 and by 1845, number 123 also. Previously Daniell's and there from 1793.
• The Mitre Inn, number 130 (from the 18th century) - later the Bugle, then the Clarence, and finally Clarence Bars.
• Hampshire Picture Gallery, at number 159 from 1827.
• Strachan's boot and shoe makers (?-1844), number 164.
• Gaze, bootmaker, (1844-?1872), initially at number 164, then at 183, then 143.
• Cook and Mayes, drapers and mercers at 174, 1830-1855, then as Mayes only, linen draper and mercer, expanding later to numbers 173 to 178. The business was taken over by Owen Owen Ltd in 1947 and the name of the store changed to Owen Owen in 1964.
• Rayner family, printers and stationers, in the 1840s onwards, number 180.
• Iron Doors (mediaeval).
• Le Crowne (mediaeval pub).
• Central Post Office, from 1859.
• The Hartley Institution, on the east side of High Street between Bernard Street and Gloucester Square, in what had been Henry Robinson Hartley's house and the neighbouring buildings.
• Quilter's Public House, the popular name for the Royal George Hotel, on the west side of the lower end of the road, between Porters’ Lane and Broad Lane. (1783-?)

Further reading:

Excavations in Medieval Southampton, by Colin Platt (ed), p94-104. (HS/f)
Medieval Southampton, by Colin Platt, p43-49, 99-102, 145-146, 270-272. (HS/h)
Buildings of England: Hampshire and the I.O.W., by Nikolaus Pevsner and David Lloyd, p546-548. (H/i)
A Walk through Southampton, by H. C. Englefield, p30-50. (HS/h)
Visitors’ Descriptions: Southampton 1540-1956, compiled by Robert Douch, p5-8. (HS/h)

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