Ike continues his walk around the beautiful historic town of Stamford with Marian and Martin. If you missed Part 1 you can find it here.
In 1290 the funeral cortege of Queen Eleanor, wife of King Edward l, stopped overnight in Stamford on its way to Westminster Abbey. As in other places where the coffin stopped, the King commissioned a stone memorial – later to become known as an Eleanor Cross. There is now no trace of the Stamford cross, but in 2009 a new monument, standing in Sheep Market, was designed and built, with the decoration based on a rose – the only part of the original that survives.
Ike next arrived in All Saints Place, in front of All Saints Church. This is the site of a ancient church which was mentioned in Doomsday. A little of the twelfth century stonework remains, but most of the church is thirteenth century, with some addition by the family of William Browne in the fifteenth century.
Ike then walked into Broad Street, where the weekly market takes place.
It is also where Ike found the Hospital of William Browne, who was a wealthy wool merchant in the town (1410-1489). He built his hospital in 1475, as well as enlarging All Saints Church.
The hospital was revamped in 1963 and can now house 13 residents. The cloister garden is their own private garden, although Ike was able to have a little peek!
Outside of the Hospital, in Broad Street, Ike came across the War Memorial. He noticed that there were plaques on the railings that named all the actions that The Lincolnshire Regiment had been involved in during the First World War.
Opposite the memorial is the former Corn Exchange, which is now a theatre. It had been used as a place to buy and sell seed since 1859.
Ike then went down Ironmonger Street, to the High Street.
In one of the alleyways leading off the High Street, Ike noticed the jettying on buildings, showing that these were medieval buildings, despite their Georgian frontages.
Ike’s walk around Stamford continues tomorrow.
It must have been wonderful to walk amongst the medieval buildings steeped in ancient history. It was sobering to see the war memorial from WWI: it reminds us of past sacrifices of the soldiers who died for their town and country.