Nodding Gables

This building now known as the “Nodding Gables” is a quintessentially medieval building –once known as the “Old House,” writes John Dixon.

Unfortunately, I have found no proof of its age -and it missed the Dendrochronology survey.

It is first restored in 1788 when the building of the new Town Hall displaced the owner of a house who bought no 9 - Henry Collett.

Afterwards was converted into a general coach office and obtained the situation of book-keeper to the associated proprietors of the stagecoaches, based notably at the neighbouring Swan Hotel at no 10. It famously sold coaching tickets in the great age of coaching, which was ended by the railways after 1840. It is Miss Charlotte Collett who ensured, via her 1854 will, that the building was preserved.

The problem is always how to use the building economically and it survived as a series of ironmongers. Also known as the House with The Golden Key, which was made by blacksmith Stiff in 1907 and installed by Humphrey King. After his death, it disappeared until 1949 when it was discovered in the “Tea Hut, Brockeridge Common”. The unofficial ‘guardian’ wanted £10 after coating it in yellow paint. The demand was refusedand it was restored in 1957 by Mills and Carter. An idea to use it as the Town Museum was rejected by the Council! We do not know who installed the noteworthy iron column, which supports the building from inside and there is also a delightful, plastered ceiling.

We thought the building would have been safe after the tenant became in 1983 the Halifax Building Society, who expanded for office space into the next-door property, no 8.

It was very well restored so that today, after the Bank has left Tewkes-bury, it is well suited to hosting another viable business after sale.

We shall be watching the future of this apparently ancient building with great interest.

Setting out from the small car park next to the Avon in Dock Lane, with the river behind you, look to the right and you will see an alley behind a safety barrier on the opposite side of the road.

Walk up this (1) until you emerge at the rear of the Primary School in Back Lane. Turn left and walk along the road until you come to a T junction at Perwell Close (2)

Turn left and look for the footpath which descends to a stream. Ford this and walk up the bank, keeping the trees to your right, until you eventually meet a track (3) which crosses the main Bristol to Birmingham Railway Line. Follow this, and cross over the B4080 with care, bear slightly left and look for the footpath on the opposite side of the road (4). Take the path across the open fields by a line of trees.

Eventually you will come to a kissing gate (5) which opens on to the lane. Cross the lane to the corner on your left, and you will find a narrow path which leads between the gardens of two houses.

The path emerges into a field (6). Walk diagonally across to the corner, and bear left to keep the hedge on the right, until you reach a lane in the village of Westmancote (7).

Follow this quiet lane past some interesting old cottages and grander houses, as it bears right, to meet the road which runs up through Upper Westmancote up Bredon Hill and on to the ‘King & Queen Stones’ (8)

Bear right along the road until you reach a gap in the hedge. Follow the path across the field to return to point (6) and re-trace your steps to Bredon.

Facilities in Bredon are good: there is a well stocked Spar supermarket (which also houses the post office to), and

WED 11th JAN :

Rod Kelly Jazz Trio, Fox & Hounds, Bredon. www.thefoxandhounds bredon.co.uk

FRI 13th JAN:

John Otway, The Marrs Bar, Worcester. www.marrsbar.co.uk

SUN 22nd JAN:

The Country Showcase, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. worcestertheatres.co.uk

FRI 27th JAN:

John Martyn Project, The Subscription Rooms, Stroud. thesubrooms.co.uk

Test your powers of recall with this month’s Tewkesbury Direct Pub Quiz.

1: Which Scottish band had a British number one hit in 1975 with their single ‘January?’ (It topped the charts in February!)

2: Which poet wrote the words of the song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ in 1788?

WED 1st FEB: Fairport ConventionWintour Concert (with Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage) The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

FRI 3rd FEB: Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show, The Subscription Rooms, Stroud. thesubrooms.co.uk

FRI 3rd FEB: Martyn Joseph, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. worcestertheatres.co.uk

SUN 5th FEB: Seth Lakeman, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. worcestertheatres.co.uk

TUES 7th FEB: Katya Gorrie Trio. The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

SAT 14th FEB: Lionel (Lionel Richie tribute show), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

SAT 11th FEB: The Adele Songbook (tribute show), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

SAT 11th FEB: Eliza Carthy & The Restitution, The Watson Hall. www.ticketsource.co.uk

3:

4:

5:

SAT 11th FEB: Abba Sensation (tribute show), Ledbury Market Theatre. themarkettheatre.com

THURS 16th FEB: Ian McNabb, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. worcestertheatres.co.uk

FRI 17th FEB: Genesis Connected, (tribute show), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

FRI 24th FEB: Cara Dillon, The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

TUES 7th MARCH: Claude Bourbon, The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

FRI 10th MARCH: Roachford, The Subscription Rooms, Stroud. thesubrooms.co.uk

SAT 11th FEB: Keith James - the songs of Leonard Cohen, Ledbury Market Theatre, themarkettheatre.com

SAT 18th FEB: Witty Ditties: Green & Matthews, Ledbury Market Theatre, themarkettheatre.com

SAT 25th & SUN 26th FEB: Lost Causes Americana

Alt-Country Festival. Croft Farm Water Park, Bredon’s Hardwick. www.lostcauses.co.uk

SAT 25th FEB: HollyFest with The Blow Monkeys, Rook & The Ravens and Oasis Experience. Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham. www.ents24.com

SAT 11th MARCH : The Fureys (legendary Irish Folk Band), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

SAT 11th MARCH : Brimstone, (Foyer Folk Event) No.8 Arts Centre, Pershore. www.number8.org

FRI 17th MARCH : Jive Talkin’’ (Bee Gees tribute show), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org

SAT 18th MARCH : Frankie’s Guys (A celebration of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons), The Roses Theatre. www.rosestheatre.org