‘A place where the sun sets twice in one evening must have been very important’
IN Leek we have a religious site that has never been built upon except for the Church. It would have been a circular site because most Pagan temples were circular, and the position at the very top of a hill would automatically suggest a round Pagan temple; not a building, but a site. That there was a temple on that site cannot be proved, but three factors would indicate that there was :
The first Christian Church was built on that site and Christian Churches were always built, where possible, on the site of a Pagan Temple in order that the converts attend the same site for their religious services as they had before.
The fact that it is from this site that our forebears would notice the double sunset. The sun played such a prominent part in their everyday life that a place where the sun sets twice during the course of one evening must have been very important to them. If, as has been suggested, the double sunset was not visible then, there would still have been a magnificent view of the setting sun.
The often overlooked fact that a stream of pure water rose from the top of this hill. Springs are to be found in many places, and where they are found they had a religious significance – village well-dressings for example. But springs usually emerge from the ground at the bottom of hills. Here in Leek, we have a spring which emerges from the ground at the top of a hill.
The great importance of this spring is reflected in the fact that the very name of the town is derived from it. The name of “Leek” derives from “Lec” and that, in turn, is derived from the Old English “Hlec” meaning a place from which water flows. “Leek” and “Leak” are, entomologically speaking, the same word. Why is Leek water different from any other water? Because of where it originates; at the top of a hill!
Think for a moment! Common sense tells us that water does not flow from the top of a hill. Where it does, must be a “magical” place. The water flowed out what is now the churchyard of St Edward’s church. A drinking fountain, no longer operative, was set into the wall in the place from whence the water used to flow. Any water that would flow from there to-day would flow down Mill Street, but before the cliff was demolished and that road was built, it would have flowed down St. Edward Street, (originally Spout Street) and via what is now Broad Street, into the River Churnet.
Later, when a gentry became established, they would need larger houses, close to the existing houses, but removed from them. These would have been built on the opposite side of the Market Place, where the Red Lion now stands.
Leek’s first suburb (for want of a better name) - the place where people chose to live once the area around the church had all been occupied - was in the present Moorhouse Street area. These houses were built on the Moor side on the town, and were separated from the actual town by the marsh that lay at the lower end of Derby Street. Naturally, in time, this marsh was drained and the streams stopped flowing.
Others, far cleverer persons than me, have found traces of our forebears. Dating from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, the Leek
Track-way has been traced from Waterhouses, Waterfall Cross, Standing Stone Farm, Bottomhouse, Lower Lady Meadows, Combes Brook, Cooks Lane, Bradnop, Low Hill, through Leek, on to the Cloud and off across the Cheshire Plain.
When the Romans arrived, they were responsible for the Leek to Buxton Road. Through the town of Leek, it ran from the Moss Rose, down the Organ Ground, Fountain Street, Derby Street, Strangman Street, the Walks, Newcastle Road and Wallbridge. The name “Wall” is always a good indication of a Roman presence, and they built a bridge across the Churnet at Wallbridge, together with a fortress to protect the crossing. The documentation of Dieulacress Abbey mentioned a road to Wallbridge called the “via Castella” - the road to the castle.
In the late 600s, Leek formed part of the Anglo-saxon Kingdom of Mercia. Tribute was paid to the King of Mercia, in kind, not coin, and a large barn was built to accommodate the accumulated rents paid in corn and cattle etc. The probable site for this building is where the old Vicarage now stands, between the Church and the Market Place. There are (the remains of) four Saxon crosses in the church and churchyard.
All of these indicate that Leek was an inhabited site from the very earliest of days. We are indeed fortunate that those early citizens of the town engaged in trade with local farmers and itinerant merchants for they left a large open space for the market, and it remains the Market Place to this day. It was originally, much bigger than it is to-day and stretched from the Red Lion to St Edward Street. The church then stood, in its rightful position, at the top of the market square. Merchants stalls were erected on the side of the market square which later became permanent buildings and streets, which retained the name of their original use and became Sheepmarket and Custard Street (where Costard apples were sold) which was later changed to Stanley Street.
Here then, we have the earliest Leek dwellings, not yet houses that we would recognise, gradually spreading out along St Edwards Street, Church Street, Sheepmarket, and Stanley Street.
Over the centuries, the town developed into what it is today. This account will set out the milestones in its development.
Where possible, I have avoided words such as “about” or “circa” but I do ask the readers to bear in mind that not all dates given are exact and that many, particularly the early ones, are estimations. Secondly, as I often quote, “a spy is only as good as his source of information.” It often occurs that two or more sources give two or more different dates for an event. Where I have found that this has happened, I have opted for the date that I think is the most likely. I fully accept that I may have chosen the wrong one!
The rest of these articles will be in strict note form. They will provide the bare bones of the history of the town of Leek.
The flesh will have to be applied by others with more skill than he.