Discovering Marlborough's History: around the High Street

“Discovering Marlborough’s History: Around the High Street” introduces the town’s fascinating past. 

Beginning at the Tourist Information Point in the George Lane car park (SN8 1BE), the High Street is reached via the town’s Priory Gardens, the site of a medieval Carmelite Friary.

Notable for its diverse range of building styles: the prevalence of Georgian reflects Marlborough’s wealth during the golden age of coaching, which saw up to 44 changes of horses daily.

The 1653 great fire began in a tannery, now “The Wellington” inn, destroying most of the High Street.

Marlborough had been sacked by a Royalist army in 1642 determined to teach Marlborough’s “notoriously discontented” people a lesson. It was thanks to the Protector Cromwell that it was rebuilt after the fire.

Opposite the town hall, with its fancy stone facings, is Chandler’s Yard, where the walk finishes (SN8 1HT). 

The ancient, timber-framed buildings here connect us with the medieval town. We can almost smell Marlborough’s deep history.

“Discovering Marlborough’s History; the River Kennet, The Parade, and The Green” follows the river before exploring the ancient part of the town dominated by St Mary’s church. The walk begins at the Tourist Information Point at the George Lane car park (SN8 1BE). 

This is chalk downland country. Water meadows enabled early spring grasses to feed sheep. Watermills milled flour to make bread: some operated stocks to full woollen cloth.

Flanked by the former rope works, congregational church, and grammar school, “The Marsh” was renamed “The Parade” after rifle volunteers who “paraded” here in the nineteenth century.

Once the place where timber was sawed and sheep fairs held, The Green is at the heart of historic Marlborough. William Golding lived here as a boy, one can only wonder if inspiration for “Lord of Flies” came from Grammar school, or College boys.

Rebuilt as a puritan preaching house during the English Republic, from the ashes of the 1653 fire, St Mary’s church is quintessential Marlborough, its attractive ashlar tower completing the scene. The walk finishes here (SN8 1JE).

The walk begins and finishes at the Tourist Information Point at the George Lane car park in Marlborough (postcode SN8 1BE). The TIP is next to the public toilets (20p charge).

The walk is approximately 1.75 miles long and 2 hours in duration. It is of a gentle pace involving generally flat terrain. There are possible muddy stretches and stone and gravel paths. Approximately half of the walk is on pavements and metalled surfaces.

The walk passes the River Kennet before following George Lane to cross the Pewsey Road by the river bridge. Treacle Bolly is entered via a footpath where the site of a former water mill can be discerned, as can the place where sheep were once washed. The King’s Mill, or Castle Mill, was connected with a once great Medieval Castle. The motte, known as The Mound, overlooks the margins of the Kennet. This path, and the high ground above it became known as “Treacle Bolly” through a 19th century miller who rode his donkey here. His exhortation, “Get up there, old treacle belly!” was heard by Marlborough College boys who named a pudding, “Treacle Bolly” after it: the name stuck. 

Granham Hill White Horse can be seen before the path reaches the road leading to St George’s Church, Preshute. Inside is a huge high-status black font made from Tournai marble dating back to the 12thcentury. It is highly likely it was moved here from the Chapel of St Nicholas in Marlborough Castle. It compares with fonts in Winchester and Lincoln cathedrals.

The walk continues across the River Kennet, skirting former water meadows, following the pavement past Marlborough College buildings to reach St Peter’s Church. Thomas Wolsey was ordained priest here in 1498. Despite heavy restoration by T H Wyatt in 1862, the church retains much of its 15th century fabric.

From St Peter’s the walk continues back to the George Lane car park via the High Street and Figgins Lane.