Cross Street

Cross Street

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Crossing the main road, Station St, you arrive at Cross St on the corner of which is Lloyds Bank. There used to be a large shop here, Boundy and Hannaford grocery stores and general merchants, later taken over by Wilts and Dorset Banking Co and now Lloyds. Next door was a greengrocers later purchased by Moretonhampstead Co-operative Society as a drapers, milleners, haberdashers etc. Later it became a dairy. It was taken over by Lloyds as an extension to their property in 1975 with accomodation above. It is now a takeaway. Opposite is the Bell Inn which narrowly missed being entirely destroyed in the fire of 1845. It was the meeting place for wrestling matches in 19th century. It was first recorded in 1799, and inside can be seen a fine old carved beam in the bar reputed to be 13th century. It has been stated that this building was once a church, but no definate proof can be found. In April 1800, the inn was sold for £440 by Mr Wolland of Drewsteignton, a farmer. Upstairs is the unique Painted Room. Recently rediscovered, this room is painted in the manner of the Etruscan tomb, and carries the arms of a number of noble houses. To date these have not been precisely identified, although there may be a Dorset connection. Although the exact history of the room is not known, it seems possible that it was decorated by the French prisoners of war in Moretonhampstead. The Dorset connection may have arisen from one of the West Country militia regiments that were periodically billeted in the town during the Napoleonic Wars