A historical record of shops and other businesses in Faringdon Corn Market. Shops and other businesses have flourished here for many generations and premises have changed ownership many times. Some have closed down permanently at some time and have subsequently been converted into private houses.
The town centre of Faringdon is divided into two separate areas as shown on the map – Market Place (surrounding the Market Hall and extending up Church Street) and Corn Market (a smaller area in front of the Corn Exchange). On market days the farmers used to sell their corn there, away from the animals in the Market Place, so that their produce would not be interfered with. Later, in the 19th C., the Corn Exchange was built there so that transactions could take place under cover.
The dotted line on the map shows the passage of a brook, which once divided Faringdon into the tithings of Port to the east, and Westbrook to the west. It used to be forded at this point but now passes under the road and shop at #1 Corn Market on its way north to the lake at Faringdon House.
The photographs below were taken in the year 2000 by a group of local residents. Beneath each one is a simple historical list of known occupants up to the present time and the rough dates they were last known to be at the property. The number given for each property corresponds as accurately as possible to the postal address and is shown on the map.
#1. Taylor & Sons (fish, game & poultry), moved from site of new Post Office 1898,1910; prop. P.R.M. Rogers 1959-73; prop. Ray Page until 1998; Have I Got Shoes For You 1998; Taylor & Sons (bargain store) 2000; (#1a Terma Kitchens 2006); Folly Coffee Shop 2013; Little Big Top 2018-19; Farcycles Bike Shop 2021.#2. Waltham House. Shoe shop; Counsell (spectacles, clocks & jewellery) 1840s; Cycle shop 1889; Abel Jewellers 19??; E. Leverton & Sons (radio & TV service) 1931-1963+; J.P. Larkin (electrical shop) 1970s,1983; The Nut Tree c1980s-2015; Waymark (estate agent) 2017.#3. The Red Lion – 14th century coaching inn. On the left is Brewery Passage (Eagle Brewery 1891) – now leading to the town car park. Closed 2021.Crossing the road – #4 (or 2 Marlborough St ??). International Stores 1871-1920s; Leverton & Sons (outfitters & furniture) 1931-c1970s; McKendrick’s Shoe-Saver 1978-94; The Clothes Shop 1996; Faringdon Furniture Co 1998; Beds Direct/Super shop 1998; Authentic Bedstead Company 1999; Faringdon Domestics 2000; AFPIC (second-hand goods) 2006; Action for Children in Conflict 2014; Acacia UK (charity shop) 2018#5?. Corn Exchange, built on the site of the Green Dragon Coaching Inn. Opened in 1863 as a farmers’ dealing centre for sale of local produce. Rialto Cinema 1919-35; Now used as a cinema and for various other public functions.Crossing the road – #6. Taylor & Sons (butcher & slaughter house) 1898-1953; Carters (butcher & slaughter house) 1953-86; Anne Morley (dress shop) + 7 flats 1986, 1994; White Horse Country Wear 1999-2007; Barbers 2007.#7. Yeatman (sweets) 1893; White Bros (hairdressers & tobacconists) 1930’s-88; Haine & Smith (optician) 1988.#8. Robey (dairy); Leeds & Leicester Shoe Company; Wyles Bros (shoes) 1930’s-70’s; Renovated 1982; Peter Edwards & Co (chartered accountants) 1992; Harpers Estate Agent 1994,2006; Faringdon Cobbler 2014-18; vacant 2019; Dogo Tattoo 2021.#9. Private House 1930’s; Hyslops (optician) 1936-82; Jobee’s Boutique (dress shop) 1978 (? at #1 then), gutted by fire 1991.
#10. H.E.Yeatman (taylors) 1893-1930’s; Chocolate Box (junk shop); Off Licence 1953; Henry’s (bakers?) 1963; Mustard Seed (Faringdon Council of Churches) 1992;
#9-10. empty 1994; Dress and needlework shop 1995; Reflections (gifts) 1996-97; G&G Butchers 2000; Lewis Butcher 2013; Raw Planet 2014; Istanbul Barbers 2018
A historical record of shops and other businesses in Faringdon Corn Market. Shops and other businesses have flourished here for many generations and premises have changed ownership many times. Some have closed down permanently at some time and have subsequently been converted into private houses.
The dotted line on the map shows the passage of a brook, which once divided Faringdon into the tithings of Port to the east, and Westbrook to the west. It used to be forded at this point but now passes under the road and shop at #1 Corn Market on its way north to the lake at Faringdon House.
