SOME YEOVIL ‘IMPROVEMENTS’ AT ‘TOWNSEND’, 1863

The Western Gazette in its 32nd issue, dated Saturday, 19th September 1863, carried the following under ‘Yeovil News‘ :-

We are glad to see that Mr.Ridout has almost completed five or six more substantial houses of a respectable class on the south side of the London Road, nearly opposite the Elephant and Castle. There will be still further improvement to the neighbourhood of the ‘new Station’, and we trust that they will be occupied as soon as finished. The old turnpike gate and house at the entrance of the Newton Road have at last been removed; and in order to complete the improvement of that corner, it is only necessary that the row of cottages behind should be pulled down and more commodious dwellings erected in their stead. The greater part of the small front garden should be thrown into the road so as to bring Newton Road as nearly in a line as possible with the street front of Wyndham Terrace. Altogether we, who are at the east end, or who are thinking of removing to that locality, have ample reason to congratulate ourselves on the growing importance of the neighbourhood; and as we hope to print and publish No.33, and a good many future numbers of this journal in a new office now in the course of erection at the end of London Road Buildings, we shall hold ourselves personally indebted in the sum of a good many thanks to any gentleman who will kindly purchase all the available land within two or three hundred yards of the Elephant and Castle, cover it with decent houses, and fill them with tenants who read penny newspapers.

The Western Gazette, at this time was being printed in a cottage in Brunswick Street, which had been the only place available to the proprietor when he started the paper. The new premises he refers to as being built ‘at the end of London Road Buildings’, was opposite Osborne Brewery, later Sparrows Garage and more recently Cashman’s, in Sherborne Road.