Directly opposite the fountain continue into New Street.
In 1349 New Street was the main road to London. Walk on the left and view the pleasant 18th and 19th century buildings. Further along on the left is the 18th century former Somerton Hotel. As an inn close to the toll gates, it would have been in a commanding position for trade coming into the town on market days. Next door is a building now known as the Old School. It was built in the early1800s and later rebuilt as a Quaker meeting house but in the 1950s became a private house. At the end is Cockspurs, so named because there was a cock-fighting pit here. Note the turnpike milestone marker at the entrance to Hillhead Cottage on the opposite side of the road. The London road continued straight on along Acre Lane eventually to join the ancient route-way nowadays known as A303. New Hill was constructed about 1840 to make an easier climb from the Cary bridge on the road between Street and Ilchester.
Return along New Street on the opposite side. The tall buildings were used by the Great Western Railway in 1903 as a hospital for railway builders. In 1904, smallpox broke out and a tented hospital was set up in Charlton Mackrell. Later the buildings were sold for private housing. Further along are listed buildings of The Old Manse, The Little House and Green Dragon.
At the end turn right into North Street was a backwater when it was built but is now the main route into town. On the corner is Scott-Gould House built in 1866 (modernised 1981), as a set of six flats for widows and elderly women. Next door is Still Cottage originally three small cottages and just beyond is the late 18th century Old Armoury which was the HQ of the Territorial Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry. Further along are No. 5 and Hogarth Cottage both 17th century. At the end on the right are buildings originally set up as a windmill but insufficient wind forced conversion to horse-powered. In 1895 the mill was converted to five dwellings. The mill gave the road up the hill its name “Horse Mill Lane”, although it is known locally as “Gas House Hill” due to the fact that the gas works was located at the bottom from the mid 19th century until its closure in 1955. Across the road slightly to the left are the grounds of The Lynch, a lovely Georgian house built in about 1815, now a hotel.
Return now along the opposite side of North Street.
On the corner is The Cottage, then Tertia, Fourth House, Granard, Turle House (the home of organist James Turle) and Jenning’s House all 17th/18th century.
