Greengate Street, Stafford,

Description:View of Greengate looking towards the Market Square.

On the left is Haycock and Tooth's ladies and gentlemen's outfitters shop, which opened in 1897.

The building with the bow windows is the Swan Inn, originally built as two private town houses in the seventeenth century. The buildings were converted into a coaching inn in 1752 and a Georgian front was later added.

Next to the Swan Inn is the timber framed High House, built in 1595. King Charles I stayed here in September 1642, whilst on a recruiting drive during the Civil War.

In 1826 the building was bought by John Marson, who converted the lower floor into shops. His son, William Albert, eventually took over his father's grocery business. In 1885 he added new shop fronts, establishing himself as a high class family grocer and Italian warehouseman. The building is now owned by the Borough Council and opened to the public as a heritage and exhibition centre in 1987.

On the left is the inn sign to the Bear Inn.