Roman & Castle Roads – dereliction to desirability

At the well-attended AGM of the roads’ Residents Association this week, around 50 residents were treated to a fascinating talk on the development of this sought-after corner of our town, by local historian Dr Jane Pearson.

She traced its origins back to the failure and sell-off of the Botanic Gardens which once occupied the site. She described the piecemeal development from the wreck of the gardens to today’s desirable residences.

She has very kindly agreed to share her sources and information with our project, so we will be preparing the full story (with all its fascinating facts, sometimes amazing, sometimes tragic) for future publication on our website.

In the meantime, as a taste of domestic life in the area, here is a piece from our own archives, relating to World War 1.

The full document can be seen by clicking on this title: Roman Road WW1 postcard

There is also a miscellany of Roman and Castle Road items in the Resources section – click on the ‘Resources’ button in the top menu on this page.