An old-looking wall on North Street (near Lovell Park).

[Phill_dvsn]

Si wrote: 1908 map of the rec. It shows three entrances on North Street, and the buildings along Gradfton Street and Brunswick Place bordering the park.If Leodian's large stone blocks coincide with the entrances, then they are probably the bases of the original gate posts, IMHO.     When I moved into my first home I pulled out the awful fireplace they had built, It was a horrid mix off all sorts, some marble stone and inferior sand stone. It looked awful and heaven knows where they got it from. Anyway on the back of one of these stones was carved very professionally 'Grafton Street' It was perhaps the size or writing and very similar to what you would read on a grave stone. It looked like an old lintel with chamfered edges as they had used this piece to bridge across the fire itself. I never knew for years where Grafton Street was until I looked it up. I'd love to know what it was now.If I recall correctly that stone will still be in the house blocking off a cellar doorway as that's what I did with some of the stones.            

[geoffb]

deleted, I'm going senile

[Phill_dvsn]

Another old wall I used to notice was this one hereIt's at the very top of Lovell Park and I always wondered what it was in it's day, It looks odd next to the new 1970's housing. The brickwork reminded me very much of the type you would see around York. I noticed the wall again a few years ago because I nearly snapped some funny graffiti on it, but sometime since it seems to have been demolished looking on Street view. A fence either covers it, or replaces it totally.http://g.co/maps/xf7yk    

[Si]

Hi Phill. Did the carved lettering run the length of the stone, like a lintel, or were they at one end, at right angles to the length of the stone, like a gatepost? Just a thought.

[Leodian]

Thanks Si, Phill and Geoffb for your input, which is appreciated.

[Phill_dvsn]

Si wrote: Hi Phill. Did the carved lettering run the length of the stone, like a lintel, or were they at one end, at right angles to the length of the stone, like a gatepost? Just a thought. I'm going back to 1988 here Si, a few years have passed since then. It wasn't a gate post. It was a smooth piece of stone, probably about 10' high x 8' in depth. Substantial but not in my opinion something they would have used for a lintel, but it was shaped exactly like an old lintel, you know with the chamfered edges (I'll find a photo similar if I can)I tend to think the carving was right in the middle of the stone. Something similar to this. P.s The old brick wall in Lovell Park I mentioned earlier still exists, it's a little further down herehttp://binged.it/J9mbrf            

[Jogon]

Some good older road signs/street names about, nicely carved. Knew a lad at Claremont near Monk Bridge Rd & house had carved stone name on it's face.Later road sign added behind.

[Phill_dvsn]

Jogon wrote: Some good older road signs/street names about, nicely carved. Knew a lad at Claremont near Monk Bridge Rd & house had carved stone name on it's face.Later road sign added behind. Thanks Jogon, think I'll take a good look at the Leodis site and Grafton street photos later.    

[NST]

Leodian wrote: The low wall on North Street at Lovell Park has some interesting stone blocks at its entry/exit points. This photo (taken October 7 2011) shows one set. The blocks look large enough to possibly have had something on top at one time but I have not been able to find any photos to confirm if that is correct. I have in fact not been able to find any old photos that show that wall at Lovell Park (Grafton Park at one time) so I do not know how old it is. I think Grafton street may have moved to the left a few meters (looking up the hill) after the old houses were demolished. What remains today are entry points to the original 'Smithfield Park' (previously Smithfield Cattle Market). Here is a photograph collage I've quickly put together showing the corner of North Street & Grafton street in both 1906 and 1956. On the earlier photograph, you can just see on the far left the entrance to the park and the gate pillar stone. It is these pillar stones that still exist today, but as you can probably see from the photographs, the original terrace on North Street before you get to the corner of Grafton Street was slightly longer. If you look at the corner of Grafton Street today (where it meets North St.) you will see that this low wall abruptly ends - there is a cut piece of stone. I'm not entirely sure why Grafton Street was moved to the left a bit, but then again I have absolutely no idea why they pulled this entire area down. My great grand parents Ruben and Isabella Yules lived at No.8 Grafton Street, and my late dad had such vivid and fond memories of this street and also Camp road. He adored his grandparents and their wonderful house. Apparently the council deemed this street uninhabitable and so demolished the lot. You be the judge, look what was there and look at what we have now. Crying shame if you ask me!If anyone else had relatives on Grafton Street I would love to hear from you

[j.c.d.]

jim wrote: Leodian wrote: Old walls fascinate me and there are very many to be seen in Leeds. One such wall is that on North Street near to Lovell Park. The picture (taken April 22 2012) shows a close-up view of some brickwork in that wall. The sandstone bricks show some nice depositional features from when the sand was originally deposited, being mainly horizontal layers but some show dipping layers. I wonder how old the wall is? I suspect that the mortar between the bricks may not be original but even that still looks old. The wall is of relatively modern construction. I remember the site well, as Scheerers musical instrument shop was on this site in 1964 - when I bought my fifth musical instrument from them. There were shop and pub frontages all along that side of North Street ( and a number of side streets heading towards Camp Road) from Lovell Park to the Meanwood Road junction at the Golden Cross. All were straight onto North Street, and did not need flights of steps to access them.     As I do not live in Leeds anymore I will have a good look at that wall in North St. when I next visit.you mention Scheerers music shop, it was almost opposite the White Stag pub. in the 50s I worked at Modern Floor Covering (carpets) on the corner by the White Stag. the only long wall I can remember was Lovell park and I think that was a low wall.