Streets, courts, closes and terraces in Bridgwater starting with the letter ‘G’.
Galloway Drive: Construction started 2018. Part of the New Market redevelopment. Built over the site of the 1935 livestock market. Named after a type of cattle (with thanks to Laura Bailey).
Gardenia Walk: Post 2006 Willstock Estate, date TBC. Named after a type of plant.
Garganey Drive: Post 2006 Stockmoor Estate, date TBC. Presumably named after the type of duck.
*George Street: named after George’s Inn/The George Inn, which stretched between this lane and St Mary Street. Bridgwater’s premier medieval Inn, first mentioned in April 1380 (BBA, no.337). Early spellings include Jorgesen, Georgeshyn and just Georges (BBA). The Inn was in turn named after St George, who was popular in the country following the third crusade, with other local dedications with a chapel in St Mary’s Church, the parish church in Wembdon and an annual fair in that parish. It is often said the name George was often given to inns set up to help facilitate the movement of Crusader Knights, although this could be apocryphal. Called George Lane on 1735 Stratchey Map and the 1840s town plan. George Street by the 1889 OS map.
Gibb’s Buildings: See Jones’ Buildings
Gloster Place: Note spelling. A court on the junction of Friarn Street and Albert Street, now the site of the Broadway expressway. This was an old site that bounded one side of the gateway to the medieval Friary. There seem to be few buildings here on the 1810s Town Plan, which seems to imply the access to Albert Street has been moved north since that time. More buildings appear on the 1824 Water Supply Plan, but by the 1854 Town Plan the road layout had changed. By the 1888 OS Town Plan many more buildings had been built on the plot. Largely demolished a little after 1930 when Friarn Avenue was built, although referred to in the 1937 Whitby Directory. Name of unclear significance.
Gloucester Road: Part of the 1930s Hamp Estate: does not appear on the 1930 OS Map. Road appears in the 1939 Town Guide. Complete by the time of the 1946 RAF photographic survey. As most of the streets on this estate were named after royal titles, this street presumably commemorates Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974), who was given that title in 1928. Crosses the site of several old fields, including Dwellands, High Seven Acres and Hedgerow Field (TAM).
Godwin’s Lane: See Old Oak Lane
Gold’s Buildings: Also ‘Gould’s Buildings’. Accessed from the north side of Northgate. Presumably named after the builder/owner. The surname ‘Gould’ is more likely, as a family of that name were active in the neighbourhood. This court seems to be standing on the 1824 Water Supply Map, but certainly in evidence on the c.1854 Town Plan. Mentioned in the 7 May 1832 edition of the Bridgwater Alfred. Mostly demolished by the time of the 1946 RAF photographic survey.
Gooch Close: (later extension of Sydenham – late 20th c. – brownfield redevelopment? – date TBC) Name of unknown significance, presumably in honour of a local dignitary. Appears to be allotments on the 1946 RAF survey.
Gordon Terrace: The approach to Gordon Terrace was the entryway to the old St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Chapel, which was built in 1846, not long after St John Street was laid out. Aside from the chapel, the site is shown as a field on the 1889 OS map. Possibly contemporary with Cranleigh Gardens of 1894. Given the timeframe, this terrace may be named in honour Charles George Gordon, one of the most celebrated ‘heroes of Empire’, who was killed in 1885 at Khartoum. Gordon had gone to school in Taunton.
Gorki Close: Post 2006 Stockmoor Estate, date TBC. Named after a type of goat breed, fitting in with the Livestock theme of this estate.
Grange Drive: Named after the old Vicarage of St Mary’s Church, built in 1851 and demolished recently in (year TBC), which was adjacent and now the site of ‘Great Oak Close’. Part of the Cooperative Housing Estate: appears on the 1955 Town Guide Plan. Called ‘Grange Close’ then.
Grasmere Close: Wembdon. Built by 1972 (Town Guide, 1972). Other names in this development had Cumbrian or north western origins, such as Brantwood and Risedale (both Cumbria), Silverdale (Lancashire). Unclear relationship to Wembdon, although number 46 Wembdon Road, the large house at the junction of Inwood Road, was called Grasmere on the 1887 OS Town Plan.
Greatwood Close: Part of the Wills Road ‘Quantock View’ Estate, which was being built from at least 1986 onwards (see Wills Road). Most of the streets on this estate where named in honour of notable townsfolk. (Exactly Who TBC)
Grebe Close, Court and Road: Modern, date TBC. Built over nineteenth century clay pits. Grebes are a type of water bird, so perhaps the name reflects wetland nature of the site before development.
The Green: Connects Sunnybank Road and Furlongs Avenue. Built on the site of Hamp Wood on the 1840s Tithe Apportionment Map, then open fields by the 1889 OS map. Shown under construction on the 1946 RAF aerial photographic survey.
The Green: Wembdon. ‘The Green’ development, a £2.4 million project to provide community facilities is in the process of turning the old Kidsbury Commons into a wildflower and nature park and expanding the old playing fields. Given planning permission in 2012 and completed July 2017. The park has been extended and two cricket pitches have been laid out, along with nets for cricket practice and multi-use games areas. A grand pavilion has been built, providing changing rooms, performance spaces and meeting rooms. Takes its name from the initial project name ‘Wembdon Green Wedge’ given by Sedgemoor District Council. Wembdon’s original ‘village green’, the Common runs alongside Church Lane and alongside the Crowpill Rhyne.
*Green Dragon Lane: A very old lane which passed though the medieval Burgage Plots of c.1200, which connected Little St Mary Street to Friarn Street. Unclear if this lane was part of the original medieval Town Plan. Takes its name from the Green Dragon Inn, first mentioned in 1754, when the landlord was Christopher Becknell (Williams). The Green Dragon was traditionally a symbol of the Earls of Pembroke, who may have owned the plot. Alternatively, pub landlords might sometimes take a pub name with them when they started working at a new premises, so this might be an old import name.
Greenacre: Wembdon. Built over fields called ‘Nine Acres’, ‘Lower Seven Acres’ and ‘The Acre’ (TAM), so Greenacre preserves something of this while also riffing on the much older ‘Crossacre’ nearby. Built by 1972 (Town Guide, 1972)
Griffen Close: Modern NDR development, complete by 2006. Of of a group of names celebrating local carnival clubs. Griffens Carnival Club was founded in 1968.