Martin Edwards has compiled a list of licensed premises in Cheltenham in 1844. He has identified a cider house called the Falcon in what was then Bannister Lane. This later became Dunalley Street.
Landlady:
1844 Sarah Powell
Alan Jones has contacted me with this information:
I think I can get you close to a location for this one (one of Martin Edwards’ 1844 licensed premises)
Looking at old maps of Dunalley Street, the eastern side was pretty much completely taken up by timber yards, so the Falcon cider house would probably been on the west side. The school wasn’t opened until 1859, but there were a couple of cottages just before it to the south (just as there are still two houses now).
Looking at the 1891-2 Post Office directory (a lot later I know, but with enough time passed for development and buildings to have occurred – and it gives an ‘in-order’ listing of buildings in the street – for Dunalley St. from the Swindon Rd (southern end) on the western side it ran as follows (remember the Stonehouse Inn was on the corner of the junction, so the first building would have been behind that)
Stonehouse Brewery, Mr. A. Ryland, brewer
Morland House, W. Edwards, gasfitter
1, Bannister cottage, J. Davis, tailor
2. H. Staite, wheelwright
British school
The new hotel sits on what would have been the sites of the first three properties, then there is a gated driveway through to its parking area
Then, there are two old houses right before the school (where the cottages are listed)
These are joined.
If the first house = Bannister Cottage where the Falcon was located, then it must have run off alongside the south of the cottage/house. And it couldn’t have been very long because another street called Orchard Place ran behind parallel to Dunalley St.
This means the Falcon cider house would have probably been behind the first house/cottage facing onto the lane – a great place to get thirsty timber yard workers in and before the Stonehouse Inn existed.
I know its a bit speculative, but what do you reckon? Sound reasoning?
Regards
Alan