St Sepulchre Gate, Doncaster (geograph 4762265)

St Sepulchre Gate is a pedestrianised street in the city centre of

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated i ...

, in

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. I ...

, England.

History

The street lay outside the Roman and Saxon settlements of Doncaster. It emerged as the main route into the town from the south-west. It was built up in 12th century, around which time, one of the town's four stone gates was constructed to regulate access to the expanded area of the town. Part of the street outside the wall was also built up, as an early suburb of the town. In 1781, a Roman altar was found on the street. In 1557, the Hospital of St Thomas almshouses were built on the road, being rebuilt in the 1730s and finally demolished in 1963. The road became one of the main shopping streets of the town;

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, based at the Doncaster Civic Office in Waterdale, central Doncaster. It is one of four local authories in South ...

describe it as currently the principal shopping street. In 1902, a tramway was constructed along the road, operating until 1931. The street was widened in the early-20th century. In 1968, the

Arndale Centre Arndale Centres were the first "American style" malls to be built in the United Kingdom. In total, twenty three Arndales have been built in the United Kingdom, and three in Australia. The first opened in Jarrow, County Durham, in 1961, as a p ...

(later known as the Frenchgate Centre) opened on the north-west side of the street.

Layout and architecture

The road runs south-west, from the junction of

Baxter Gate Baxter Gate is a pedestrianised street in the city centre of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. History The street lay outside the Roman fort of Danum, and along the defences of the Saxon burh. It emerged in the Roman era, connecting the ...

, Frenchgate and

High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym ...

, to Trafford Way. Beyond the main road, its former route continues as St Sepulchre Gate West, terminating at a junction with St James's Bridge. On its south-east side, it has junctions with Printing Office Street, Duke Street, and Spring Gardens, while on its north-west side, it has junctions with West Laith Gate, and the western section has a junction with West Street. Notable buildings on the street include 33 St Sepulchre Gate, an art deco shop and pub built about 1930, and Danum House, a 5-storey office block and shop, built for the Doncaster Co-operative Society. On St Sepulchre Street West is St James' Church, built in 1858.{{NHLE , desc=Church of St James , num=1193041 , access-date=11 December 2021

References

Streets in Doncaster