Restoration of former Georgian Coach House wins Civic Society’s Annual Award

Three buildings at the heart of Fleetgate - numbers 53, 55 and 57 – have won this year’s Barton Civic Society Annual Award. Owned by Charles French, the work to restore the frontage to its Georgian appearance was undertaken by his builder son Nathan, who has already been responsible for renovating listed buildings in the Beverley area, after plans were prepared by local architect Donald Kitching.

The group of buildings, which stands next to the oldest house in North Lincolnshire 51 Fleetgate, is itself steeped in history and archaeologist, Caroline Atkins of Goxhill, who kept a close eye on work in progress, spotted the base of a neatly-jointed chalk wall of a much earlier building in the foundation trench.
The properties were, until the 1870s, part of a much larger property owned by farmer John Wilson who lived next door in what is now known as Holly House at 59 Fleetgate.

The archway from Fleetgate gave access to a Coach House which is said to be the place where the Stage Coach, meeting the Barton Ferry, put up overnight, although this could also have been the Waterside Inn along Waterside Road. There is a former granary above, a reminder of the time when all Barton's farmsteads were in the town itself.

In the early years of the 20th century the archway and adjoining Coach House were converted into a shop, occupied for much of its life by Fred Canty, Draper and Outfitter.

Civic Society chairman, Ian Wolseley, presents the 2011 Annual Award to Nathan French.