5/5 Carolina _. 2 years ago on Google
Charles
Thornton,
(1820-1881),
was
the
owner
of
the
Old
White
Swan
Inn
in
Swan
Street,
and
the
proprietor
of
the
Varieties
Music
Hall.
(Now
the
Leeds
City
Varieties.)
In
1873
he
built
a
block
of
shops
and
offices,
Thorntonโs
Buildings,
at
the
junction
of
the
Upper
Headrow
with
Lands
Lane.
In
1875
Thornton
applied
for
permission
to
demolish
the
Old
Talbot
Inn
on
Briggate,
and
to
build
a
new
arcade
of
shops
on
the
site.
The
Talbot
was
one
of
the
oldest
inns
in
Leeds.
Thoresby
writing
in
1715,
describes
frescoes
painted
on
the
walls
of
a
room
in
the
Inn.
The
Inn
was
used
for
cockfighting,
and
in
the
17th
century
was
where
the
circuit
judge
stayed
when
he
was
in
Leeds.
The
arcade
was
originally
designed
by
Charles
Fowler,
a
Leeds
architect,
but
the
Borough
Engineer
would
not
agree
to
the
designs
because
of
problems
with
the
drainage.
Charles
Thornton
changed
his
architect,
and
engaged
George
Smith,
whose
altered
plans
met
with
approval.
The
arcade
was
opened
in
May
1878.
The
arcade
is
three
storeys
high,
with
a
glass
roof.
At
the
northern
end
is
a
clock
with
a
mechanism
made
by
William
Potts
and
Sons
of
Leeds.
It
has
four
life-size
figures
of
characters
from
Sir
Walter
Scottโs
Ivanhoe.
Richard
Coeur-de-Lion,
and
Friar
Tuck
who
strike
the
hours,
and
Robin
Hood
and
Gurth
the
Swineherd
who
strike
the
quarters.
They
were
made
by
the
Leeds
sculptor
John
Wormald
Appleyard.
At
the
other
end
of
the
arcade
is
the
head
of
a
woman,
with
long
curling
hair
and
a
large
hat.
It
is
modelled
on
the
painting
of
the
Duchess
of
Devonshire
by
Gainsborough.
Thorntonโs
Arcade
was
refurbished
in
1993.
Very
interesting
places
and
definitely
a
most
to
visit.
๐