Haymarket and Sidgate (Percy Street)

Extension of medieval market street (Newgate Street/Bigg Market) which joined the extension of Pilgrim Street (Northumberland Street), crossing the Pandon Burn at Barras Bridge. First named Sinedgate (13th century-14th century), corrupted to Sidgate up until 18th century. Named Percy Street in 18th century. Described as a causeway by Gray in the 17th century. Most medieval property transactions here only refer to fields. Speed's representation of 1610 shows solid rows of houses on both sides of Percy Street and Northumberland Street as far north as Barras Bridge - a pre-Civil War expansion of the suburb perhaps in 16th century, gone by the 18th century. May have been Civil War destruction of houses? [Terry, 1899, reported that during the Civil War the defenders of the town set on fire all the streets and houses outside the town walls on the north side of the town. Only isolated buildings survive on the east side of the street on post-Civil War plans]. Ribbon development in 18th century and by 1770 had reached Barras Bridge. Henry Bourne, writing in 1736, described Sidgate thus: "The other Parts of the Suburbs out of Newgate is a Street that reaches as far as the Barras-bridge, called Sidgate, which consists of Houses very indifferent, most of which are inhabited by pooe People; but very sweetly situated, having the Leases or Gardens behind them". The large space at the northern end of Sidgate was the Haymarket. The eastern edge of Haymarket was formed by a line of houses fronting onto Northumberland Street. Harbottle asks if they were a later development into or encroaching onto a huge triangular open space south of Barras Bridge? [There were wide open spaces on suburban approach roads in Northampton, Oxford and York, used as livestock markets or for the temporary parking of carts awaiting entry into the walled town]. In 1807 the Council drained and paved this area and named it The Parade. In 1824 they established a Tuesday market here for the sale of hay and straw. In 1828 a weighing machine was provided. Agricultural workers could be hired from the market in May and November. The space was also used for open air meetings, hoppings and circuses. By this time the east side of Percy Street was fully developed. Prudhoe Street was laid out in 1822 across the bowling green. By 1830 there were buildings right across the street frontage between Prudhoe Street and Prudhoe Place. Documented as "substantial and convenient, and some repuitable citizens occupied them". Deteriorated by late 19th century. Building on east side of Haymarket in second half of 19th century.