The building known as “Herbs!” restaurant has a long and interesting history and dates back to 1645. It still contains many of the original features and is Grade II listed. There used to be two fireplaces, a Tudor – arch beamed fireplace which now houses the bar and the other under the main staircase (the chimney still exists within the wall!). The building was originally a home and was refronted in the early 1900’s. The spiral staircase that runs from the cellar to the top attic is original and was, at one time, the only access to the upper rooms!

This picture, taken c1908, shows the building trading as a greengrocer’s, “Taylors”. The Taylor family also operated a fishmonger and butchery in the town.

The shop next door, now a newsagent, was a blacksmith. The smithy was at the rear of the shop and the horses had to be led through the passageway to the right of the building. The sign over the door to the right of the greengrocer’s states that the next shop was a saddler, as it still is today! As you can see, the windows have not changed since this picture was taken nearly 100 years ago. The next picture was taken in the early 1930’s when the building sold vegetables and dairy produce and was owned by Mr Robey.

The shop was taken over by Jane’s Pantry during the Second World War and was, apparently, very popular with the U.S. servicemen stationed in the area at that time. Jane’s pantry stayed until the 1960’s. What is now the first floor restaurant area was a café’, where a member of the current staff remembers “waiting for the bus to Swindon”. Over the next two decades the building was used as a restaurant and a florists, one of the restaurants being called “The 1645” and is still referred to as such by many of the locals. In 1988 the building became an Italian Restaurant and remained so for 12 years until the present. After a short period of closure the restaurant reopened, after a massive facelift, as the relaxing Mediterranean style “Herbs!”.

We hope you have found this little stroll down memory lane interesting and please enjoy your meal and evening. Thank you.