Martock Shops

In the Middle Ages, people sold from their workshops, which were usually the front room of their living accommodation. Increasingly in the 18th and 19th centuries, specialised retail premises appeared where merchants sold items not necessarily grown or made by them Even in the 20th century, no specialised premises or shop windows were made, and a “shop” might look like an ordinary house with merchandise piled up in the front room nearest the road. Some had much enlarged windows and sign boards, and around 1900 the fashion for painting the whole front wall of your house with signage and advertising was at its height, now mercifully this has dropped out of fashion!

In the good old days when there was no red tape. anyone could start a shop at a moment’s notice, and so shops appeared and disappeared at a moment’s notice. This makes our list difficult to compile, and if you know of anyone we have left off, please get in touch with us.

This list tries to work its way from north to south:

STAPLETON

Stapleton Cross Public House
Farrier Mr Sciven
Riddiford Taxi & Wedding cars
Furbers Shop Groceries Fruit and veg.
Williams Haulage

NEWTOWN

(this is the “new town” that grew up around the railway)
Bradford & Son Corn Coal and building materials
Pauls Hay & Straw
The Railway Hotel
Cattle Yard
Photography Shop

NORTH STREET

Yandles Garage
Bakers Arms Pub
Goldsworthys
Miss Bray Wet Fish
(Whellers ) Butchers
Mr Bennet Groceries
Cyril Darch Bicycles
Smithy
Miss Harris Clothing and Haberdashery
Co-op Groceries
Co-op Shoes
Shoe Shop Edmunds
Police Station
Culliford & Gould Butchers
Saddlers
Vets
The White Horse Pub
Johnny Hibbs Pots and pans china etc sharpening
Corset Fitter and maker Miss Peddle
Albie Harris Rat catcher
Bill Hill Chimney Sweep and town crier and donkey cart
Lional Brice Groceries Newpaper delivery
Dentist M
Pet Shop
Sharmans Butcher
Miss Manning Sweet Shop
Ron Talbot Grocerys Delivery Van
Betty Talbot Hairdresser
Mr Farrent Tailor
Chedzoys China Linen and Oil
Deveralls Shoes & Shoe repairs
Claverton Mended and sold jewellery
Labour Exchange
Hunt & Quantock Commerce House Clothes Furniture etc
This was a complete "Departement Store" with a sewing shop on the first floor. The flat roof became an ugly monopitch roof in about 1980.
Hugh Bennet Goceries
Tofields Bakery Delivery Van
Miss Marks Sweet Shop
Miss Toderdill Haberdashery and Clothes
Tailoress Upstairs Commerce House
Channings Groceries

EAST STREET

Wolly Batton Barber
Post Office
White Hart Hotel
Lyes Bakers
Shop in Green
Lovibonds Wine Merchant
Miss Brice Grocery
Cornelious Haulage
Rossiters Cider
Nags Head Pub
Manning Flowers wreaths & Taxi

CHUCH STREET

Lloyds Bank
Westminster Bank
Chards Shoe Shop
Chemist
George Hotel
Petrol Pumps
Fish & Chips

WATER STREET

Drs Surgery
Mr Brooks Ironmongers
Chants Bakers Delivery Van
Wheeler Butcher Delivery Van
Palfrey
Palmers Printers
Wet Fish Shop ??
Groceries & Greengrocer Hurst corner

STOKE ROAD

Ewart Hebditch Eggs & Chicken Delivery Van

BOWER HINTON

Mounters Dairy Delivery Van
Rose & Crown Pub
Shop Tobaconist Birch
Behind Sweet Shop Best
John Chants Bakery Delivery Van
Stacey Bakery (by chapel) Delivery
The Good Samaritan Pub
Post Office
Grocery Shop
Yandles Butchers Delivery?
L Mattock Dairy Delivery
The Red Lion Pub

COAT

Coat Post Office
The Royal Marine Pub
The New Inn
Grocery Shop (Railway bridge road)