ESCAPE Arts are stepping back in time to remember the history of Stratford’s Old Toll House.
The charity has been commissioned by Stratford Historic Building’s Trust to research and gather memories and photographs relating to the 200 year-old Old Toll House, which is currently being renovated.
Their discoveries will be featured in a display area in the Clopton Bridge building, where people can find out more about it and the town’s industrial heritage.
Escape Arts, who run the Old Slaughterhouse Arts and Heritage Studio on Sheep Street, are urging people to contact them.
Artistic director Karen Williams said: “We are really interested in putting faces to the stories and research being collated.
“The Old Slaughterhouse project is about finding and sharing local stories, archiving the social history behind Stratford’s ever-changing historic landscape, creating a sense of place from the very people who worked and lived there.”
Renovating the Grade II-listed building is costing some £440,000 and is being overseen by the Stratford Historic Buildings Trust.
Once work is complete the upper levels of the building will be rented out as office space and the basement will be turned into a community exhibition about the history of the building.
The Old Toll House was built in 1814 but over the last 30 years it has fallen into serious disrepair and has been included on Historic England’s Register of Buildings at Risk.
Email [email protected] or visit facebook page TheOldSlaughterhouse to send photos to Escape Arts find out more.
* A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition exploring the streets of Stratford is set to be unveiled.
Charity Escape Arts has the photos on show from Friday (January 27) until March at its Old Slaughterhouse Studio.
The free exhibition will explore Rother Street, Wood Street and Henley Street through photographs from Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and local photographer Phil Williams.
The studio is open between 1pm and 4pm every Thursday and Friday and between 11am and 4pm on Saturdays.
