Wheeler Gate, Nottingham Explained

Wheeler Gate is a street in Nottingham City Centre between Old Market Square and St Peter’s Square.^[1]

History

In 1313 the street is referred to as Baxter Gate^[2] but shortly afterwards became known as Wheeler Gate, or Wheel Wright Gate, as the location of the wheel makers.

It was 25feet wide at its narrowest point just below the Reindeer Inn, so the Town Council under took a project to widen it in 1885 to a uniform 60feet^[3] with the buildings on the eastern side being completely replaced. The roadway was 40feet wide with pavements on each side of 10feet width.

In 1900, the conversion of the horse drawn tramway to electric power and extensions to the system built by the Nottingham Corporation Tramways included a double track route from St Peter’s Square along Wheeler Gate to join other tram lines in the Market Square.^[4]

Notable buildings

North east side

• 1, 3 and 5, Cavendish Buildings by John Howitt 1894. Grade II listed.
• 9 to 23 Premier House by John Howitt ca. 1900 Grade II listed.
• 25 to 29 by Robert Evans for E. Swann Grade II listed. (Sisson and Parker’s bookshop, Sainsbury in 2017)

South west side

• 2-16 Pearl Assurance House by Evans, Cartwright and Woollatt 1960-62
• 18 Eldon Chambers. Remodelled in 1868 by Robert Evans, Grade II listed.
• 34 to 36 Morley’s Cafe, half-timbered by John Armitage 1908 (Trailfinders Travel Agents in 2017)

Notes and References

1. Book: Harwood, Elain . 2008 . Pevsner Architectural Guides . Yale University Press . 95 . 9780300126662 .
2. Holland Walker . John . 1934 . An itinerary of Nottingham . Transactions of the Thoroton Society . 38 .
3. News: . The Improvement of Wheeler Gate . Nottingham Evening Post . England . 25 August 1885 . 22 April 2018 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
4. Book: Marshall, Roy . 1960 . A history of Nottingham City Transport, 1897-1959 . Nottingham City Transport .