ST PETER’S QUARTER TRAIL – 1 GREEN LANE

Stylish and absorbing St Peter’s Quarter is a sure-fire winner.

Looking down Green Lane 

Green Lane was an important residential street in its pomp. However, it was St Peter’s Street that was considered the main shopping area in Derby. This changed with the arrival in 2007 of Westfield (now Derbion), which became the city’s main shopping hub. Footfall inevitably decreased, but following the successful launch of the Business Improvement District (BID) plan, the area is once again on the up.

Victoria Street marks the border between the Cathedral and St Peter’s Quarters. The buildings on the southern side are included in the latter. Before Markeaton Brook was culverted the street was known as Brookside. But following several disastrous floods for traders and people living in the area eventually, remedial action was taken. The name given to the land along which Green Lane now runs was Greenhill. Formerly known as Green Hill Lane, it leads southwards along an ancient route to Burton-on-Trent.

From its northern connection with Victoria Street. Green Lane rises steadily to its junction with Babington Lane. The hill was noted for good views over Derby. However, these are now more restricted as additional buildings have been constructed. Until the 19th century, it was mainly a residential area. This changed somewhat during the second half of the 19th century, as more buildings were erected. Houses and chapels dominated the southern end of the street and the stretch between Victoria Street and St Peter’s Churchyard Street is mainly given over to businesses.

During the late 18th century and the development of textile mills took place. Green Lane had its own silk mill, near the northern end of the street on the eastern side. This was demolished in the 20th century.

The Lanes

Originally called ‘The Lanes’ for marketing purposes and referred to as ‘Derby’s Hidden Gems.’ The area has been extended and is now called St Peter’s Quarter. Green Lane and St Peter’s Street are the principal streets and radiate out from Victoria Street. Green Lane features a wide range of interesting buildings, illustrating architectural trends from the mid-19th century to the 1960s.

The most talked about today is probably the Hippodrome on Green Lane. Since being acquired by a developer it is currently in a state of near collapse. At the time of writing the premises are in the hands of a bank. An urgent resolution regarding its future is required.

It was designed in 1913, by Derby architect Alexander McPherson, and was once a popular Music Hall as well as a theatre and cinema. It has been used in recent years as a Bingo Hall. Before the owners decided to sell up and move to new premises. From that point, it has gone rapidly downhill to become one of Derby’s worst eyesores.
After serving its time as a Music Hall, it was used as a cinema, before being acquired by Prince Littler. When The Grand Theatre, in Babington Lane closed in 1950.

Former Primitive Methodist Church

An important landmark in Green Lane is the former Primitive Methodist Church, on the corner of St Peter’s Churchyard Street. It has lost its pinnacles but is still a building of potential. In the 1970s it was converted into a furniture store and later a Bingo Hall and Amusement Arcade. Named Quicksilver, but it is now closed.

The Primitive Methodists were founded in 1811/12 by Hugh Bourne and his associate William Clowes. The faith spread to Derby from North Staffordshire and a circuit was formed in 1816. The Primitive Methodist Chapel in Green Lane was built in 1878. It closed following a merger of chapels in the middle of the next century.

Further up Green Lane on the southwestern corner of Gower Street is another former chapel, where Presbyterians originally worshipped. On the opposite side of Green Lane is Crompton Street. Developed in the 1850s on Green Hill House land and was named to commemorate the Derby banker Alderman John Bell Crompton.

Looking across Macklin Street
In the early part of the 19th century, much of the land to the west side of Green Lane was owned by the Rev Roseingrave Macklin. He was the first Vicar of Christ Church and gave his name to Macklin Street. Part of the south side of Macklin Street is built up, with a row of 17 Victorian Terrace. The houses are set back behind a high retaining wall with railings and steps. On the northern side, the area known as Duckworth Square was once the site of a shopping centre. The road running to the east of Duckworth Square is Becket Well Lane, which runs roughly parallel to Green Lane. The name refers to the well that once stood in the vicinity. The well had a conical cover and has been recorded as dating back to the 13th century.

Former Hippodrome

Green Hill House was originally built as a residential property. Glover’s Directory, lists a solicitor, by the name of Charles Clarke living at the property in 1829. Shortly afterwards it was remodelled and used as Derby’s first private lunatic asylum. Thomas Fisher, a surgeon, was the proprietor. It had gardens covering over three acres that stretched south up the side of the hill. However, after it was replaced by the County Asylum at Mickleover which was built in 1849, it was divided into two villas. Before it was eventually demolished.

In 1851, the Derbyshire Pauper Lunatic Asylum, later known as Pastures Hospital, opened. Patients came from Union Workhouses all over the county. Many of them had been kept in atrocious conditions. Once freed of chains and restraints they found that not only were they given proper care and attention. But also that there were opportunities for recreation and relaxation amidst beautiful countryside. Many of the men worked on the hospital farm and the women attended domestic duties. The hospital closed in the late 20th century and the land is now taken up by housing.

Designed in 1913, by Derby architect Alexander MacPherson, the Hippodrome was built on the site of Green Hill House. It opened in 1914 as a music hall and palace of varieties with an audience capacity of 2,300. Between 1930 and 1950 it was also used as a cinema with a seating capacity reduced to 1,800.

The Grand

It was the pending closure of the Grand that made the Hippodrome a target for Prince Littler. He agreed to a deal with J Arthur Rank and The Grand closed on 9 December 1950. And the Hippodrome opened on the 23rd of the same month after the transfer of the stage equipment had been completed. Unfortunately, it did not last long as a theatre and, on Monday 19 January 1959, the headline in the Derby Evening Telegraph carried the news:’Hippodrome closing not likely to re-open.’ During its short life, it had played host to stars such as Maria Lloyd, Flanagan and Allen, George Formby and, in later years, Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd and Tommy Cooper.

The closure came as a consequence of the Hippodrome having made a loss for the last three years running. The premises were placed on the market and acquired by the entertainment company Mecca. They re-opened it as a Bingo Hall and Social Club on 25 April 1962. It was finally closed in 2007, and was sold for £375,000 to a private developer and has been in a state of near-collapse for several years.