Hope Street (Stryd yr Hob) takes its name from the village of Hope. The name originally applied to the whole road from the High Street to Wat’s Dyke (roughly the railway bridge at the end of Regent Street). It was only during the 19th century that the name became restricted to the stretch of the road from High Street to the junction with Priory Lane (now Priory Street). The regular vegetable market was held in Hope Street until the opening of the Market Hall in 1841.
On the corner of Priory Street there were three thatched cottages, two of which were demolished in 1889. Initially, in the 17th century, the building was one dwelling, and then was extended and divided into three cottages. Later, the part nearest to Hope Street was a private house, sometimes used as a guest house, while the part along Priory Street was a “beer house” called The Colliers. The buildings were combined into a single pub in 1868.
The pub was renamed the Horse and Jockey in honour of Fred Archer (1857-1886). The Cheltenham-born jockey rode at nearby Bangor-on-Dee, and at many other racecourses, before committing suicide aged 29, after the death of his first child and then the death of his wife while she gave birth to their second child. He is regarded as one of the finest jockeys of all time, having notched up more than 2,700 wins in his short life. He was champion jockey 13 times, despite his height of 1.78 metres (5 feet 10 inches) – unusually tall for a jockey.
In 1938 the pub was sold by Beirne’s Brewery to the Wrexham Lager company, which repaired the building to prevent it collapsing. The following year, the company obtained a permit for materials to protect the thatched roof during the Second World War.
The former Lion Hotel at No 57 was demolished in the 1930’s and became the site of Wrexham’s original F. W. Woolworth store. The Central Arcade was built between this site and Dutton’s Sig-ar-ro Stores in 1891.
The Horse and Jockey
The Horse and Jockey is one of the oldest buildings in the town centre, possibly built in the 16th century as a hall house-a residence centred on a large room with no ceiling.
In the 17th century, the building was extended and divided into three cottages. Later, the part nearest to Hope Street was a private house, sometimes used as a guest house, while the part along priory street was a “beer house ” called The Colliers. The buildings were combined into a single pub in 1868.
Fred Archer 1857-1886
The pub was renamed the Horse and Jockey in honour of Fred Archer (1857-1886) . The Cheltenham-born jockey rode at nearby Bangor-on – Dee and at many other racecourses, before committing suicide aged 29, after the death of his first child and then the death of his wife while she gave birth to their second child. He is regarded as one of the finest jockeys of all time, having notched up more than 2,700 wins in his short life . He was champion jockey 13 times, despite his height of 1.78 metres (5 feet 10 inches) – unusually tall for a jockey.
In 1938 the pub was sold by Beirne’s Brewery to the Wrexham Lager Company, which repaired the building to prevent it collapsing. The following year the company obtained a permit for materials to protect the thatched roof during the second World War.