THIS undated view of Courtenay Street is one of a batch of pictures of Newton passed to me by Advertiser reader Graham Lucas clearly shows that horse-drawn transport held sway on the streets which places it in the late 19th or early 20th centuries, writes Steve Harris.

Midway along the street stands the Methodist church with its wooden spire. It formed a prominent landmark in the town until its demolition in the 1960s.

Three soldiers (perhaps Territorials) are engaged in conversation outside the Wilts and Dorset Bank which was founded in Salisbury in 1835. The bank was quick to establish a branch network opening 24 branches in its first year of trading with Salisbury as its head office. By the time it was taken over by Lloyds in 1914 it had established a network of over 100 branches across the west of England.

Numerous businesses have operated from the premises since this picture was taken including the Prudential Insurance Company, Martins Bank, the Alliance and Leicester Building Society. Today the building has been incorporated into the Austins store as has the former Globe Hotel on the other side of the road.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE MID-DEVON ADVERTISER, FRIDAY, APRIL 13