24 St John Street

• Grade II listed timber cruck-framed building
• Interior is 15th-17th centuries
• Exterior rebuilt in the 1960s
• Now a health-food shop

Number 24 is on the south side of the street opposite Millennium Square.

The Building

Don’t be fooled by the bland exterior. This is a Grade II listed timber cruck-framed building, probably built originally as three back-to-back houses perpendicular to the street. The listing suggests the building is 17th century but judging by presence of the cruck framing, which was prevalent in the Middle Ages, it is likely to be 15th century. Step inside the shop and the cruck frame can be clearly seen.

A significant number of alterations have been made over the centuries including strengthening of the crucks to support a taller/heavier building. The modern frontage we see today was added around the 1960s but old photographs from the 1890s and 1900s show the previous Georgian façade. (Credit:Cruck frame sketch from Ashbourne Partnership, 'Ashbourne Marketplace Book: The Development of Ashbourne Market Place in the 15th and 16th centuries' (2021), p.10.)

Occupation and Use

Conveyance documents identify the earliest recorded occupants/owners in 1856 as Henry Latham who was a tenant of Thomas Holland. Henry was followed by James Hooworth (1770-1842) and then by his son William (1806-50) and his wife Elizabeth (1806-54).

The 1822-23 commercial directory shows James Hooworth (Howarth), hatter and furrier, on St John St so, with him being 51 at this time, the occupation by Henry Latham could date back to the 18^th century. Census records and commercial directories give William’s and Elizabeth’s occupation as furriers.

The 1856 conveyance document records the property being sold for £410 to Frederick Williamson Greaves, druggist, and grocer, who had married William and Elizabeth Hooworth’s daughter Ellen/Helen in 1852.

Following the death of Frederick Williamson Greaves in 1896,ownership of 24 St John St remained with the Greaves family until 1919 when it was sold to James Osborne, chemist and druggist. In the late 1890s, Bernard Sowter, outfitter, took over the premises to be followed, between 1901-09, by G. H. Lovatt, who was a butcher (see photographs above). Then from 1915-19(?), Rupert Marsden, grocer, who had married Frederick Williamson Greaves’ daughter Agnes Cristabella in 1887, was the occupant.

Prior to the sale to James Osborne in 1919, 24 St John St had been kept in the Hooworth/ Greaves/ Marsden family for perhaps more than 100 years:

James Osborne had had a chemist/druggist business on the north side of St John St at No. 19 since the 1870s and 24 St John St waspurchased as an outlet, factory and warehouse. He developed several of his own brand medicines including “Osborne’s Mixture for Epilepsy”, which was advertised in newspapers 1883-1910, and is reported to have had a worldwide reputation.

Osbornes continued at 24 St John St until the 1940s and then in 1948 the building was leased to Gregory & Lee, radio and electrical engineers.

Over the years the nature of Gregory & Lee’s business changed and by the 1980s it also became a music shop. In 1992, Gregory & Lee’s sold up and Steve & Roy Parker moved their Natural Choice business from 30-32 St John St to 24 St John St and it remains there today.