Look to your left at the smooth pedestrianized paving curving gently past tall brick storefronts, anchored by the grand classical stone pillars of the Assembly Rooms just down the way. Just a minute ago we were in St Helen's Square, which actually sits right where a massive ancient Roman gate once stood. This path, Blake Street, originally emerged as a simple muddy shortcut between that Roman gate and another entrance to the north.
But beneath this very street, a secret lay hidden for nearly two thousand years. In 1975, excavators dug into the earth right here and uncovered the Blake Street Hoard, a collection of thirty-five silver denarii. Denarii were ancient Roman silver coins, the everyday pocket change of soldiers and merchants in the first century. A Roman soldier likely buried his savings in the dirt, entirely unaware he would never return to claim them.
As the centuries passed, the city built over that forgotten silver. The name Blake might come from a local Viking named Bleiki, or perhaps from an old word for bleaching cloth. By the Georgian era, this quiet shortcut had utterly transformed. The air here would have been filled with the loud clatter of horse hooves and wooden wheels, as this became a bustling departure point for stagecoaches heading north. Wealthy travelers would gather at those elegant Assembly Rooms, built in 1732, to dance and socialize before their long journeys. You can still feel that Georgian elegance in the late eighteenth century brick buildings lining the street.
It is wonderful how a simple ancient shortcut grew into such a vibrant piece of the city. Enjoy the beautiful Georgian brickwork before we wander on to our next destination.
