Garstang’s ancient weinds are narrow alleyways running off the High Street which date from medieval times.
They often changed names to match the adjoining shops. Thomas’s Weind was originally named Horabin’s Weind after the family who owned the property from the early 18th century. In the mid 19th century it passed into the ownership of Jonathan Jowett Thomas, the first of the Thomas line of chemists who traded in the town for many years and gave their name to the Weind.
Stoops Hall Weind is named after Stoops Hall, the building next to it which was built in 1882. The name ‘Stoops’ originates from a type of building, which rested on ‘stoops’ or posts’.
Many of the weinds have large archways which would have given access for horses and coaches to stables at the back of the High Street. Garstang was on the main coaching route between London and Scotland and was a place to stop and change horses, as well as allow passengers to get refreshments before the next part of their journey.
The bottom of Nickson’s Weind was the site of the old Cattle Auction, which was in use until 1923.