Historian Martyn Taylor explores the origins of Chequer Square in Bury St Edmunds

On the Downing’s map of 1740 there are trees shown around Chequer Square, in Bury St Edmunds, but before then this area in medieval times was prone to flooding and known as Paddock Pool. This is because rainwater cascaded down Churchgate Street and collected at this very spot.

During times of heavy rainfall this would enter the Abbey’s West Front, hence why the nearby land subsequently was built up – the original level inside the Norman tower proves this.

For many years it was thought the exchequer of the abbey was also here, because on a 15th-century map of Bury it is shown as Escheker. This name derives from a chequerboard, used in counting and reckoning in days gone by. An exchequer was also responsible for collecting revenues such as rents or taxes and paying out monies. The officer of the abbey, or obedentiary responsible, was a thesaurarius. We would know him today as a treasurer.

However, as a place akin to a treasury, would the abbot have allowed it outside of the abbey’s walls, beyond his watchful eye?

Another idea touted is that there was a Chequers Inn here, possibly on the site of No 4 today. Again, theoretical.

What is definite is that No 3 was home to 15th-century merchant John Baret, a contemporary of Jankyn Smyth, premier medieval benefactor of Bury. Hidden behind its Woolpit/Suffolk white brick façade is a Grade II, 14th-century timber-framed property.

In recent years, in the course of refurbishment, medieval wall paintings were discovered here along with a 14th-century stone archway. John Baret inherited family wealth, which had been founded on the wool and cloth industry, and his wonderful chantry chapel ceiling above his Pardon tomb can be seen in St Mary’s Church.

The house adjacent to his was known as The Spinners House for many years as this is where some of his workers were employed. During World War Two both houses were used as a Forces Study Centre, operated by the British Army Educational Corps and highlighted in the delightful book Suffolk Summer by American serviceman John Appleby.

Nos 1 and 2 Chequer Square date from 1840. We know this because there was a row between the owners and Bury’s Paving Commissioners then as to how far the splendid wrought iron balconies were to protrude.

The much-moved Grade II obelisk, with the weather-worn borough coat of arms, a wolf with a head sitting above crowns and crossed arrows is stylistically similar to that on the Guildhall porch. It stands forlorn amidst parked cars. Its origins suggest it once stood in the Horse Market, today’s St Mary’s Square, and possibly used as a market cross and mile post, but this conflicts with a theory that it is from the 18th century.

At the northern side of the square, on the corner with Angel Hill, the ancient Six Bells coaching inn stood. The St Edmunds Masonic Lodge took the building over in 1890, before becoming apartments after 2014 when the Lodge moved up to Ashlar House, in Eastern Way.

Diagonally opposite Norman Tower House of 1846, with its Oriel window, adjacent to the Norman tower, was once the Savings Bank.