Hope Street was once known as "rough town" because of the antics of the Quarry and Barrack Mill workers.

The greyhound pub also known as the "little dog" is the first house on the left when you come off Water Street. It had quite a reputation when it was at its heyday.

The Brass Fittings Factory on the right hand side of Hope Street should be an example to the HPBC planners on how to fit modern buildings into the countryside without making horrible eyesores. It was originally built as a warehouse for Isaac Jackson factory Part of it is occupied by Howardtown Brewery and also a Joiners workshop.

On the remaining part of Hope Street the right hand side used to be allotments and the 1895 photo shows the original houses before they were demolished. and rebuilt. Terraced cottages Nos 43,45 and 47 were the original houses.

The scout hut and land around it was given to the scouts by the Isaac Jackson foundation and came under threat from the planners and developers who wanted to build 4 house in the area. Fortunately common sense prevailed.