What, Who and Where is Keast Mews?
The walkway which runs between Fore Street and the Culver Road car park has often been referred to by locals as the alleyway. It is a passage that goes through the shop frontage between The Cut Above and Dream Doors at the Fore Street end, and out into an open walkway at the Culver Road car park.
The buildings that flank the walkway were once owned by the Co-op. At one time they were part of the Co-op's business, such as a butcher shop. In more recent years the buildings were used as carpet stores with some retail use. However, the buildings were dilapidated and eventually became disused and an eye-sore. The walkway continued to be used as a handy short-cut between the car park and Fore Street, which was especially useful for getting your shopping to the car.
By 2006, the buildings and the walkway had changed hands and planning permission was granted for the conversion of the upper floors to domestic flats. The whole complex was refurbished, including the buildings fronting Fore Street. The project gave the alleyway a completely fresh look and a much brighter and therefore safer feel. Individual shop units now line the alleyway on each side.
The alleyway is now named, Keast Mews.
We believe that Keast is a person: Ferdinand Keast, or 'Nandie Keast', who, in 1849, was the Town Sergeant. At that time, although some might find this hard to believe, Saltash actually had jurisdiction over all of the Tamar and out as far as Plymouth Sound and Cattewater. His job was to collect duties from visiting vessels, similar to port duties. He would have acted similar to a Customs official, upholding the law with regard to immigration control.
Prior to this time in 1846, Nandie is recorded as a prison officer at Saltash Gaol.
There is a fine write-up on Nandie, by Sylvia Joyce.
The same site also tells us that the Culver Road car park and the site of Co-op was actually a terminus building and station for the turnpike road out of Saltash and further into Cornwall. In those good old days you would have crossed the Tamar by a ferry service that had operated officially for 400 years up until 1961, under a licence granted by Queen Elizabeth I. (The ferry had operated for centuries before this time, both officially and unofficially!) Once landed in Saltash, you would walk up what is now Lower Fore Street to board a stagecoach to travel further on. Saltash has a fascinating history that is well worth a read. Thanks to Sylvia.
How fitting it is then to have a new Mews of shops in this historically important location, named after an influential character, who presided over the waters as far as the eye could see from the heights of Saltash and Trematon in the early Victorian era.