Ayscough Shop

View of Ayscough Shop from Francis Street, 1933. The Ayscough Shop once housed the Forge and Wheel, a retail establishment, which sold decorative ironwork, pottery, and other items.

Christopher Ayscough, the namesake of the shop, tried operating a tavern on the site between 1768-1770. Other shopkeepers, including Catherine Rathell, Matthew Holt, and Jacob Bruce, briefly occupied the store and sold various goods to townspeople.

The structure survived from the eighteenth century, although it was hardly recognizable due to the enlargements and modifications made in the nineteenth century. Once restored to its eighteenth-century appearance, the building exhibited such features typical of a commercial establishment as a gable end entrance and large shop window.