Local businessmen, led by Frank James, then saved the site to be what we see today. The name “Hughenden” comes from the Free family who are responsible for the beautiful buildings (104 to 107), fronting onto the High Street.

The Free family were originally from the Hughenden Valley in Hertfordshire, and had discovered methods of working sarsen stone and were attracted to Wiltshire. Sarsen stone is a very dense and hard rock which used to exist in profusion on the Marlborough Downs. Natural sarsens are visible now, at Lockeridge Dene and Piggledene where they were saved by the National Trust from destruction in 1907.  The Free family moved to Fyfield in the mid 1840’s and set up their business of stone for building and crushed stone for road making. Marlborough College Chapel and the stone wall surrounding the old Borough cemetery are built with “Free’s Stone”.

Thomas Free, the son of the stonemason, Edward, was born in Hughenden but had chosen the trade of cabinet maker and upholsterer rather than stonemason. Thomas set up his business in Fyfield with his brothers in 1893 and then moved to Marlborough as sole owner in 1908. The original business was at 106 and 107 High Street (now McFarlane Estate Agents and The Merriman Partnership ). Some years later 104 and 105 High Street were purchased (now Greggs and Crewe clothing).

In 1925, 104 & 105 High Street were rebuilt to copy the style of 106 and 107 High Street to give the beautiful properties we have today.  The window fronts of 104 and 105 have carved detail on them and between the properties are Free’s door with twelve carved panels which have Royal and Civic themes. One panel on the door has Masonic symbols and another has the legend of the cat who saved her kittens from the Great Fire of Marlborough of 1653.

Starting from the top, from left to right, the first panel, The Rose, represents England. The second panel, the Thistle, represents Scotland. The third panel, the Shamrock, represents Ireland.

On the second row, the fourth panel, the Portcullis, represents Parliament. The fifth panel, the Tudor Rose, represents Tudor historical connections with Jane Seymour from nearby Wolfhall, the third wife of King Henry VIII. It also represents their son Edward who became King Edward VI and founded Marlborough Grammar School on the site of St John’s Hospital in 1550. The Seymours were granted Savernake Forest from the Crown. The sixth panel, the Castle Tower, represents Marlborough Castle which once stood where Marlborough College is now.

On the third row, the seventh panel depicting the Eye, the Set-Square, and Dividers, are obvious Masonic symbols. The eighth panel depicting the mother cat rescuing her kitten, bears the date (28th April 1653) of the Fire of Marlborough. The cat in saving her family from fire displays the qualities of courage, loyalty, and love of family; qualities found in people of Marlborough. The ninth panel depicting the honey-bee represents the Hive of Industry and the benefits of hard work.

On the fourth row the tenth panel depicting a stone capital represents Industry. The eleventh panel depicting a globe represents Commerce. The twelfth panel depicting an artist’s palette, represents Art.

At the base of the door, below the four rows, King John is depicted in profile bearing a rather sullenly expression. This is the only place in Marlborough that King John can be seen. King John is of huge importance to Marlborough because he granted the town’s first charter in 1204. The Wednesday and Saturday Markets, that John’s Charter granted continue to this day.