An ancient narrow alley wound its way mysteriously from French Gate until - at last - it unfolded itself before the great west front of the parish church. An antiquated house with a frontage to French Gate abutted the alley on its southern side. For many years the house was known by the sign of the Barrel; in its later years it was the Old Barrel Cafe, until it was swept away at the hands of the post war • improvers•.

It was in this house that Doncaster's most famous architect spent his childhood days. John Bentley was born nearly 150 years ago, on January 30, 1839, the son of Charles Bentley and his wife, Ann, who was a daughter of John Backus of the King's Arms, St. Sepulchre Gate. John was one of 17 children, ten of whom survived infancy. Charles Bentley started his business life in a solicitor's office, in 1831 he was a sheriff's officer, and later took the old established wine, spirits and porter vaults in French Gate.