A SHOP will pop-up for Christmas in Ledbury town centre, in one of the market town's oldest and most unusual buildings, the so-called 'House on Stilts' at Top Cross, which has been empty for a while.

The building dates back to at least the early part of the seventeenth century and gets its name from the wooden pillars which support it, on the New Street side.

Top Cross is actually the junction of the High Street, New Street, The Southend, and Worcester Road.

Its ground floor may once have been used as a market area, and there is some evidence, following a recent restoration, that it may have been a cobbler's shop or even factory at the time of the English Civil War.

The locally- based artisanal ice cream maker “Just Rachel” will open a “pop up shop” at the location for the five Saturdays before Christmas, and in 2018 it will become Just Rachel's ice cream parlour.

A spokesman said: "The pop-up shop this Christmas will feature thirteen local traders selling products made in the surrounding area, and covering a wide variety of items ranging from jams to oils to clothes to art, plus of course Just Rachel’s own award winning ice cream.

"In addition for every 500ml ice cream tub sold Just Rachel will be donating 50p to local primary schools. Customers will be able to choose when purchasing which of the participating schools they would like their 50p donated to."

The pop-up shop will open on November 25, from 12.30pm to 6.30pm to coincide with the switching on of the Christmas Lights, and then for the next four Saturdays from 9.30am to 2pm.

Just Rachel have been making luxury dairy ice cream for 30 years in their dairy at Bromsberrow near Ledbury to traditional Victorian recipes, from local ingredients wherever possible, "and with absolutely no additives".

The business has won numerous Great Taste awards in recent years.