Crown Bridge/ Woodham's Bridge, Public Houses & GWR Reservoir

Historic Map

Crown bridge/ Woodham's bridge was a stone single arch access bridge, built between 1814-19 for the Canal Company.

This bridge was demolished sometime between 1885-99 when the adjacent railway bridge was widened.

Alongside the bridge were two pubs that faced onto the canal, the Locomotive Inn and Wholesome Barrel which was originally called the Crown Eating house, these buildings were owned by the canal company.

Further along the canal was an inlet to a Great Western Railway reservoir. GWR paid the canal company for water, which could only be taken between 12 o'clock each saturday and 12 o'clock the following monday.

Extracts from book called "Home Brewed" by David Backhouse

Wholesome Barrel
This was next door to, and to the north, of the Old Locomotive. It, too, was owned by the canal company. Samuel Harris, a dyer, was tenant in 1841 but quitted in June 1842 never having paid rent and leaving fittings in lieu. It was let to Rowdens from 1843 to 1848 at £12 per annum and then to Hitchcocks to May 1849 when it closed. It seems to have lain empty for a time and was let as a house in 1851. It was demolished some time after 1854.

Old Locomotive
This was the property of the Wilts and Berks Canal Company and was on the west bank of the North Wilts Canal (now a cycle track) just north of the railway bridge over the canal. A beerhouse. It opened before 1845 and may even have predated the GWR. At first it was known as the Crown Eating House and let to Rowdens of Highworth from 1845 at a rental of £14 per annum. In 1848 Rowdens were taken over by Hitchcock & Co. and the rent was reduced to £10 in 1850. In 1866 Thomas Hulbert took over the brewery and the Old Locomotive remained let to him until May 1888 when it was sold to the GWR, together with adjoining land, and demolished. Despite having been improved in 1872 the annual rental had fallen to £4.