Image credit: Britain from Above (1938)
Centre slightly up & left is the junction of the W&B and North Wilts canals, to the right Queensfield/ Wellington Street bridge and Whale bridge
Centre slightly up & left is the junction of the W&B and North Wilts canals, to the right Queensfield/ Wellington Street bridge and Whale bridge
Image credit: Britain from Above (1938)
Bullens bridge, Canal bridge/ Sheppards street underpass, Wholesome Barrel, Old Locomotive Inn
Bullens bridge, Canal bridge/ Sheppards street underpass, Wholesome Barrel, Old Locomotive Inn
Image credit: Britain from Above (1938)
Middle right, junction W&B and North Wilts canals and more
Middle right, junction W&B and North Wilts canals and more
Image credit: Britain from Above (1938)
Whale bridge, Work street bridge, Swindon Wharf, Drove road bridge
Whale bridge, Work street bridge, Swindon Wharf, Drove road bridge
60
20. Acorn Bridge (fm), S Marston SU 208874
Visited:- 13.5.61
Access:- A 420
Photograph Nos:-
Observations:- (by communication) present group of buildings date from 1877; no canal purpose. Saw some WBCC boundary stones preserved in garden. Canal line visible, but width reduced by infill for houses etc.. There was a stone edged wharf, now covered, and pub kept by Rix(?) who had cows, and transported milk by boat. Some reference to legal transactions with land when canal was abandoned: all original buildings pulled down с1877(?).
60 20. Acorn Bridge (fm), S Marston SU 208874 Visited:- 13.5.61 Access:- A 420 Photograph Nos:- Observations:- (by communication) present group of buildings date from 1877; no canal purpose. Saw some WBCC boundary stones preserved in garden. Canal line visible, but width reduced by infill for houses etc.. There was a stone edged wharf, now covered, and pub kept by Rix(?) who had cows, and transported milk by boat. Some reference to legal transactions with land when canal was abandoned: all original buildings pulled down с1877(?).
Swindon Wharf, SU159849
Visited: 19.6.60; 3.6.61.
Access: A420.
Photograph Nos: -
Observations: line W. from (4) ends abruptly in filling for ‘roundabout’ foundation. Wharf bldgs. &c, demolished some time ago, and Boro’ Fire Stn. erected on the site. Line W. surfaced FP on TP side. Wharf building dem. about 1956. There was large ho. “Fairholme” beside Whf, (?Wharfinger’s), dem. 1936 for Steel’s Garage site. Whf. abt. 200’ long, and cocoa factory nearby – 1/2560 O.S. Sht XV. 4 of 1886. (letter from Boro. Eng. 27.6.61).
Swindon Wharf, SU159849 Visited: 19.6.60; 3.6.61. Access: A420. Photograph Nos: - Observations: line W. from (4) ends abruptly in filling for ‘roundabout’ foundation. Wharf bldgs. &c, demolished some time ago, and Boro’ Fire Stn. erected on the site. Line W. surfaced FP on TP side. Wharf building dem. about 1956. There was large ho. “Fairholme” beside Whf, (?Wharfinger’s), dem. 1936 for Steel’s Garage site. Whf. abt. 200’ long, and cocoa factory nearby – 1/2560 O.S. Sht XV. 4 of 1886. (letter from Boro. Eng. 27.6.61).
73
From Wharf, line is well-defined space between walled buildings; abt. 50’ wide w. made-up T.P. as right-of-way: to
6. York Rd. Bridge [P. 240, 373, 374].* line narrows to pass beneath; a simple plate girder + underdeck, on wing walls and abutments of ‘railway’ brick, w. steps from TP 2 sides to road levels. (3.6.61) Demolition in progress. Steelwork gone & abutment walls being broken down. Rubble foundation centre of approach embanking thus visible. (see p.72).
Line from here abt. 30 yd. rubbish, then becomes:
7. Fleming Way [P 290; 375] *. A metalled road w. pavements & lighting (Garrard factory), abt. 500 yd. long; entered by road from either Newcastle St. or end of Medgbury Rd.; W. end terminates (3.6.61) in line of posts, barring traffic; where line again becomes rough grassed space,
73 From Wharf, line is well-defined space between walled buildings; abt. 50’ wide w. made-up T.P. as right-of-way: to 6. York Rd. Bridge [P. 240, 373, 374].* line narrows to pass beneath; a simple plate girder + underdeck, on wing walls and abutments of ‘railway’ brick, w. steps from TP 2 sides to road levels. (3.6.61) Demolition in progress. Steelwork gone & abutment walls being broken down. Rubble foundation centre of approach embanking thus visible. (see p.72). Line from here abt. 30 yd. rubbish, then becomes: 7. Fleming Way [P 290; 375] *. A metalled road w. pavements & lighting (Garrard factory), abt. 500 yd. long; entered by road from either Newcastle St. or end of Medgbury Rd.; W. end terminates (3.6.61) in line of posts, barring traffic; where line again becomes rough grassed space,
78
18a. Occupation Crossing, SU133827.
18. Wroughton Wharf, SU129823
Visited (18a) 30.8.62. (18) 14.9.59
Access from lane to W. Leaze.
Photograph Nos. 229: 516. Observations: FP as per map no longer exists, line E of crossing fairly open: some growth to W, but line tending to merge into field. Crossing was originally Brick Br., but blown up by R.E. during war (for practice). Crossing now filled solid, but still a distinct rise.
(18) Wharf Ho. was farm, and O. buildings mod. & converted to fm. uses, line quite distinct w. open space where goods loaded. House not v. typical, & suspect re-building. [18a poss. now obliterated by M4].
78 18a. Occupation Crossing, SU133827. 18. Wroughton Wharf, SU129823 Visited (18a) 30.8.62. (18) 14.9.59 Access from lane to W. Leaze. Photograph Nos. 229: 516. Observations: FP as per map no longer exists, line E of crossing fairly open: some growth to W, but line tending to merge into field. Crossing was originally Brick Br., but blown up by R.E. during war (for practice). Crossing now filled solid, but still a distinct rise. (18) Wharf Ho. was farm, and O. buildings mod. & converted to fm. uses, line quite distinct w. open space where goods loaded. House not v. typical, & suspect re-building. [18a poss. now obliterated by M4].
85
6. Buildings. No buildings known to have had direct connection w. canal remain in Swindon. There are various contemporary style (early 19th Cent) cottages & houses along the canal line in the town, but these are unlikely to remain for long. Wharf Houses at Wroughton & Hay Lane (the latter a v.g. example of the early 19th Cent). Lock cottage at Chaddington.
7. Remarks. (none).
85 6. Buildings. No buildings known to have had direct connection w. canal remain in Swindon. There are various contemporary style (early 19th Cent) cottages & houses along the canal line in the town, but these are unlikely to remain for long. Wharf Houses at Wroughton & Hay Lane (the latter a v.g. example of the early 19th Cent). Lock cottage at Chaddington. 7. Remarks. (none).
105
Rd; at latter point a distinct hump probably representing site of old Br.; Line seems to disappear under site of largest gasholder (there was a lock here), w. no trace whatever of locks/cottages which once existed in vicinity. At some point further S (before reaching Rly) line merges into the “Cycle Track” – a made-up paved path running between boundary walls of Rly Works - & continues to Station Rd (S/don), Crossing Stn. Rd., line site is occupied by a fenced-in builder’s storage yard (J Webb), with FP alongside, for abt. 150 yd, then crosses Fleet St. and via Car Park Entrance to Junction (now Car Park site). [* (27.8.62: Rems. of M/don top lock found, inside P.Sta. gate to S; Bot. Lk. Site just inside gates (see Sk.Map page 108)
site of bottom lock just inside gates at A. Small hedged enclosure at B may have been lock cottage site. No trace to be seen. Top lock is filled w. earth, &c, and a hard track runs on S line; but parapet of E wall just left visible & some masonry]
105 Rd; at latter point a distinct hump probably representing site of old Br.; Line seems to disappear under site of largest gasholder (there was a lock here), w. no trace whatever of locks/cottages which once existed in vicinity. At some point further S (before reaching Rly) line merges into the “Cycle Track” – a made-up paved path running between boundary walls of Rly Works - & continues to Station Rd (S/don), Crossing Stn. Rd., line site is occupied by a fenced-in builder’s storage yard (J Webb), with FP alongside, for abt. 150 yd, then crosses Fleet St. and via Car Park Entrance to Junction (now Car Park site). [* (27.8.62: Rems. of M/don top lock found, inside P.Sta. gate to S; Bot. Lk. Site just inside gates (see Sk.Map page 108) site of bottom lock just inside gates at A. Small hedged enclosure at B may have been lock cottage site. No trace to be seen. Top lock is filled w. earth, &c, and a hard track runs on S line; but parapet of E wall just left visible & some masonry]
Image credit: Local Studies, Swindon Central Library. c1913, Regent Street Bridge
Image credit: Local Studies, Swindon Central Library. c1913, Standing on John St bridge looking north west
Image credit: Local Studies, Swindon Central Library. Cetus Buildings, Medgbury Road just before the building was demolished in 1962
Image credit: Local Studies, Swindon Central Library
Note the Golden Lion statue on ground level
