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Cricklade, Wiltshire

Cricklade

Cricklade has an attractive High Street having several notable buildings, Listed for their historical quality. These include the Grade II* 23 High Street, Grade II number 71 and 17th century number 92 High Street, Red Lion Inn, The White Hart, and the Old Bear (not Listed but delightful Arts and Crafts style inn), Grade II Listed Danvers House at 109 High Street, Grade II* Church of St Mary, and the freestanding Jubilee Clock, which marked the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. It's an especially interesting High Street, as well as convenient for residents, as it is a veritable mix of flats and houses as well as shops, with the national decline in shop trade its a mix much needed in many towns. Cricklade is on the banks of the River Thames, it's the only Wiltshire town that is, however that description may conjure up an image that isn't real as it's little more than 9 miles from its source.

Excerpts From The Wiltshire Council Timeline Of Cricklade (scroll)

1016 - The Danish King Canute plunders Cricklade after rowing up the river Thames with 160 longships
1142 - A castle is built by William of Dover
C.1230 - Priory Hospital of St. John the Baptist founded as a guesthouse for poor wayfarers
1300s - Glove making established from this time
1415 - Prime concern of the Priory Hospital from this time is for the needs of poor and incapacitated priests
1550 - Following the dissolution of the monasteries the Priory Hospital's charitable work ceases and the building is sold
1642 - Sir Anthony Hungerford bequeaths land at Purton, the income from which to be used to buy overcoats for 14 of the most deserving poor
1680 - Port Mill no longer in use
C.1719-1725 - Jenner's free school is used as a poorhouse
1726-1835 - Former Jenner's free school used as a workhouse
C.1734 - Piped water supply for the town installed
1782 - An Act is passed in Parliament to prevent bribery and corruption in the town's election of MPs
1783 - There is a severe smallpox outbreak in the town
1821 - William Cobbett in his 'Rural Rides' describes the town as " that villainous hole" and a "rascally looking place" with "dwellings little better than pigbeds"
1842-1869 - 104 acres of land converted to allotments to benefit the poor of Cricklade and Chelworth
1861 - Drains connecting to house drains installed down both sides of High Street
1862 - new Town Hall built in the High Street
1863 - Clock installed in St. Mary's Church; Henry Smyth donates and later bequeaths monies in trust for blankets, sheets, bedding and warm clothing for poor parishioners
C.1900 - Sewage treatment plants built at the Forty and Hatchetts
1931 - Council refuse collections begin
1933 - New Town Hall built in High Street; former Town Hall becomes Ockwell's Glove Factory
1939-1945 - Former Baptist church used as a WVS canteen for the armed forces
1944 - temporary airfields constructed at Blakehill Farm and Down Ampney in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe
1945 - Allotment land, for which demand fell after World War I, sold
1953-1995 - Growth of the town with both public and private housing developments to the west

The Manor House, Calcutts Street, Cricklade, Grade II, late 19th century.

Former Ockwells Glove Factory, High Street, Cricklade. Grade II 1861.

Alkerton House, High Street, Cricklade. Grade II 18th century.

High Street, Cricklade

23 High Street, Cricklade. Grade II*, late 17th century.

Church of St Sampson, Church Lane, Cricklade, Grade I Listed, 10th to 19th century.

rear of Jenners School, Cricklade

White Hart Hotel, High Street, Cricklade

The OLd Bear, High Street, Cricklade

58/59, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 18th century, former home of the highwayman.

Plaque commemorating the life of George Bridges, milkman, who died doing his job.

The Thames at Cricklade, Wiltshire

The Old Manor House, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 18th century.

The Old Manor House, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 18th century.

Church of St Mary, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 12th century.

High Street, Cricklade

High Street, Cricklade

High Street, Cricklade

The Priory, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, early 19th century.

Old School, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II 1870.

68/9, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 18th century.

71, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II 17th century.

Red LIon, High Street, Cricklade, Grade II, 18th century.

High Street, Cricklade

High Street, Cricklade

High Street, Cricklade