Newbury Second World War Heritage Walking Trail Preview

1

West Berkshire Museum

West Berkshire Museum is housed in two of Newbury’s best loved historic buildings - the Grade I listed 17th century Cloth Hall and the Grade II* Granary or Corn Stores in Wharf Street. It is a modern, community museum working with, listening to and welcoming everyone who lives, works in or visits West Berkshire. From the West Berkshire Museum in Wharf Street head towards the bridgeover the canal.

2

Canal Bridge

The “American bridge” was built in 1940 to provide a second canal crossing. It was designed and built by British contractors but the plans allegedly certified for use by the Americans. The “American bridge” was replaced in 2001 with the current structure.Continue to cross the bridge into Victoria Park.

3

Victoria Park

Queen Victoria’s statueis at the top of the Park in a roughly north easterly direction. Originally, this area was called The Marsh but it was renamed Victoria Park because of the popularity of the Queen. Victoria’s statue was originally located in the Market Place in 1903 but ended up here in 1966. During the Second World War, anti-tank defences or “dragon’s teeth” were positioned along the current route of the A339. The Park contains a small, brick built air raid shelter for an adjacent nursery.Return to the canal, do not cross but instead turn right and take the towpath towards the town. Turn right at Northbrook Street and then turn left along Northcroft Lane (signed Northcroft Leisure Centre) for approximately half a mile. Turn left on the public footpath after the Cricket Club and before Northcroft Leisure Centre, then cross the River Kennet. A Type 22 pillboxcan be seen to the right of the Monkey Bridge before crossing the canal.

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Northcroft Pillbox

The pillboxes along the Kennet and Avon Canal were part of the GHQ Stop Line Blue; a planned anti-tank defence running from Wiltshire to Theale using waterways, ditches and concrete structures as obstacles to an enemy invasion. This is a Type 22 pillbox which would have been manned by the Home Guard.Continue crossing the canal and then turn left. Head towards the town, centre passing the 17th century Weavers Cottages and West Mills towards Bartholomew Street.

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Town War Memorial

The Newbury War Memorial is on your right as you reach Bartholomew Street. The War Memorial was unveiled in October 1922 to commemorate 338 local men and one woman who died in the First World War. After the Second World War, the record was updated with the names of 171 local men who died in this conflict. Like many other war memorials, this was recently nationally listed. St Nicolas Church was hit by an incendiary bomb in November 1940 but only suffered minimal damage.Cross the road, continue straight on and turn right into the Market Place.

6

The Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchangeis on your left. The Corn Exchange opened for trade in June 1862 and is now a Grade II listed building. On the 25th July 1944 the Glen Miller band played a concert at the Corn Exchange for the 101st Airborne and the people of Newbury and the venue was packed. The evening was so well attended that loudspeakers were set up in the Market Place for people waiting outside.Continue into Cheap Street.

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The Old Post Office

Continue into Cheap Street noting the old Post Office building on your left. In the entrance vestibule is a visible brass plaque in memory of seven Post Office workers who fell in the Second World War. No access at this time.Continue on Cheap Street until you reach the A339 dual carriageway and turn right. Cross the railway and turn right into Station Road.

8

Newbury Railway Station

Here, on the A339 side of the station building was the location of a public air raid shelter in Newbury, which is no longer in situ. At the other end of the Station platform during the war years, a signal box was situated on the other side of the tracks from where you are standing. It escaped the 1943 bombing with superficial damage but was removed at a later date.Continue past the station. The original signal Box was located beyond the western end of the platform.

9

Location of the original Newbury Senior Council School

This was the original location of the Newbury Senior Council School.The Newbury Senior Council School (opened March 10th 1909) was partially destroyed in the bombing of February 1943 when three pupils and two members of staff were tragically killed.Continue along Station Road. Turn left into Newtown Road and continue south past Fair Close Centre.

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Location of St Bartholomews Almshouses

The row of Almshouses was located behind the Fair Close Centre roughly where the flats are situated now. The Almshouses were totally destroyed during the 1943 bombing when seven people were killed.Continue until St John’s Church.

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St John the Evangelist Church

St John’s Church was totally rebuilt after the 1943 bombing. The original church was consecrated in 1860 but in 1943 the bombing caused total destruction with only the altar left standing. The church was rebuilt after the War and was consecrated in June 1957. It is one of Newbury’s modern listed buildings.Carefully cross St John’s Road and enter the Memorial Garden.

12

St John’s Memorial Garden

On February 10th 2013, the Mayor of Newbury unveiled this marble plaque to remember the victims of the bombing in 1943. The memorial is close to the spot where the first bomb landed.Additional Note:The Shaw cemetery at Shaw Hill contains the communal grave of 13 of the 15 victims of the 1943 bombing and other Newbury inhabitants who lost their lives during the Second World War.Continue south on Newtown Road until you reach the entrance to the Newtown Road Cemetery.

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Newtown Road Cemetery

The cemetery is open daily between 10 am and 3 pm (please check, not open Christmas Day).This was closed in 2000 but, in subsequent years, the Friends (www.fnrcnewbury.org.uk) have been restoring the cemetery and researching and documenting the memorials. The cemetery contains five war graves from the Second World War (and 14 from the First World War) according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.