Newbury Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Berkshire, and around 17 miles west, and slightly south, of Reading is the town of Newbury.'

The first recorded reference to Newbury dates back to 1079. It was founded by the Normans as a new borough, hence the name ('borough' being derived from fortified settlement), although an earlier Saxon settlement called Ulvritone preceded it.

Since the 11th century a market has existed in Newbury. It benefitted from its geographic location at the ford over the River Kennet, where neighbouring roads converge. From the 15th to the 17th century it became renowned for its cloth trade. One notable clothier was John Winchcombe, also known as Jack of Newbury. He was a friend of Henry VIII, and helped rebuild St Nicolas Church (seen just before the 10-minute mark). The church seen today is early 16th century, with alterations from the mid 19th century.

During the English Civil War the town became the subject of two battles. In 1643 the First Battle of Newbury took place at Wash Common, just south of the town centre. The Earl of Essex, who led the Parliamentarian force at the time, was returning to London after relieving the Siege of Gloucester and found his way barred by the Royalist army. Essex won after the King's army ran out of gunpowder. The Second Battle of Newbury took place in 1644 in Speen, just northwest of the town centre. The battle itself ended in a stalemate. Nearby Donnington Castle was subject to a siege, but it held for around 18 months before being surrendered to the Parliamentarians who later demolished it, leaving it in ruin to this day, albeit with a surviving gatehouse.

From the early 18th century up until the arrival of the railways, Newbury had a thriving industry as a coaching stop for stagecoaches travelling between London and Bath. In 1723 the Kennet Navigation provided access to the River Thames at Reading. This was a process predating the canals where existing rivers were widened to accommodate cargo boats. The Kennet and Avon Canal came later, in 1794. An Act of Parliament from this year granted the work which connected the River Kennet to the River Avon, giving Newbury a link to Bath and Bristol among other places. The work was complete by 1810, and was mainly used for the transportation of corn.

In 1847 the railway arrived in Newbury. Initially it was part of the Berks and Hants Railway that ran between Reading and Hungerford. Today the station is situated on the Reading-Taunton Line, which is a large branch of the Great Western Main Line which diverges at Reading. Services to Reading take around 20-30 minutes depending on stops.

In 1872 the last instance of a use of the stocks in the UK was recorded in Newbury. These were a form of public humiliation where the victim's feet were restrained (not to be confused with the pillory which restrained the head and hands) and was subjected to various forms of taunting from the general public. In this case, the victim was Mark Tuck, who was sentenced to four hours for drunkenness.

In 1905 Newbury Racecourse opened. During the First World War it was repurposed temporarily as a prisoner-of-war camp, and also used for tank testing and munitions inspections. Today it is a popular venue during both the flat season and National Hunt (i.e. jump) season.

Famous people from Newbury include Michael Bond, author of the Paddington Bear series, and Richard Adams, author of Watership Down among other works.

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Filmed: 3rd September 2022

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/je6GqPjBnCi8S8FZA

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Cheap Street
2:54 Market Place
4:55 Mansion House Street
5:20 Bartholomew Street
5:30 St Nicolas Church
5:48 Bartholomew Street
9:50 St Nicolas Church
9:58 Bartholomew Street
10:25 Bridge Street
10:49 Newbury Bridge / River Kennet
11:55 Northbrook Street
16:32 The Broadway
16:57 Newbury Clock Tower
17:21 The Broadway
17:32 Oxford Street
19:32 London Road
23:42 St Joseph's Catholic Church