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About Newbury |
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| Newbury,
Berkshire, is 60 miles west of London in the heart of Southern England. Since the 1950s it has developed as an important commercial centre. Newbury has retained much of its market town character despite the development. This has needed careful planning - and constant watchfulness. Newbury's early importance was that it was midway on the road between London and Bristol and also on the road from Southampton to the north. Whilst Newbury used to have many inns to cater for the nineteenth century traffic, the twentieth century brought the car and lorry which now congest the town. The London to Penzance railway passes through Newbury and provides high speed services to London and the West Country. There used to be a railway from Didcot to Southampton which passed through the town. The line was started in 1879. The line to Didcot was opened in 1882 and the one to Southampton in 1885. It was never an economic success. It was expensive to build and went though difficult undulating country. It saw its most useful days during the second World War but became a victim of the Beeching cuts and finally closed in 1962, for the Didcot line, and 1964 for the Southampton one. The branch line to Lambourn was opened in 1898 and closed in 1960 although it survived as a line serving the Welford Park base until 1973. See "The Didcot Newbury and Southampton Railway" by Paul Karau, Mike Parsons and Kevin Robertson. The Kennet and Avon Canal also passes through Newbury -- please see our Waterways page for more information. |
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| Industry:
Since the 1800s heavy mechanical engineering, foundries and
marine engineering have made Newbury famous. Plenty & Son (est.
1790) who built the Newbury lifeboat continue to manufacture
pumps for the oil industry. The Newbury Diesel Co. is another
well-known firm.
The electronics and computer industries have built the fortunes of late 20th century Newbury. The largest employer is Vodafone who provide a nation-wide mobile telephone service. Quantel, a winner of many Queen's Awards for Export Achievements, makes video equipment for producing television effects and graphics. Micro Focus is another large employer providing business software. Bayer plc have their UK Headquarters in Newbury. Harwell and Aldermaston scientific establishments have also contributed significantly to the economy since the 1950s. |
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| Media:
Newbury has one of the few remaining truly local independent newspapers the "Newbury Weekly News" (Est. 1867) published every Thursday -- otherwise know as "pig and paper day". Other titles in the group include "The Advertiser" and "Out & About". Since 1995 the paper has had an Internet version.
Meridian TV had their studios in Newbury but now operate in Abingdon. BBC Thames Valley FM and Radio 210 FM also serve Newbury, as does BBC TV South. Kick FM based in Newbury broadcast 24/7 and provide Community radio on an occasional basis (e.g. during Newbury Spring Festival and Newbury Show). |
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| Racing: Newbury has a horse race course. The Lambourn Downs, a few miles to the north west, are one of the largest race horse training areas in the country and provide rural employment. See "The Story of Newbury Race Course" by Frank Osgood. | ||
| Churches:
Most denominations are represented. St Nicolas in Bartholomew Street is the principal Anglican Church. The Salvation Army Citadel is in Northcroft Lane off Northbrook Street. There is a modern United Reformed Church in Cromwell Place. This is adjacent to the former Congregation School Room. At the northern end of Northbrook Street is Newbury Methodist Church, a fine Victorian building with a prominent central pulpit. The Roman Catholic Church of St Joseph's is in London Road and the Baptist Church is in Cheap Street.
The church of St Mary's, Speenhamland, was declared redundant and demolished in the 1970s. Robert Willis, a chorister there at the time, has a tape recording of the last service held there on 3 October 1971. |
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Memorial rescued from St Mary's, Speenhamland, which is now in St Nicolas Church. |
St Nicolas Church Choir continued the
tradition of singing a hymn annually from the top of the tower on |
 Console of the organ in |
| Namesakes: | ||
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Newbury Massachusetts USA |
5 High Road |
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Newburyport Massachusetts USA |
Once a wealthy seaport on the Merrimack river with profits from shipbuilding, fishing and foreign commerce, Newburyport still maintains its stately old mansions and the historic Market Square shopping district. The town is only a few miles from beautiful local beaches and the New Hampshire border. |
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| Memorabilia | ||
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Two views of glass produced to commemorate the centenary of the Newbury Mineral Water Company. |
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Pictures kindly supplied by Alan Pottinger of Surrey, who wrote:
"Some years ago I inherited a glass drinking "tumbler" with the words "The Newbury Mineral Company 1860 - 1960" printed on the front and a picture of oranges and limes. Originally there were two, but one got dishwashered so the printing is virtually disappeared." |
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Click HERE for a map of Newbury Town Centre. |
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