Widcombe, Bath

Widcombe
Widcombe Crescent
Widcombe  Widcombe shown within Somerset
Population	5,770 (2011.Ward)[1]
OS grid reference	ST754642
Unitary authority	Bath and North East Somerset
Ceremonial county	Somerset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BATH
Postcode district	BA2
Dialling code	01225
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Avon
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Bath
List of places UK England Somerset

Coordinates: 51°22′34″N 2°21′07″W / 51.376°N 2.352°W

Widcombe is a district of Bath, England, immediately south-east of the city centre, across the River Avon.

History

Widcombe was part of the hundred of Bath Forum.^[2][3]

In 1877 Halfpenny Bridge, a pedestrian toll bridge, across the River Avon from Bath Spa railway station to Widcombe collapsed with the loss of about 10 lives amongst a large crowd going to the Bath and West Agricultural show.^[4][5][6]

Architecture

Widcombe Manor House is a grade I listed manor house built in 1656. It is located on Church Street adjacent to St Thomas à Beckett Church.

Crowe Hall is a Georgian house. It is a Grade II listed building,^[7] and the gardens are on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.^[8] It was built around 1780 for Brigadier Crowe. It has had a succession of owners since who each adapted and renovated the building. A serious fire in 1926 destroyed a lot of the fabric of the building and further restoration was required.^[9] The house is surrounded by several hectares of sloping gardens, below Prior Park, which are terraced and include a rock garden and grotto.^[10]

Widcombe Crescent is a terrace of 14 Georgian houses built in 1808 by Thomas Baldwin, and designated a Grade I listed building.^[11]

Canal

Widcombe is where the Kennet and Avon Canal meets the River Avon. Bath Locks are a series of locks, just south of Pulteney Bridge, which climb through Widcombe. Alongside the bottom lock^[12] is a side pond and pumping station which pumps water up the locks to replace that used each time the lock is opened.^[13] The next stage of Bath Deep Lock is numbered 8/9 as two locks were combined when the canal was restored in May, 1976. A road bridge carrying the A36, constructed while the canal was in a state of disrepair passes over the original site of the lower lock.^[14] The new chamber has a depth of 19 ft 5ins, making it Britain's second deepest canal lock.^[15] Just above the 'deep lock' is an area of water enabling the lock to refill and above this is Wash House Lock (number 10),^[16] and soon after by Abbey View Lock (number 11), a grade II listed building^[17] by which there is another pumping station and in quick succession Pulteney Lock (12) and Bath top Lock (13).^[18] Above the top lock the canal passes through Sydney Gardens where it passes through two tunnels^[19][20] and under two cast iron footbridges dating from 1800. Cleveland tunnel is 173 feet long and runs under Cleveland House, the former headquarters of the Kennet and Avon Canal Company. A trap-door in the tunnel roof was employed to exchange paperwork between clerks above and bargees below.^[21] This is now a grade II* listed building.^[22] Many of the bridges over the canal are also listed buildings.^{[23][24][25][25][26][27][28]}

Southcot

Southcot Burial Ground is a small former cemetery, now owned by the Bath Preservation Trust, who manage it for its wildlife and heritage.^[29]

Geography

References

1. "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 7 April 2015.
2. Reverend John Collinson (1791). The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset 1. p. 97. ISBN 978-1-171-40217-6.
3. "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
4. Sly, Nicola (2010). A grim almanac of Somerset. Stroud: History Press. pp. 85–86. ISBN 9780752458144.
5. "Kennet and Avon canal's history made into audio story". BBC. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
6. Nanette South Clark (17 May 2010). "The Fall of the Widcombe Bridge over the Avon -- June 6, 1877". An Engineer's Aspect. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
7. "Crowe Hall". National Heritage List for England. English Heritage. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
8. "Crowe Hall". National Heritage List for England. English Heritage. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
9. Edwards, Adam (12 March 2010). "Property in Somerset: Crowe Hall for sale". Telegraph. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
10. "Grotto below south terrace at Crowe Hall". National Heritage List for England. English Heritage. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
11. "Number 1 to 14". Images of England. English Heritage. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
12. "Bath Bottom Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
13. "former engine house". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
14. "Second Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
15. "Deepest Canal Locks in England". Pennine Waterways. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
16. "Wash House Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
17. "Abbey View Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
18. "Top Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
19. "Tunnel under Beckford Road". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
20. "Tunnel under Cleveland House and Sydney Road". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
21. Pearson, Michael (2003). Kennet & Avon Middle Thames:Pearson's Canal Companion. Rugby: Central Waterways Supplies. ISBN 0-907864-97-X.
22. "Cleveland House". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
23. "Footbridge Adjoining Top Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
24. "Footbridge adjoining Wash House Lock". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
25. "Footbridge over Canal". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
26. "Canal Bridge". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
27. "Bridge over Canal". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
28. "Canal Bridge (Pulteney Gardens)". Images of England. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
29. Bath Preservation Trust Heritage open day at Southcot Burial Ground]