Newbury
Newbury has its origins following the Norman Conquest of AD 1066, a period of economic growth when new landlords sought to gain maximum advantage from the development of new market centres. The first mention of Newbury, then Neoburiae, comes from a land grant in 1079. Borough status was granted in 1189 and by 1204 there was a market, corn mill and fulling mill.
The focal point of the town of Newbury is a crossing point on the River Kennet. This crossing marks the junction of two roads from the south, which are likely to have been established early in the town's development. On the opposite side of the river a single road, Northbrook Street, leads northward, intersecting with the important road from London to Bristol to the north of the town.
Near the river at the north-west corner of Bartholomew Street is St Nicolas’ Church, founded in the Norman period, but rebuilt in the 16th century. Land south of the river lies on the gravel terrace, which would have been more favourable for settlement than the floodplain to the north. Newbury soon established itself as an important market town.
During the 16th century, Newbury was a prosperous woollen cloth producing town and the Winchcombe family, who included Jack of Newbury, was among the most prominent merchants. Another cloth producing family, the Dolmans, acquired Shaw Manor and built the present house, which was finished in 1581. However the dominance of the cloth industry was short lived and had declined by the beginning of the 17th century.
Newbury played an important part in the Civil War. In 1643 the First Battle of Newbury took place in the south-west of Newbury and in 1644 the Second Battle of Newbury was fought around Speen and Shaw, on the north side of the town.
To assist the poor, wealthy individuals established a number of almshouses in the town. Those at St Bartholomew’s Hospital had been built on the site of the medieval foundation by 1618. Pearce’s almshouses were established in 1671, Raymond's almshouses in 1676 and Coxedd and Hunt almshouses and Robinson’s and Child’s around 1700.
The economic position in the town began to improve from the late 17th century when Bath began to gain popularity as a health resort. Newbury lay midway between Bath and London, making it a regular overnight stop. A number of coaching inns, mostly in Speenhamland into which Newbury had expanded by 1700, opened to service this trade.
Newbury’s prosperity received a further boost in 1725 when work on the Kennet Navigation was completed, making the river navigable between Reading and Newbury. A basin and wharves were constructed on the east side of the town centre to handle bulky materials and food. The Kennet and Avon Canal was built between 1794 and 1810 to extend this link to Bath.
The railway reached Newbury in 1847 when a branch line from Reading to Hungerford was opened, linking the town to London. Newbury began to expand southwards and along the line of the railway. Despite the improved infrastructure and the growth of some local industries, Newbury remained predominantly a market town.
By 1900 house building and other development had continued slowly. Newbury racecourse was built in 1905 and was taken over for military purposes, including holding PoW’s, during the First and Second World Wars.
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Markets
Fri 24 May 2013
Sat 25 May 2013
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Thu 30 May 2013
Fri 31 May 2013
Sat 1 Jun 2013
Sun 2 Jun 2013
Thu 6 Jun 2013
Fri 7 Jun 2013
Sat 8 Jun 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Thu 13 Jun 2013
Fri 14 Jun 2013
Sat 15 Jun 2013
Sun 16 Jun 2013
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Thu 27 Jun 2013
Fri 28 Jun 2013
Sat 29 Jun 2013
Thu 4 Jul 2013
Fri 5 Jul 2013
Sat 6 Jul 2013
Sun 7 Jul 2013
Thu 11 Jul 2013
Fri 12 Jul 2013
Sat 13 Jul 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Thu 18 Jul 2013
Fri 19 Jul 2013
Sat 20 Jul 2013
Sun 21 Jul 2013
Thu 25 Jul 2013
Fri 26 Jul 2013
Sat 27 Jul 2013
Sun 28 Jul 2013
Thu 1 Aug 2013
Fri 2 Aug 2013
Sat 3 Aug 2013
Sun 4 Aug 2013
Thu 8 Aug 2013
Fri 9 Aug 2013
Sat 10 Aug 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Thu 15 Aug 2013
Fri 16 Aug 2013
Sat 17 Aug 2013
Sun 18 Aug 2013
Thu 22 Aug 2013
Fri 23 Aug 2013
Sat 24 Aug 2013
Sun 25 Aug 2013
Thu 29 Aug 2013
Fri 30 Aug 2013
Sat 31 Aug 2013
Sun 1 Sep 2013
Thu 5 Sep 2013
Fri 6 Sep 2013
Sat 7 Sep 2013
Thu 12 Sep 2013
Fri 13 Sep 2013
Sat 14 Sep 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Sun 15 Sep 2013
Thu 19 Sep 2013
Fri 20 Sep 2013
Sat 21 Sep 2013
Sun 22 Sep 2013
Thu 26 Sep 2013
Fri 27 Sep 2013
Sat 28 Sep 2013
Thu 3 Oct 2013
Fri 4 Oct 2013
Sat 5 Oct 2013
Sun 6 Oct 2013
Thu 10 Oct 2013
Fri 11 Oct 2013
Sat 12 Oct 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Thu 17 Oct 2013
Fri 18 Oct 2013
Sat 19 Oct 2013
Sun 20 Oct 2013
Thu 24 Oct 2013
Fri 25 Oct 2013
Sat 26 Oct 2013
Sun 27 Oct 2013
Thu 31 Oct 2013
Fri 1 Nov 2013
Sat 2 Nov 2013
Sun 3 Nov 2013
Thu 7 Nov 2013
Fri 8 Nov 2013
Sat 9 Nov 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
Thu 14 Nov 2013
Fri 15 Nov 2013
Sat 16 Nov 2013
Sun 17 Nov 2013
Thu 21 Nov 2013
Fri 22 Nov 2013
Sat 23 Nov 2013
Sun 24 Nov 2013
Thu 28 Nov 2013
Fri 29 Nov 2013
Sat 30 Nov 2013
Sun 1 Dec 2013
Thu 5 Dec 2013
Fri 6 Dec 2013
Sat 7 Dec 2013
Thu 12 Dec 2013
Fri 13 Dec 2013
Sat 14 Dec 2013
- Antiques, Vintage and Collectors Market at Newbury
- Community market at Hamstead Marshall
- Purley Farmers' Market at Purley on Thames
- Saturday market at Aldworth
- Weekly Charter Market at Newbury
