Great Bedwyn memories
Here are memories of Great Bedwyn and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Great Bedwyn or a Great Bedwyn photo.
The Vicarage Boys
My two brothers, my sister and I were evacuated from London to Great Bedwyn at the begining of the Second World War.We were billeted in the vicarage opposite St Mary's Church, the vicar's name was Mr Phillips. My sister Joan was later billeted with Mrs Downton who lived next door to Police Sergeant Stokes. I have so many happy memories of life in the village. I worked for Farmer Kerr at harvest time, leading a huge Shire horse and cart to collect the threshed stooks of corn to where they were building a rick. My brother Christopher and I had our portraits painted by Mrs West, I would love to know if it still exists. Sadly Christopher died in 2008.
My Gt. Bedwyn Family.
The Eastman Family lived in Gt. Bedwyn from 1735. My Grandad lived in Brook Street then later at Railway Terrace, until his death in 1934. My Grandad had died several years before I was born, but I have vivid memories of my Grandma Carrie; she died in 1951. She was a tiny woman about 5ft 2ins - I was taller than her when I was 10 years old. She had very long hair which she put up in a bun on the top of her head. She took it out to brush it at night and I remember it was not that grey even when she was 80. I think she used to say she put soda in the water. She wore long lace-up black boots when she was going out, her best dresses had long sleeves and were quite long with lace collars and bibs. She always wore a starched long white apron over her dresses when she was at home. Both my Grandparents are buried in the "new"... Read more
My Childhood Days
My memories of Great Bedwyn are spending my holidays with my gran and grandad William and Beatrice Alderman in Castle Rd and my uncle Dennis. My uncle and grandad were both signalmen at Great Bedwyn and I used to go down to take their tea. It was lovely to watch the steam trains go by. My gran took me on lovely walks up through the forest where we would sit and I would make daisy chains with my cousin Shirley. We would go to the man who made baskets and I can still remember my gran buying me a little basket with orange weaved around it. I also loved going to the bakers where there was the lovely smell of bread and cakes especially the lardys which they still make. When I got older I used to spend nearly all my weekends there. Sadly my gran and grandad and uncle are no longer alive but I still visit the church yard where they are buried along with my uncle Bill.... Read more
When I Was A Child.
My father was born in Great Bedwyn, his name Arthur Maurice Hatter. When I was young in 1952 we were invited to stay with a member of his family in 47 High Street, I remember they had a wonderful garden, layered with full flower beds, also they had a summer house in the garden, today it may be called a conservatory, that is where we stayed.
Almost opposite number 47 was a garage that looked like a wooden barn and we had our old Humber repaired there.
In Church Street on the right hand side was a stonemason and the names of some of his family was engraved above the entance to the shop, these were from family killed in the first world war. In St Mary's Church there are headstones with the family name, I would dearly like to know more as I know very little of my father's family only that he had a brother named Raynor [not sure of the spelling] and his father was a preacher... Read more
Memories of Wiltshire
Levers The Butchers
My memories of Wilton are very fond and still are as my grandparents owned Levers the Butchers in North Street. Finding this site was a real pleasure as I can remember some of the later photographs from when I was a child. I would be really pleased if you had any photographs or history of the Levers as my grandparents are now dead and so is my father and aunt. I often visit Wilton just for nostalgia!
If you are interested, I may have some photographs of the shop and North Street so please let me know if you are.
Ye Olde Gate House
This picture is of the Old Gate House, taken from the West Street side. The sign over the front door was "Ye Olde Gate House". It was a very old house and is shown on some of the old maps of Wilton. It had two addresses - The Gate House, West Street, Wilton, and No 1 St John's Square, Ditchampton.
My Grandparents, Arthur and Selina Loveless lived in the house from 1912, and my Mother Audrey Loveless was brought up there with her sisters. Mum often told me how West Street flooded when she was a child and people had to use small boats to go up the street.
The house had a living room, a parlour and a scullery downstairs, and a toilet outside joined onto the side of the house. Inside the toilet there was a cavity high up, at the top of the wall, which accessed a "secret room". My grandfather always told me Dick Turpin the highwayman hid there from the law officers,... Read more
Ugford
This is a little hamlet called Ugford, just beyond the edge of Wilton before you get to Barford on the A30. The cafe in the middle of the photo was a single storey building, as far as I remember, with a verandah - very low-key and modest, but okay for a cup of tea or a Coke. My friends Jennie and Julian and I walked up through Grovelly Woods one summer holiday afternoon, crossed the A30 to have a cold drink in the cafe at Ugford, and then walked through the fields up to Bulbridge. Not sure you can still do that, but I remember we got our feet wet - it was quite boggy, even in summertime!
Levers
I saw the memories of the lady whose grandparents owned Levers butchers. I remember my mum taken me there when I was tiny to get steak and kidney etc. My mum died in 1974 so it was a long time ago.
Melrose Cottage, 8 Shalbourne
In the 1950s and early 1960s my brother and I were fostered to a Miss Little and her sister at 8 Shalborne, there were several children living there and I have many fond memories of our stay. We used to sleep in a caravan in the meadow at the back of the house, water was drawn from the well in the garden, and most of our food was home grown, or "swapped" with other villagers. Mabel and Margeret were the most loving and kindest people you could wish for strict but fair... Mabel used to clean the church as well as do all the gardening, look after all the kids and care for her sister. I remember the lady next door was called Mrs. Moon I think. Many happy times were had running over the endless fields. The bus used to come once a week to take us shopping to Hungerford, a great day out with sweets as a reward, if we were good boys. One other boy I loved... Read more
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,169 memories of 5,731 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Wimbledon, Greater London
- Whitby, North Yorkshire
- Horne, Surrey
- Burnt Oak, Middlesex
- Stanhope, County Durham
- Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire
- Osterley, Greater London
- Redhill, Surrey
- Cefn Fforest, Gwent
- Worksop, Nottinghamshire
- Gawber, South Yorkshire
- Coalville, Leicestershire
- Edlington, South Yorkshire
- Barking, Essex
- Frimley Green, Surrey
- Crowborough, East Sussex
- Alton, Hampshire
- Penrhiwceiber, Mid Glamorgan
- Slough, Berkshire
- Farnham Common, Berkshire
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
