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Bydemill Brook carries the water from a anumber of streams which rise along the spring line at an elevation of about 100 metres to the south of the village and a stream which rises at
Stanton Fitzwarren. It passes to the west of the village at Bydemill Farm before joining the river Thames.
Hannington, together with the parishes of Bishopstone, Blunsdon St Andrew, Castle Eaton, Chiseldon, Draycot Foliat, Highworth, Hinton Parva (Little Hinton), Inglesham, Liddington, Rodbourne Cheney, Stanton Fitzwarren, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon, Wanborough and Wroughton became part of the Highworth and Swindon Poor Law Union on November 23rd, 1835. South Marston joined the Union in 1894 (it was renamed the "Swindon & Highworth Poor Law Union" in 1895) and Haydon Wick joined in 1929.
Althoug improved and extended in 1835, the Union workhouse in Highworth which could house up to 80 inmates proved inadeqaute and a new workhouse was built in Stratton St Margaret in 1847.
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HANNINGTON, a village and a parish in Highworth district, Wilts. The village stands 2 miles W by N of Highworth, 2 S of the river Thames at the boundary with Gloucester, and 7 NE of Swindon Junction r. station; is a pretty place, built in the form of the letter Y; and has a post office under Swindon. The parish comprises 2, 412 acres. Real property, with Inglesham and Lynt, �6, 469. Pop., 378. Houses, 81. Hannington bridge leads over the Thames into Gloucestershire; and Hannington-Wick has a fine view. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Value, �131. Patrons, the Trustees of the late Col. Freke. The church is good, has a square tower, and contains monuments of the Frekes. There are a chapel of ease at Hannington-Wick, a free school, and charities �50.
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The Highworth Light Railway
Following abortive proposals in 1845 and 1864 to connect Highworth to the railway system, the Swindon & Highworth Light Railway Company was formed on June 21st, 1875 to construct a single-track line with passing places at three stations from a junction with the main line of the Great Western Railway, a mile east of Swindon Junction station to Highworth. The GWR would work and maintain the line for ten years from its completion in return for sixty per cent of the receipts.
After problems raising the necessary finance, work started on the line on March 6th, 1879, but, with problems at Stanton bridge draining time and money, the bridge was abandoned in favour of a level crossing and the line was completed in February 1881 at a cost of over £45,000 (the Act of Parliament creating the company authorised it to raise £28,000).
Serious problems in the construction of the line were found during an inspection by the Board of Trade on March 5th, 1881, and, not being able to raise any more capital, the company was sold to the GWR on June 7th, 1882. After a further £18,000 spent by the GWR on improvements, the line was passed as safe on April 30th, 1883, and carried its first passenger service on May 9th.
World War I
An ammonium nitrate works was built on the west side of the Highworth line, just to the north of Highworth Junction.
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The ammonium nitrate plant closed in 1919 but the site andf its sidings were used many industries over the years; a dairy occupied part of the site in the 1920s and, in the 1940s it became the War Department Number Four Supply Reserve Depot, and part of the site was used by the electronics and engineering company Plessey. Now, part of the site is occupied by Cooper Bros., scrap metal dealers.
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A siding was built near Stanton Great Wood in 1917 to move timber felled and sawn to aid the war effort. It was lifted after the war.
World War II
Swindon and the surrounding area were selected to shadow aircraft production in other parts of the country as war with Germany gre an ever-closer reality. A long siding was constructed in 1941 which left the branch at Kingsdown Road and gained its own signal box at "Kingsdown Road Junction". Officially named the "South Marston Siding", it became more commonly known as the "Vickers Branch"; it served the Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Factory in South Marston where the [[Miles Master]] and [[Stirling bomber]] were built, later to be replaced by [[Mark 21 Spitfires]] were built.
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The branch line trains had to cross both tracks of the London-Bristol GWR line and, with the heavy military traffic on the main line in the summer of 1944, trains could be delayed for as much as an hour causing crews to ignore the time-table and passengers to make other travel arrangements - few of the passengers returned.
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Traffic
Traffic on the line remained fairly constant and was never voluminous. The General Strike of may 1926 closed the line for ten days. Some local businesses sought other means of transport and never returned to the railway which, by the 1930s, also suffered rising competition from effcieint road transport, particularly the new buses.
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When it had been proposed, the Highworth line had been intended to bring trade to Highworth. In the event, it proved to attract trade the other way as workers commuted into Swindon, many working at the GWR Works, and passengers travelled there for shopping and entertainment.
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Decline and Closure
Passenger and freight traffic other than the workmen's trains (on which the workmen travelled for free) declined steadily although the southern section saw an increase in traffic. The advertised public passenger services were withdrawn in February 1953 with only small numbers of locals turning out on the evening of Saturday 28th to see off the last train to Swindon. The last workmen's train had run to Highworth on the rainy evening of Friday, 3rd August, 1962, and the line was closed above Kingsdown Road Junction three days later.
The southern stump Highworth Branch Line still serves as storage sidings near the BMW plant (formerly British Leyland, then Rover). The site of Stratton Station has disappeared as Swindon has grown towards the A419 under modern light industrial units and the surrounding 1930s housing estates.
. . . this is only a short account - for much more detail, see the The Highworth Branch site at www.highworth.freeuk.com.
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| | | TOWNS & VILLAGES | | Kingsdown
Swindon, Wiltshire, England | 4.9 km SE | | Penhill
Swindon, Wiltshire, England | 5.4 km SE | | Highworth
, Wiltshire, England | 2.5 km SW | | Groundwell
Old Town Museum and Art Gallery, Wiltshire, England | 5.5 km SE | | Upper Inglesham
Wiltshire, England | 4.3 km NW | | Castle Eaton
Wiltshire, England | 3.8 km NE | | | | | OTHER PLACES | | Cricklade Museum
Calcutt Street, Cricklade, Swindon, Wilts. SN6 6BB
The collection represents the towns social history from Roman to modern times, and includes a large number of maps, photographs, and archives. | 7.6 km NW | | Cricklade Museum
Calcutt Street, Cricklade, Swindon, Wilts. SN6 6BB
The collection represents the towns social history from Roman to modern times, and includes a large number of maps, photographs, and archives. | 7.6 km NW | | Old Town Museum and Art Gallery
Bath Road, Old Town, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4BA
Museum of local history; industry and art gallery. | 8.5 km SW | | Coate Stone Circle
Coate,
Swindon, Wiltshire, England | 10.8 km SE | | Coate Water
Country Park
Swindon, Wiltshire, England
Built
as a reservior to supply the Berks and Wilts Canal, Cote Water was inhabitted in
the Stone Age | 11.2 km S | | Lydiard
Park & House
Swindon, Wiltshire, England | 11.3 km SW | | | | | Guest House | | Hayward House
6 Swindon St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AH | | 2.7 km SW | | Appletree House
29 Kingsdown Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 7PE | | 4.9 km SE | | The Greyhound
177 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 9.3 km SE | | Kingsbridge House
Coate, Wiltshire SN3 6AA | | 10.5 km SW | | | | | Hotels | | Saracens Head Hotel
High St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AG | | 2.7 km SW | | Village Hotel & Leisure Club
Old Vicarage Lane, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4SH | | 5.5 km SW | | The Crown Inn
73 Ermin St, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4NL | | 6 km SE | | The Carpenters Arms
South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4ST | | 6.4 km SW | | Corus Hotel Swindon
Oxford Rd, Stratton St Margarets, Wiltshire SN3 4TL | | 6.7 km SW | | Spicy Aroma
144 Cricklade Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 8AG | | 7.4 km SE | | Swindon Balti
129 Cricklade Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1AD | | 7.4 km SE | | The Barrington Arms
25 High St, Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8AN | | 7.7 km SW | | Barrington Arms Hotel
25 High St, Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8AN | | 7.7 km SW | | Tubby`s At The Manor
Manor Garden Centre, Cheney Manor, Wiltshire SN2 2QF | | 7.8 km SE | | The Princess Hotel
45-47 Beatrice St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1BB | | 7.9 km SE | | Pullman`s Restaurant
North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1DY | | 8.1 km SE | | The Thistle Swindon Hotel
Fleming Way, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1TN | | 8.7 km SE | | Lalbagh Indian Cuisine
171 Rodbourne Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2AY | | 8.7 km SE | | Express By Holiday Inn Swindon
Fleet Square, Henry Street, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5BX | | 8.8 km SE | | Express By Holiday Inn
Henry St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5BX | | 8.8 km SE | | The Curry Place
198 Rodbourne Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2AA | | 9 km SE | | Fat Jackets
Great Western Designer Outlet Villa, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2DZ | | 9 km SE | | McDonald`s Restaurants Ltd
Great Western Designer Village, Kemble Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2DY | | 9 km SE | | The Mill House Pattern Store
Penzance Drive, Churchward, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2BA | | 9.1 km SE | | | | | Police Stations | | Highworth Police Station
Newburgh Place, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7DN | | 2.3 km SW | | Cricklade Police Station
High St, Cricklade, Wiltshire SN6 6DF | | 7.4 km NE | | Swindon Divisional Headquarters
Princes St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2HZ | | 8.8 km SE | | Wootton Bassett Police Station
Lime Kiln, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 7JJ | | 14.7 km SE | | Calne Police Station
Silver St, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0JF | | 28.8 km SE | | | | | Post Offices | | South Marston PO
Highworth Rd, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4SF | | 5.2 km SW | | Penhill PO
8 Braydon Court, Penhill Drive, Penhill, Wiltshire SN2 5DZ | | 5.5 km SE | | Stratton St Margaret Post Office
Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4YA | | 6.1 km SW | | Stratton St Margaret PO
Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4YA | | 6.1 km SW | | Clive Parade PO
12 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 6.2 km SE | | Oxford Road Sub-PO
96 Oxford Rd, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4HD | | 7 km SW | | Cricklade PO
High St, Cricklade, Wiltshire SN6 6BX | | 7.5 km NE | | Gorse Hill PO
90 Cricklade Rd, Gorse Hill, Wiltshire SN2 8AF | | 7.6 km SE | | Shrivenham PO
32 High St, Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8AA | | 7.7 km SW | | Covingham Square PO
2 Covingham Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 5AA | | 7.8 km SW | | Ferndale Road PO
248 Ferndale Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1HB | | 7.8 km SE | | Cheney Manor PO
84 Cheney Manor Rd, Cheney Manor, Wiltshire SN2 2NR | | 7.9 km SE | | G & L (Queens Drive PO)
2 Queens Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 1AW | | 8.5 km SE | | Queens Drive PO
G & L, 2 Queens Drive, Wiltshire SN3 1AW | | 8.5 km SE | | Walcot PO
Sussex Square, Walcot, Wiltshire SN3 3BJ | | 8.6 km SE | | Rodbourne Road PO
169-170 Rodbourne Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2AY | | 8.7 km SE | | Westcott Place PO
175 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 9.3 km SE | | Purton PO
5 High St, Purton, Wiltshire SN5 4AA | | 10 km SE | | West Swindon Centre PO
West Swindon Centre, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7DL | | 10.3 km SE | | | | | Public Houses |  | Goldfinger Tavern
Newburgh Place, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7DN | | 2.3 km SW | | The Rose and Crown
The Green, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7DB | | 2.6 km SW | | The Wine Cellar
10 High St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AG | | 2.7 km SW | | Heart in Hand
43 High St, Blunsdon, Wiltshire SN26 7AG | | 3.8 km SE | | Kingsdown Inn
Kingsdown Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 7PE | | 4.9 km SE |  | The Carriers Arms
Highworth Rd, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4SE | | 5.3 km SW |  | The Moonrakers
Cricklade Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 5AA
telephone: 01793 721017
| | 6 km SE | | The Wheatsheaf
33-36, Dores Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 7QT | | 6 km SE | | The Radnor Arms
32 Coleshill, Swindon, Wiltshire SN6 7PR | | 6.1 km NW | | The Old Spotted Cow
Marston Meysey, Wiltshire SN6 6LQ | | 6.1 km NE | | White Hart
Oxford Rd, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4JD | | 6.9 km SW | | Duke of Edinburgh
Cricklade Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1AE | | 7.1 km SE | | The Boundary House
1 The Street, Moredon, Wiltshire SN25 3ER | | 7.3 km SE | | The Red Lion Inn
74 High St, Cricklade, Wiltshire SN6 6DD | | 7.4 km NE | | The Swiss Chalet
Chapel St, Gorse Hill, Wiltshire SN2 8DA | | 7.4 km SE | | Victoria Tavern
Station Rd, Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8JL | | 8 km SW | | The Worthington Inn
10 Sherborne Place, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 3PE | | 8.2 km SW | | The Queens Tap
74 Station Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1DG | | 8.4 km SE | | Edwards Bar
Fleet Square, Fleet Street, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RQ | | 8.6 km SE | | The Flag
31 Bridge St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1BP | | 8.7 km SE | | The Mail Coach
59 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RA | | 8.8 km SE | | The Glue Pot Inn
5 Emlyn Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5BP | | 8.8 km SE | | The Malt and Hops
Drove Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AF | | 8.9 km SE | | The Bakers Arms
16 Emlyn Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5BN | | 9 km SE | | Rudi`S
21 Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1PN | | 9 km SE | | Foresters Arms
Common Platt, Purton, Wiltshire SN5 5JX | | 9.1 km SE | | Wayward Inns
73 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5NX | | 9.2 km SE | | Rolleston Arms
73 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5NX | | 9.2 km SE | | The Ship
179 Westcott Place, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5HT | | 9.4 km SE | | The Village Inn
Ramleaze Drive, Shaw, Wiltshire SN5 5PY | | 9.9 km SE | | Angel Hotel
High St, Purton, Wiltshire SN5 4AB | | 10 km SE | | The Harvester
West Swindon District Centre, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7DL | | 10.3 km SE | | | | | Restaurants |  | Sammy`S
17 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ
telephone: 01793 721032
| | 6.2 km SE | | Laila Barbecue Restaurant & Take Away
52 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2AG | | 8.2 km SE | | Canteen
175 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1TU | | 8.4 km SE | | The Octagon
4 New Bridge Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1EA | | 8.5 km SE | | Gianni Ristorante
16-17 Bridge St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1BU | | 8.7 km SE | | The Waterfall Chinese Restaurant
61 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RA | | 8.8 km SE | | Fletchers
62-64 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RA | | 8.8 km SE | | Monsoon Contemporary Indian Cuisine
13 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5AR | | 8.9 km SE | | The Appartment
16-18 Havelock Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1LE | | 8.9 km SE | | McDonald`s Restaurants Ltd
23-25 Canal Walk, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1LD | | 8.9 km SE | | Little Chef
Turnpike Roundabout, A419 (Groundwell Corner), Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2LU | | 9 km SE | | Burger King (UK) Ltd
49-51 Regent St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1JS | | 9 km SE | | Bombay Brassery
1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 9 km SE | | Khyber Restaurant
5-6 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 9 km SE | | The Victoria Palace
13 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 9 km SE | | New World
8 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 9 km SE | | Bombay Brasserie
1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 9 km SE | | Star Express Restaurant
2 Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1PN | | 9 km SE | | The Jewel in the Crown
16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AL | | 9.1 km SE | | Rafu`s Tandoori
188-189 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3DF | | 9.1 km SE | | Jewel in the Crown
16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AL | | 9.1 km SE | | Parasol
96-97 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5PL | | 9.1 km SE | | Karahi King Restaurant & Takeaway
38 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5NS | | 9.1 km SE | | Swanky`s Restaurant Brasserie
141 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 9.3 km SE | | Shanghai
171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 9.3 km SE | | Shanghai Restaurant
171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 9.3 km SE | | | | | Take Away Food | | KFC
13 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 6.2 km SE | | | | | Video Sales & Hire | | Top Pix Home Entertainment
11 High St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AG | | 2.7 km SW | | Blockbuster Entertainment
Unit B5 , North Swindon Retail Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN25 4BG | | 6 km SE | | Video Solent Ltd
7 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 6.2 km SE | | Videostop
347a Cheney Manor Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2PE | | 7.1 km SE | | Covingham Video Films Ltd
6 Covingham Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 5AA | | 7.8 km SW | | Video Shack
34 Ipswich St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1DB | | 7.9 km SE | | Apollo Home Entertainment
133-135 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2AF | | 8.3 km SE | | The Little Film Shop Ltd
116 Eastcott Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3JH | | 9.5 km SE | | Blockbuster Entertainment
Unit 13, West Swindon District Centre, Wiltshire SN5 7DL | | 10.3 km SE |
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