{"id":2467,"date":"2020-04-27T19:45:13","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T19:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/?p=2467"},"modified":"2020-04-27T19:45:39","modified_gmt":"2020-04-27T19:45:39","slug":"bradford-on-avon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/bradford-on-avon\/","title":{"rendered":"Bradford-on-Avon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"377\" data-attachment-id=\"2480\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/bradford-on-avon\/dsc02947\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?fit=1024%2C483\" data-orig-size=\"1024,483\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;DSC-HX5V&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1315471763&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4.25&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DSC02947\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?fit=300%2C142\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?fit=800%2C377\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?resize=800%2C377\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02947.jpg?resize=300%2C142 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Town Bridge over the River Avon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The town of Bradford-on-Avon is a little jewel box of a town that will delight you on your trip of the Kennet &amp; Avon Canal and depending on your direction of travel, it\u2019s either a reminder or a foretaste of Bath. Like Bath, Bradford-on-Avon has oodles of Georgian buildings faced with honey-colored limestone, but the town, unlike the city, has a much more relaxed feel with far less traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Bradford-on-Avon is also known as Bradford on Avon and Bradford-upon-Avon, but shouldn\u2019t be confused with Bradford in West Yorkshire. I believe Bradford-on-Avon is the preferred name because the town seems to be promoting a BOA branding.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1FQ1pEAeE_FMT0l15ArLFzZEOK8NdwE3y\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>It helps that the canal skirts the southern end of the town so that you\u2019ll have to walk to see the sights, slowly introducing you to its charms. You\u2019ll probably moor near Bradford Wharf  (and lock 14) and then walk north on Frome Road\/B3109. You\u2019ll pass by football (soccer) and cricket pitches and also the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bradfordonavon.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bradford on Avon Tourist Information Centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frome Road becomes St. Margaret\u2019s Street and crosses the River Avon over <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bradfordonavonmuseum.co.uk\/archives\/2453\" target=\"_blank\">Town Bridge<\/a>, first mentioned in the 14th century, although most of what you see today was built in the 18th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast to the Pulteney Weir in Bath, the Avon in Bradford is slow and pastoral, dotted with tiny reed islands visible from the bridge, especially on the west side. The bridge is very distinctive thanks to the small building close to the southern bank of the river. It was used a tiny jail in the 17th century and may also have been a chapel previously. Look for the Bradford Gudgeon, a fish-shaped wind vane atop the lockup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-attachment-id=\"2481\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/bradford-on-avon\/dsc02911\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?fit=1024%2C768\" data-orig-size=\"1024,768\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;DSC-HX5V&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1315467097&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;8.08&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DSC02911\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?fit=300%2C225\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?fit=800%2C600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?resize=800%2C600\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>The Bridge Tea Rooms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Near town bridge you\u2019ll also find the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebridgetearooms.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">Bridge Tea Rooms<\/a>, a delightfully wonky establishment that looks as if it belongs in Harry Potter\u2019s Diagon Alley. It\u2019s Victorian themed but the building is dated to 1675 and is gloriously moss and lichen colored and the walls bulge out into the street as if the building is holding its breath. It\u2019s delightful and over the top twee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Just on the northern bank of the river, you\u2019ll find a Co-op Food grocery store. It\u2019s about a 0.4 mile\/700 m walk from the wharf to the bridge, so you will have a little bit of exercise if you\u2019re walking from the canal to get groceries. (There\u2019s also a Sainsbury\u2019s south of the wharf where the canal turns east.) You will, however, find <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ttcycles.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">TT Cycles<\/a> very close to the wharf where you can a hire a bike for four hours or the day. It\u2019s a convenient way to explore the town, especially if you opt for the electric bike.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Once on the northern side of the river, you\u2019ll also find much of the town shopping on Market Street and especially along <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bradfordonavon.co.uk\/explore\/the-shambles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Shambles<\/a>, a pedestrian street that connects Market and Silver streets. Look for the former post office with its engraved Edward VIII dedication; one of the few public buildings built during his short reign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you turn right or south east after crossing the river on the B3107 (St. Margaret\u2019s Street becomes Silver Street and then Woolley Street but it\u2019s also  the B3107), you can visit <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/moultontrust.org\/visit\" target=\"_blank\">The Hall<\/a>, which is an estate owned by the Alex Moulton Charitable Trust. The Moulton family in Bradford-on-Avon dates back to the nineteenth century and Stephen Moulton, who began production of vulcanized rubber in Britain. Moulton bought unused woolen mills, which had been the principle industry of the town, to produce rubber used primarily by the railways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Hall isn\u2019t generally open to visitors, but the trust does offer walking tours of the estate and of the town. You\u2019ll also hear stories about <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.moultonbicycles.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">Moulton Bicycles<\/a>, started by Alex Moulton, great-grandson of Stephen, and the original automobile known as the Morris Mini. Alex Moulton used the family\u2019s engineering knowledge to produce the small-wheeled Moulton bicycle, still made in Bradford-on-Avon, and also provided the suspension for the Mini.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you decide to forgo the walk to The Hall, you can instead follow Church Street from The Shambles to the southwest. You\u2019ll pass by St. Thomas More\u2019s Catholic Church, McKeever Bridge (one of the three bridges crossing the Avon if you don\u2019t count the railway bridges), Holy Trinity Church and St. Laurence Church. The latter is a rare <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.htboa.org\/saxonchurch.html\" target=\"_blank\">Saxon-era church<\/a> that hasn\u2019t been substantially altered, and may date from the 700s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From here Church Street connects to Barton Orchard via a footpath and you can follow Barton Orchard to a footbridge over the Avon. This bridge crosses a little island on which you\u2019ll find one of the World War II fortifications meant to stop a German invasion. More about this in another post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"2482\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/bradford-on-avon\/dsc02864\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?fit=768%2C1024\" data-orig-size=\"768,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DSC02864\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?fit=225%2C300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?fit=768%2C1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?resize=768%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?w=768 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02864.jpg?resize=225%2C300 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption>The cavernouse interior of the Tithe Barn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Back on the east bank of the Avon, you\u2019ll come to the medieval <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.english-heritage.org.uk\/visit\/places\/bradford-on-avon-tithe-barn\/history\/\" target=\"_blank\">Tithe Barn<\/a>, which was part of Barton Grange Farm. Tithe barns stored the tenth of a  farmer\u2019s rent produce, usually grain, offered to the local church. Barton Grange Farm was actually owned by the monks of Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset. You\u2019ll find many remnants of the grange buildings scattered about the town and maintained by the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bradfordheritage.co.uk\/barns.php\" target=\"_blank\">Bradford on Avon Preservation Trust<\/a> or English Heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cruck-framed (meaning timbers made of naturally curved trunks and branches) roof of the tithe barn is very impressive and well worth a visit, although frankly it requires only a few minutes of oohing and ah-ing to take it in. There are, however, other attractions incluing The Granary gift shop and adjacent The Coffee Barn, and the Tithebarn Workshops and adjacent All Things Nice tearoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be surprised, while walking around the tithe barn, to discover that you\u2019ve returned to the canal. It\u2019s pretty easy to ignore the tithe barn while floating by on a narrowboat because the barn sits so far below the canal, but it\u2019s a short walk back to the wharf to complete your tour of Bradford-on-Avon. If you\u2019re lucky, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bradfordonavon.co.uk\/events\/event\/floating-fayre\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Floating Fayre<\/a> will be operating during the summer months, and you\u2019ll be able to buy produce or crafts from moored narrowboats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The town of Bradford-on-Avon is a little jewel box of a town that will delight you on your trip of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"A tour of Bradford-on-Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC02911.jpg?fit=1024%2C768","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p74kO9-DN","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2467"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2484,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2467\/revisions\/2484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}