The Widcombe Association

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Widcombe News and Photos Welcome!

We always welcome contributions of news and photos of Widcombe - You can find the editor's postal address under the 'contact' link above, or Email bj.doyle@btinternet.com

 

The Holloway Horse Trough

 

Last summer, on a walk learning about how the Holloway used to be, some of us were inspired by the poem that used to hang above the horsetrough – some members of the group had learnt it on their way to school and could still recite it. We thought that a new generation of children would also appreciate it.

The horsetrough, which is almost opposite the Magdalen Chapel, was in a sorry state, but that has now been rectified under the supervision of Miles Barnes from B&NES Property Services. The Paradise House Hotel has offered to look after future planting in the trough, and the Widcombe Association is looking to raise funds to replace the poem, and also for an additional sign to explain who wrote it, and when and why it was first erected.

Local historians, archivists and librarians have been helping to fill in the details. We know that there was a poem above our trough in 1895, originally displayed in consequence of a horse having been given a cruel blow. We do not know whether this was ‘our' poem, but the Evening Chronicle 20/3/91 featured two sisters who knew it in the 1920s. The sign was lost in Bath's blitz, was later reinstated, there is a 1965 photo in the Bath in Time collection. It was subsequently lost again.

Thanks to the American Museum we have learnt that the poem was written by Robert White, probably in the 1840s. He was an outer order Shaker attached to both Hancock and Mt. Lebanon. He posted the poem in his own barn and requested the Shakers do the same in theirs. In 1857 the poem was published, author unknown, in the Ladies' Equestrian Guide.

A man of kindness to his beast is kind,
But brutal actions show a brutal mind.
Remember He who made thee, made the brute.
Who gave thee speech and reason formed him mute.
He can't complain – but God's all-seeing eye
Beholds thy cruelty and hears his cry.
He was designed thy servant, not thy drudge.
Remember his Creator is thy judge.

Kirsten Elliott knew of a horsetrough in Pewsey with the identical poem beside it. We are still trying to find out when the poem was originally put up, and by whom. We wonder whether this was part of a general movement inspired by an animal welfare charity. Could anyone shed any light on this? Any other information would be most welcome.

                                                                                      Sarah Lewis

 
 

Rossiter Road - a plea for Cyclists


I hope that, if and when the Rossiter Road scheme comes to pass, consideration will be given to safe provision for cyclists. The present cycle lane along Widcombe Parade is useless. Typically there are at least two cars or vans parked on it. The lane ends before the gyratory so that a cyclist heading toward the centre of Bath has a series of hazardous road intersections to negotiate.
However there is the potential for a safe link for cyclists, away from motor traffic. There is a riverside path between Thimble Mill and Churchill Bridge jointly used by walkers and cyclists. The Bath to Bristol riverside path, again jointly used, finishes within a couple of hundred yards. Similar joint paths follow the river from Thimble Mill past the Rec to central Bath and along the Kennet and Avon canal to Bradford on Avon and beyond. The missing link is between the end of the riverside path before Churchill Bridge and the start of the Bath to Bristol path. The currently closed wide pedestrian bridge is suitable for use by both cyclists and pedestrians with clearly marked and separated lanes. A cycle lane could then continue on the very wide pavement toward the two pedestrian crossings. These could have cyclists dismount signs giving direct and easy cycle access to the end of the Bath to Bristol cycle path (and hence to Green Park, Sainsburys and Homebase).
The riverside path between Thimble Mill and Churchill Bridge could do with upgrading and widening ­ perhaps as part of the general improvement of the area linked to the Southgate scheme. The main problem when cycling is the difficult steps at the Churchill Bridge end which could be replaced by an incline. There are also some pretty fiendish cobbles just before then and an un-necessarily high kerb at the other end. Clearance of the head-high nettles is easily dealt with. Safety would be improved, for both cyclists and walkers, by railings on the river side (as further up the river) ­ again this could be part of the general improvement of the area. Other aspects to be dealt with include the link between the path at the start of the canal at Thimble Mill and its continuation up the canal. However, if there is only local road traffic by the double lock this should not be problematic.
I have used the riverside paths and canal towpaths regularly for the past five years without problems. The joint use by pedestrians and cyclists together with narrow sections and various obstructions forces cyclists to travel slowly ­ speed merchants will no doubt continue to use the roads as is their right. I am more interested in a network of routes where oldies such as myself, families and young children, visitors and others can enjoy themselves in safety.
There are no doubt other ways in which the revamped Rossiter Road area could achieve the objective of encouraging safe cycling but my proposal seems workable with little expense.
Colin Robson

 

 

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Last modified on 10th April 2009
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