The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
Westbrook Cottage
Westbrook Cottage 1920s
Research has not been fully done on Westbrook Cottage, so updates will be added in the future.
The cottage is believed to have been built around 1680 and originally consisted of one room upstairs and two rooms downstairs. There was no chimney, the smoke from the fire went through a hole in the thatch and in the attic there are layers of soot. In places the thatch is over one metre thick.
Former Occupants
In the 1911 Census, Frederick Clark, born 1865, lived here (49 Church Street) with his wife, Annie, born 1859 (married 24 years) and their 2 children, Mabel, born 1890 and Edward born 1895. Frederick was a Carrier & Hire Car Man. Frederick and Annie had 4 living children.
In the 1939 Register, Edward Clarke is still living at this address.
To read more about the Clarke family, CLICK HERE.
Replacing the thatch
In the snow
Watercolour by Norman King
Replacing the thatch