TIMELINE 5 - Post-Castle History
1928-9 AD |
Weddington Gardens & Alsted Lodge built by Hope and Aldridge. Some of the
Castle timber is believed to be in the latter (54,90) |
1930-33 AD |
First new houses built, hard to sell (at around £350), built by Simms
of Hinckley (29) |
1931 AD |
Weddington population: 643 (34) |
1932 AD |
22nd May. River Anker flooded (28,32,37,38).
You can see a picture of the flood by clicking here. |
1933 AD |
River Anker straightened (38,90) |
1934 AD |
10th July. Tues. 11.15 a.m. HRH Prince of Wales landed by aeroplane in Weddington Lane for his visit to Nuneaton (113) You
can see photographs of the visit in the "Nuneaton Town" picture
gallery. |
1935-8 AD |
Houses built in Castle Road (29) |
1936 AD |
26th November. Church Hall built (29) |
1937-8 AD |
The GROVE converted into an hotel by Captain Cunliffe Shawe (29) |
1938 AD |
Ordnance Survey re-mapped Weddington,
Orient Close re-named Elmfield Close (43) |
1940 AD |
Bombs damaged parts of Weddington.
German aerial reconnaissance photographs (38) Dummy airfield near railway
diverted bombs from Lindley. This was frequently bombed (52) |
1941 AD |
No census; estimated 1,200? (29) |
1951 AD |
Weddington population: 1,828 (34) Charles Shawe, son of Henry Cunliffe Shawe, died in
Frome, Somerset |
1956 AD |
NEW INCUMBENT Rev. John GALE (81) |
1958 AD |
2nd July. River Anker flooded (38) |
1959 AD |
August/September. The old Rectory was demolished; new houses built in
Church Lane, Wimpey Estate and Castle Road (30,38,90) |
1960 AD |
Good Friday 15th April 2.00am: the Coventry Cathedral Cross of Nails
is brought to Weddington. It then moved on to Exhall, having come previously from Stockingford, then Atherstone. |
1962 AD |
Mrs Jessie K. Pearson last mentioned in the Electoral Roll at The
Lodge (Grove Bungalow) (85) |
1964 AD |
NEW INCUMBENT Canon Guy CORNWALL-JONES, went to Bilton 1984, then Leek Wootton (81) |
1965 AD |
Church Farm demolished (85) |
1967 AD |
Grove Bungalow: i.e: the Northern Round
Gatehouse Lodge is demolished. The local legend of tunnels between the Castle
and the Lodges and Church were not proven (57) |
1969 AD |
Harry CLEAVER gives land for sports field (38), his name is later
remembered when Cleaver Garden flats are built on the site of Weddington Gardens. |
1969 AD |
17th August. Nuneaton-Ashby Joint Railway finally closed. Wagon
storage only (38,90) |
1972 AD |
January - March. Railway track is removed from Nuneaton-Ashby Joint
Railway (38,90) |
1972 AD |
21st July. The Weddington Road
bridge is blown up. Weddington Junction
Signal Box is burnt down. Nameplate and Train registers rescued and donated
to Shackerstone Museum (38,90) |
1972-3 AD |
Hedges and field boundaries begin to change with mechanised
agriculture. The old castle's southern gateway is demolished (63,90) |
1974 AD |
March - May. River Anker was dredged and deepened (90) |
1975 AD |
18th February: a picture of Weddington Castle
appeared in the Tribune / Observer showing nurses and guests c. 1915-7 (113) 6th June: a fatal rail crash just south of
Nuneaton Railway Station. It happened when the 23:30 sleeper from
London Euston to Glasgow was derailed after entering a temporary speed
restriction at too high a speed. Six people, four passengers and two staff,
died and 38 were injured. |
1977-8 AD |
Flood Relief Culvert began construction (90) |
1981 AD |
Water pipe laid to Church, quartzite rubble was found from old Church, Swithland Slate from roof (65,90) |
1983 AD |
10th October: 'Weddington Walk'
officially opened as a Green Track on the route of the former Weddington Railway Line (50,90) |
1984 AD |
NEW INCUMBENT Rev. John BARNES, moved to Wilnecote 1989,
then Walsall Wood, then Bentley, retired 1995 (81) |
1988 AD |
Lower Farm demolished, discovery of a timber-frame building of high
quality. It belonged to the South Western School and had numerous carpenters'
marks. The main doorway was less than 67" high and skilfully carved with
rebates and grooves. Several possible explanations: |
1989 AD |
NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Tony ADAMS (81) |
1990 AD |
3 shallow depth, small diameter soil
boreholes drilled in the field between the river and the church. |
1991-2 AD |
Church Alterations: new drive, doors, floor, central heating, gas laid
(65,90) |
1992 AD |
First publication of “A geology, geography and history of |
1993 AD |
Factories & shops extended & improved e.g. Parkside (Trinity –
then Citreon), Jacques (Nial Bailey
– then Bailey Buildbase), Abbey Metals & ATS. Track lifted from railway
near ATS. |
1995 AD |
July. The church flower festival. The talented ladies group created
various scenes from Weddington’s pre-history
and history, as well as copying the heraldic crests of the parish’s various
owners. |
1996 AD |
4th Feb. Roman mortaria and Samian pottery found in a ditch or pit structure
beneath 284 Weddington Road (113) |
1997 AD |
29th Jun. Official archaeological trial excavations to the east of the
church in preparation for a new building. Unique stone drains were found c.
1670 designs from Dugdale’s monograph on
land drainage. A stone building c. C17th was found near the stream.
Mesolithic flints and a Bronze Age tool had also been found. The whole area
was ultimately designated as an important archaeological zone. Most of the
adjacent Oak trees were subject to Tree Preservation Orders (113) |
1998 AD |
January. The Public Inquiry rejected the proposed new church at Weddington – euphemistically known as the “Stealth
Bomber” because of its shape! |
1999 AD |
9th January. The first steam engine through Weddington for
35 years |