Round House, Speenhamland

[Old Mother Reilly]

I wonder if anyone has knowledge of where the "Round House", was located in Speenhamland, and whether it still survives?  Although it sounds as if it should be distinctive, I haven't been able to find it, or any old photos of it.

An ancestor of mine was mentioned as being there in 1873.

Thank you

Rachel

[rosie99]

HeritageGateway
https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk

Site of Toll House at Halfway on the Bath Road (The Round House) (Monument). MWB15976, Site of Toll House at Halfway on the Bath Road (The Round House) ( ...

[AlanBoyd]

This link will take you straight to the search result at the site linked by rosie99:

https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MWB15976&resourceID=1030

It is quite elusive on old maps. From the information at the page linked to I think this 1899 25 inch map is showing it just above the 'L' of L.B. (letter box) with the benchmark arrow pointing at it from the right. But this is definitely tentative!

https://maps.nls.uk/view/104197603#zoom=6.7&lat=7896&lon=9000&layers=BT

[AlanBoyd]

OK, I'm more confident now: that site is recorded on the 1837 tithe map as 'Turnpike House and Garden' owned and occupied by the Commissioner of Roads.

[AlanBoyd]

Is this the demolition? I don't understand where 'Weldord' is? Added: typo for Welford, the name of the parish.

15 June 1966: Reading Evening Post

Saga of the Toll House ends in dust

{photo]

THE LONG and tragic saga of Newbury's Old Toll House ended yesterday in dust, ashes and rubble. The decade-long battle to save the 90-year-old monument on the Bath Road at Weldord, Newbury was won by the workman's axe and the demolition ropes. It went down almost unnoticed. Almost. The Bishop of Portsmouth. the Rt. Rev. Derek Worlock. passed "this delightful old building" on Tuesday night. Yesterday he saw the smouldering beams and said simply: "It is strange how things can change so quickly nowadays." The Old Toll House — approximately the halfway mark between London and Bristol — was demolished after repeated attempts to save it had failed. It was owned by the Alfred Sutton Estates who hoped it could be restored and put to some use. Approaches to the Historic Buildings Council for help in restoration were rejected, however. The Sutton Estates restored the Old Toll House but vandals totally stripped the lead off the roof and broke windows. Estimates for restoration were considered too high especially as no subsidy was forthcoming. So Sutton Estates decided: "It will have to go." Yesterday workmen took just a couple of hours to destroy the 90-year-old travellers landmark.

[AlanBoyd]

Link to 1967 map view: it has indeed gone.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/188718465#zoom=6.4&lat=4132&lon=2512&layers=BT

[Old Mother Reilly]

That's brilliant!  Thank you very much - I was looking in completely the wrong place but  I can picture where it was now.

Rachel