You are in [Places] [Eddington] [Hardings and Saw Mill site]
On the south side of the junction of the A4 Bath Road with Folly Hill is now (2025) the site of Garden Art+, vendors of antique and reproduction garden ornaments and architectural artefacts.
Much of the village of Eddington had formed part of the large Chilton Lodge Estate for centuries.
Part of Cottrell's Iron Works, c.1869-c.1911:
Levi Cottrell opened his iron works on premises on the north side of the Bath Road in c.1869. See Cottrell's Iron Works.
It seems that Cottrell's made us of some buildings and adjacent land on the south side of the road, as the photograph of the Eddington territorials in 1908 shows a Cottrell's sign on the buildings in the background.
Cottrell's Iron Works closed in 1911 (with the sale of Chilton Lodge Estate, see below). Their main site became a motor business called Eddington garage, but the sheds and land on the south side of the Bath Road were to become Harding's Steam Traction Company.
Harding's Steam Traction, c.1911-c.1918:
(With thanks to John Newton): At the time of the death of Sir William George Pearce, the owner of Chilton Lodge Estate, in 1907, James Harding was his agent, a post in which he was to continue after the sale of the estate to the Ward family on 5th May, 1908.
James Harding had three sons, Reginald, Harold and Richard and one daughter, Vera. It was these sons, known locally as the Harding Brothers, who sought to establish themselves as haulage contractors. The position held by their father most likely weighed heavily in their favour in securing premises from which to carry on their business.
As agreement dated 8th June, 1911 between the Hon. Jean Templeton Ward, wife of the Hon. John Ward, and Reginald James Harding and Harold Llewellyn Harding, shows that the two brothers took that area of land south of the main road, having a frontage of 480 feet thereto, as their premises, agreeing to pay an annual rental of ten pounds. The lease commenced on 29th September, 1911, carefully reserving the sporting rights for the owners, and covered an area of 1 acre, 1 rood and 3 perches.
On the land stood two groups of buildings comprising a five-bay span run of timber and iron sheds 54 feet long by 22 feet wide, together with another of similar construction, being a range of double span sheds, 125 feet by 35ft 6in - "late in the occupation of George Cottrell".
The Hardings were now in business, listed as "Steam Traction Proprietors".
John Newton's wife's aunt, Mrs. Mabel Marks (nee Wyatt), recalled that as a small girl in 1911, she went on the St. Lawrence's Sunday School picnic to Braden Oak in Savernake Forest. "Hardings provided a steam engine, which towed one wagon, and a horse and cart followed behind. l rode up in front, behind the steam engine, in my best frock and hat trimmed with forget-me-nots. It was a nice hat but we had a storm of rain on the way home and we all got soaked. I got covered in blacks and arrived home looking like drowned rats". Incidentally, on that trip were some children from London on a country holiday, known as The Fresh Air Fund. This was a scheme whereby impoverished children's parents paid into a fund all the year round so that their offspring could enjoy a brief annual respite in the country."
The Hardings operated at least five different steam engines during the life of their business. In all probability, their first engine was a large road engine, made by Garretts of Leiston in Suffolk in 1909. It was named "Forward" and was with Harding Brothers by December 1910. An amusing incident, which gives insight into the rigors of business, besides which records the names of some of their employees, was recorded in the contemporary press. The Newbury Weekly News issue of 27th February, 1913 contains a report of a case concerning an accident at Hardings Yard, Hungerford, in which the Hon. John Ward's car, in the hands of chauffeur Fred J. Jessett, struck the last of three trucks of bricks being driven into Harding's yard. The engine was in the charge of Charles Westall, assisted by Harry Edwards. Another man, Jennaway, was in the road holding a hurricane lamp, but was obscured by the last of the three trucks, which had been uncoupled and left on the road whilst the engine proceeded to enter the yard with the first two. The car, travelling at 16-17mph, hit this last truck, doing much damage to the front wing of the car, -- poor Jessett being fearful of losing his job. However, the defendant was ordered to pay for the repairs, and costs of 12s/6d. It states that Hardings paid.
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Harding's steam wagon in Everlands Road, c.1920
Next came a Burrell traction engine, which was new in 1885, to be followed in November 1914 by their most famous acquisition, a new Burrell waggon, named "Undaunted", which curiously carried the number '4' . Such a machine would have cost several hundreds of pounds at that time. As Burrells operated a form of hire-purchase arrangement under the title of The Burrell Hiring Co., the Burrell engine was possibly acquired through this scheme.
In November 1915, a Wallis and Stevens wagon, made at Basingstoke in 1908, had joined the fleet, and in February 1919 another steam tractor, made by Manns of Leeds some years earlier, was acquired.
Mention of Hardings ceases soon after this date, with the exception of an entry in Kelly's Directory of 1915, which listed the former Eddington Iron Works as now being occupied by the Hungerford Engineering Co, at the same time as Hardings, being mentioned as haulage contractors.
Little is known of the Harding Brothers' activities, which presumably were varied. The eldest brother, Reginald. who was slightly crippled, used the the venerable Burrell engine to haul and power a threshing machine on a contract basis.
However, all was to change on 1918, when the ownership of the yard, togther with a great many other outlying properties and cottages, which had been in the ownership of the estate for a great many years, were offered for sale. A Sale Catalogue, issued by the Hungerford and Newbury firm of A.W. Neate and Sons, offered the land for sale by auction to be held at the Three Swans Hotel, Hungerford, on Wednesday, 3rd April, by the direction of Capt. The Hon Sir John Ward.
Lot 2 of the sale particulars was purchased by Mr. T.W. Baker of the well-known Compton Engineering family, for £275. The desire of Mr. Baker to purchase this parcel of land becomes immediately relevant when one knows that, at one time, he already owned and operated the engineering firm of H. Gibbons and Son, situated immediately across the river in Charnham Street.
The 1924 entry in Kelly's Directory has no mention of the Hungerford Engineering Co. but again, the Harding brothers are listed as being haulage contractors. By 1924 they had left their former yard, which must mean that they continued for a while at least in the premises and yard opposite, formerly Cottrells. This is consistent with recollections that after their haulage business ceased, Hardings used the former foundry premises for storage and as a storage yard for their threshing machine and engines when not out to work. By this time only two Harding brothers were actively engaged in any form of business. However, this arrangement must have been short-lived, as Kelly's of 1924 records the establishment of Alfred Campbell as a motor engineer on that very same site. It also records Harold Harding as residing at Buckland House, Eddington.
Barr's Timber Yard and Saw Mills, 1918-1989:
Norman Barr has kindly helped (Aug 2013) with information on this phase. He tells me that the freehold was owned by the Baker family of Buckelbury. In c1918, Norman's grand-father Henry Barr bought a parcel of trees a few miles south of Hungerford, and had the idea of setting up a saw mill to handle them. He obtained a lease on this land, and began the saw mill that would operate there for the next 70 years or more.
Two of Henry's sons, Henry William Barr (Norman's father) and Cyril Percy Barr joined the business, which became known as Barr & Sons.
In the early days, timber was transported by horses and carts, but after some years they obtained a steam lorry (?a Fowler).
The Anderson Grice crane, Feb 2023
Norman remembers that the original crane was replaced by the one still standing in he 1950s. The "new" crane (with a jib standing over 50' high) had been made by Anderson Grice Ltd of Glasgow. Originally it was entirely a manual crane, and for very heavy timbers, four men were needed on the jib winch, with another to turn the turntable. It was later converted to electricity, as can be seen from the modern photograph of the winch platform. The crane, which had become dangerously fragile, was demolished in November 2023.
In c1934 they bought a Foden "tractor", with a five cylinder engine. (Norman understands that this particular lorry has been fully restored, including the Barr & Sons sign writing).
The very large horizontal saw was made by Guilliet, of Auxerre in France. The old steam engine was removed from the now unwanted (?Fowler) steam lorry and converted to drive the saw. Much later, it was further converted to electricity.
The Barr & Sons timber yard continued to operate until 1989 when the costs of Health and Safety legislation and the lack of profitability of small timber yards forced its closure. (With thanks to Norman Barr).
Garden Art and Garden Art+, 1989-present:
The site is now used for the vendors of antique and reproduction garden ornaments and architectural artifacts, owned by Travers Nettleton.
May 2017: Barr's Yard Artisan Collective opened, with seven purpose built units currently used by JAX Jeans, Honesty Coffee Shop, Grape Smith, Garden Art Plus, Wendy Lewis Flowers, Cricket Fine Art, and The Generous Gardener.
Four of the purpose built units, c.2020
See also: Advert for Barr's Yard, May 2023.
On 23rd November 2023 the historic old timber-yard crane, which had become badly rusted and unsafe, was demolished and removed.
The Anderson Grice crane being removed, 23rd Nov 2023
The site was rapidly put to good use:
The site of the old crane put to good use, Dec 2023.
Photo Gallery:
5-ton wagon No. 3638 AH 0223 at Thetford when new in November 1914, prior to delivery at Hardings Bros.
The Anderson-Grice crane, standing in Garden Art+, Aug 2013
Garden Art+, Aug 2013
The Eddington Territorials, with Cottrell's Enginerering workshops in the background, 1908.
Artisan Collective Units 8 May 2017
Artisan Collective Units 8 May 2017
Hardings of Eddington steam engine, undated c.1920 [A. Parsons]
- Garden Art+, August 2013.
- The Eddington Territorials, with Cottrell's Enginerering workshops in the background, 1908.
- 5-ton wagon No. 3638 AH 0223 at Thetford when new in November 1914, prior to delivery at Hardings Bros.
- An early Hardings Steam Wagon,
- A Hardings Steam Wagon in Everlands Road,
- Hardings of Eddington steam engine, undated c.1920 [A. Parsons].
- The Anderson-Grice crane, standing amongst sale items in Garden Art+,
- The Anderson-Grice crane, standing in Garden Art+, August 2013,
See also:
- "Artisan's Collective for Barr's Site?", NWN 23 May 2013.
- "Big plans for former sawmill", NWN 23 Jul 2013
- "Barr's yard Artisans' Collective", The Advisor, 14 Nov 2014
- "Opening party the best Barrs none", NWN 11 May 2017.
John Newton's Complete Article on "HARDINGS":
Much of the village of Eddington had formed part of the large Chilton Lodge Estate for centuries. It is, therefore, not surprising that this association should also apply in our study of industry within the village. At the time of the death of Sir William George Pearce, the owner of the estate, James Harding was his agent, a post in which he was to continue after the sale of the estate to the Ward family on 5th May, 1908.
James Harding had three sons, Reginald, Harold and Richard and one daughter, Vera. It was these sons, known locally as the Harding Brothers, who sought to establish themselves as haulage contractors. The position held by their father most likely weighed heaveily in their favour in securing premises from which to carry on their business. Therefore, we find an agreement dated 8th June, 1911 between the Hon. Jean Templeton Ward, wife of the Hon. John Ward, and Reginald James Harding and Harold Llewellyn Harding, not surprising. By this agreement, the two brothers took that area of land south of the main road, having a frontage of 480 feet thereto, as their premises, agreeing to pay an annual rental of ten pounds. The lease commenced on 29th September, 1911, carefully reserving the sporting rights for the owners, and covered an area of 1 acre, 1 rood and 3 perches, on which stood two groups of buildings comprising a five-bay span run of timber and iron sheds 54 feet long by 22 feet wide, together with another of similar construction, being a range of double span sheds, one hundred and five feet by thirty three feet and six inches- late in the occupation of George Cottrell.
By the signing of this lease, the Hardings were now in business and listed as Steam Traction Proprietors. This is borne out for me by an incident related to me by my wife' s aunt Mrs. Mabel Marks (nee Wyatt) who clearly recalls that as a small girl in 1911, she went on the St.Lawrence's Sunday School picnic to Braden Oak in Savernake Forest.
"Hardings provided a steam engine, which towed one wagon, and a horse and cart followed behind. l rode up in front, behind the steam engine, in my best frock and hat trimmed with forget-me-riots- It was a nice hat but we had a storm of rain on the way home and we all got soaked, I got covered in blacks and arrived home looking like drowned rats". Incidentally, on that trip were some children from London on a country holiday, known as The Fresh Air Fund. This was a scheme whereby impoverished children's parents paid into a "fund all the year round so that their offsprings could enjoy a bried annual respite in the country".
Returning to the Hardings, from records that survive, I known that they did operate at least five different steam engines during the life of their business. In all probability, their first engine was a large Road Engine, made by Garretts of Leiston in Suffolk in 1909. It was named FORWARD and was with Harding Brothers by December 1910. Next came a Burrell traction engine, which was new in 1885, to be followed by their most famous acquisition, a new Burrell waggon, named UNDAUNTED in November 1914, which curiously carried the number '4' . Such a machine would have cost several hundreds of pounds at that time. As Burrells operated a form of Hire-purchase arrangement under the title of The Burrell Hiring Co., I speculate that this was possibly how this item was acquired. In any event, the purchase of a new machine would have been a bold step to take, and would indicate great confidence in the future of their business by the proprietors - confidence which, it would transpire, was ill-founded. However, by November 1915, a Wallis and Stevens wagon, made at Basingstoke in 1908, had joined the fleet. The last remaining entry in my records being that another steam tractor, made by Manns of Leeds some years earlier, was being offered for sale in February 1919.
An amusing incident, which gives insight into the rigors of business, besides which records the names of some of their employees, was recorded in the contemporary press . The Newbury Weekly News issue of 27th February, 1913 contains a report of a case concerning an accident at Hardings Yard, Hungerford, in which the Hon. John Ward's car, in the hands of chauffeur Fred. J. Jessett, struck the last of three trucks of bricks being driven into Harding's yard. The engine was in the charge of Charles Westall, assisted by Harry Edwards. Another man, Jennaway, was in the road holding a hurricane lamp, but was obscured by the last of the three trucks, which had been uncoupled and left on the road whilst the engine proceeded to enter the yard with the first two. The car, travelling at 16-17mph, hit this last truck, doing much damage to the front wing of the car, -- poor Jessett being fearful of losing his job. However, the defendant was ordered to pay for the repairs, and costs of 12/6. It states that Hardings paid.
Little is known of their activities, which presumably were varied, except that the eldest brother, Reginald. who was slightly crippled, used the the venerable Burrell engine to haul and power a threshing machine on a contract basis. However, all was to change on 1918, when the ownership of the yard, togther with a great many other outlying properties and cottages, which had been in the ownership of the estate for a great many years, were offered for sale. A Sale Catalogue, issued by the Hungerford and Newbury firm of A.W. Neate and Sons, offered the land for sale by auction to be held at the Three Swans Hotel, Hungerford, on Wednesday, 3rd April, by the direction of Capt. The Hon Sir John Ward. Lot 2 of the sale particulars was purchased by Mr. T.W. Baker of the well-known Compton Engineering family, for £275. The desire of Mr. Baker to purchase this parcel of land becomes immediately relevant when one known that, at one time, he already owned and operated the engineering firm of H.Gibbons and Son, situated immediately across the river in Charnham Street.
Mention of Hardings ceases soon after this date, with the exception of an entry in Kelly's Directory of 1915, which listed the former Eddington Iron Works as now being occupied by the Hungerford Engineering Co, at the same time as Hardings, being mentioned as haulage contractors. However, in the 1924 entry in the same directory, no mention is made of the Hungerford Engineering Co. but again, the brothers are listed as being haulage contractors. What is known is that by 1924, they had left their former yard, which must mean that they continued for a while at least in the premises and yard opposite, formerly Cottrells. This is consistent with remarks I have heard stating that, after their haulage business ceased, Hardings used the former foundry premises for storage and as a storage yard for their threshing machine and engines when not out to work. By this time, I have been told, only two brothers of the name Harding were actively engaged in any form of business. However, this arrangement must have been short-lived, as Kelly's of 1924 records the establishment of Alfred Campbell as a motor engineer on that very same site. Incidentally, it also records Harold Harding as residing at Buckland House, Eddington.
The Canal Wharf, 2011