Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.
Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.
Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!
Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.
Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/
It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.
Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.
Rain continued on 4th January 2024 but ceased on 5th January. The title pictures show no. 8 Easton Lane (the road to Thingley and Notton at the foot of Chequers Hill) and the flood at Stambridge (Batheaston) opposite the George & Dragon/Robbie's Plaice (fish & chips).
The photos below are from two walks, the first on 4th January started at the Bath Road Retail Park opposite Sainsbury's and continued along Easton Lane (the former Chippenham-Corsham rat run) to the unnamed road between Notton and the foot of Chequers Hill (which also seems to be called Easton Lane) then along the A4 to Sainsbury's. The second, on 5th January, was from Budgen's on the A4 in Box through Ashley, the Shockerwick bends on the A4 and Bathford to Batheaston.
The entrance to right of way CHIP108 (the old coaching road) is overgrown at the Bath Road Retail Park because the footpath now, effectively, goes nowhere (it's blocked by the A350 south of the Sainsbury's/McDonald's roundabout)
Easton Lane, the old 'rat run' between Chippenham and Corsham, is now a traffic-free backwater thanks to the Hilltop Park development on the Hunter's Moon area of the Methuen Estate.
The eastern ramp of the Easton Lane bridge over the A350
The Easton Lane bridge over the A350 now used only by walkers and cyclists
In the Chequers-Notton road (Easton Lane?)
One pillar of the 'pineapple gate' entrance to Corsham Park for the old coaching road (London-Bath) in Easton Lane (?), Chequers beyond
Woodland by the old coaching road in Easton Lane (?) seems to have suffered some wind damage (or pruning?)
Bracket fungus in the woodland by the old coaching road in Easton Lane (?)
Corsham Park comes into view as we head to Chequers along Easton Lane
A stream and pond have sprung up at the eastern edge of Corsham Park
Looking across to the old coaching road (cottage and 'garage') from the A4 at Chequers
Sodden field to the north of the A4 twixt Chequers and the Sainsbury's/McDonald's roundabout
Now we move to a brighter 5th January 2024 and a constitutional taking in Pickwick as well as Ashley etc mentioned above
The Stafford field opposite St Patrick's Church saved from development in 2021 after an 8-year battle
A sodden, muddy Ashley Road
European wild ginger in Ashley Road
Shockerwick House and the By Brook in flood from the railway footbridge (at the foot of BOX80)
Stationary tailback from the Shockerwick 'chicane' where two cars were stuck in the flood. The tailback stretched back into Box.
Flooding twixt the Shockerwick 'chicane' and Bathford
Abandoned BMW Mini at the Bathford railway bridge
Abandoned vehicle in the flood beyond the Bathford railway bridge
Batheaston meadows are flooded; Bathampton Down beyond
The flooded Avon from the A4 at Batheaston
The Avon in flood at Batheaston
The car park opposite the George & Dragon at Batheaston
Coalpit Road at Stambridge, Batheaston
The evening sun strikes the trees of the flooded Avon Valley at Batheaston; Bathford Hill beyond
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