Newbury

An ancient town surrounded by the Downs and on the Kennet and Avon Canal. It has many buildings of interest, including the 17th century Cloth Hall, which is now a museum.

The Town Hall in the Market Place is a bulky structure with two differing towers. The building dates from 1881 and cost only 4,345 pounds to build. The Granary is long and timber framed with an outer upper balcony, possibly dating from the early years of the l8th century. Originally the Kennet Wharf was alongside, it is now a car park with seats beside the river and a bridge across to Victoria Park.

If the Granary is one of Newbury's more unusual buildings, another corner that has an equally rare charm is on the other side of the parish church at West Mills. Here a quiet stretch of the River Kennet is lined with period houses and has very much the look, with the church tower in the background, of an old Dutch waterways print.

St Nicolas House and Number 22 are fine 18th century houses. The Hunt Almshouses date from 1729 and the l7th century cottages, called the Weavers Cottages, are just a few of the attractive buildings in this area. There were once two great watermills on this stretch of the river. West