Old London Road



As the road used to look (picture from SWOP website)

As it looks today


Narrow was old London Road
And where it twisted, curved or bowed,
This route for every horse-drawn cart
Lay leaden on the driver's heart,
For should he meet with a delay
He'd lose his schedule and his pay.
The motor car made matters worse
And London Road the driver's curse,
Where vehicles, both west and east,
Contended with both cart and beast.
You'll note its narrowness right here
Just where the old road still appears,
And where the cherry trees now grow
Is where the river Wye once flowed.

The A40 and the river Wye were straightened along this stretch before WW2. Old photographs show the work in progress. The river Wye was also straightened where the business park and Biffa depot now stand, the river now running parallel to the A40 between the road and the business park, but our map would suggest that it took a different route at one time, when Kings Mill was in operation.

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