Recommended Video Bygone Keynsham & Saltford
Re-live the long and fascinating history of Keynsham and Saltford with the help of rare archive photographs and some remarkable cine film from 1935 through to the 1960s.
The geographical position of Keynsham, close to the confluence of the rivers Chew and Avon, with rich pastures and abundant woodland, has made it attractive to settlers from early times. There is evidence of prehistoric man passing through, and the second largest Roman house in the country was discovered under Keynsham Cemetery.
Saltford Manor House, built in around 1150, lays claim to being the oldest inhabited house in England, and the nearby Church has a history that arguably dates back to Saxon times.
The remains of what was a substantial and important abbey have been plundered piecemeal since 1539, with the construction of Keynsham by-pass in the 1960s dealing the final blow. The Parish Church, which touches on so much of the town’s history, is also explored in depth.
The abundant supply of water made Keynsham a favourable site for cheap motive power, and three local mills are featured in detail. In more recent times, the Somerdale site of Fry’s (later Cadbury’s) has been key to the area’s prosperity. Other subjects covered include the Railway, the Workhouse, Schools, Bridges and the 1968 floods. This historical journey will be enjoyable and informative to anyone with an interest in the Keynsham and Saltford area.
Keynsham (pronounced 'CANE-sh'm'), is a town between Bristol and Bath in south west England, United Kingdom.
Traditionally a town in the county of Somerset, Keynsham was part of the shortlived Avon county before its dissolution. Now it resides in Bath and North East Somerset.Keynsham is twinned with Libourne, France. At Keynsham, the River Chew meets the River Avon.
Keynsham is scattered with Roman remains, such as the Roman villas at Somerdale and Durley Hilll and a burial site between Keynsham and Saltford. The settlement, said to be named after Saint Keyna, developed into a mediaeval market town, its growth prompted by the foundation of an influential and prosperous abbey, founded by the Victorine order of Augustinian monks.
The town was the site of a battle between royalist forces and the rebel Duke of Monmouth.
An important industry in the town is Cadbury's chocolate factory, formerly Fry's, it was merged with Cadbury's in 1989. Keynsham Cadbury is the home of Fry's Chocolate Cream, the Double Decker, Dairy Milk, Chocolate Buttons, Mini Eggs, Cream Eggs, Fudge, Chomp and most importantly, the Crunchie. According to Cadbury Employees (or 'Chocolate Welders' as they are locally known), the Crunchie Machine makes enough bars to stretch to The Moon and back every week!
In 1969, the town featured as the title of the third album by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. The title was chosen after Keynsham rose to fame after featuring on an advert on Radio Luxembourg for Horace Bachelor's Infra-draw betting system. The name of the town was spelled out, 'Keynsham – spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M – Keynsham, Bristol'.
On February 2, 2005, Keynsham was granted Fairtrade Town status.
On the outskirts of Keynsham lies Keynsham Humpy Tumps, one of the most floristically rich acidic grassland sites within the Avon area. Between Keynsham and Saltford, an area of green belt has been planted as the Manor Road Community Woodland and was designated as a Nature Reserve in 2005.
On a warm summer evening a great stir and commotion filled the usually quiet and sleepy little town of Keynsham. The news had spread that, in an attempt to win the crown from his Uncle King James II, Monmouth was marching, with his army, up from Glastonbury, Wells, and Shepton Mallet, into the parish of Keynsham. They were now just south of the little town.
This display of force, now some 9,000 strong, was cut short by heavy rain and the men retired to Keynsham to find shelter.
Monmouth's Rebels slept in the fields beside the River Avon, utilising the White Hart Inn, now known as the Lock Keeper Inn, beside the River Avon, as a guard post, as it had been during the English Civil War.
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