PDA

View Full Version : Royal Ordnance, Weedon Bec. Report 23/8/09



Tankman
24-08-2009, 09:24 PM
The location of this depot is rather strange! And appears at odds with the surrounding village, a lost piece of Military History in Northamptonshire:thumb

The former Weedon, Royal Ordnance Depot is located between the old villages of Weedon, & Weedon Bec, and is located between the A5 and A45 trunk roads. It is surrounded by a high brick wall. There are eight original storehouses arranged in two lines on each side of a branch of the canal which once was connected to the Grand Union Canal located a short distance away. The connection has been filled in.

The Grand Junction Canal reached Weedon in 1796. Napoleonic wars in Europe encouraged the English government to set up a military supply depot well away from the coast and any risk of capture as it was well known that Napoleon had made plans for the invasion of England. In 1803, an Act of Parliament secured 53 acres of land but later the estate was extended to 150 acres.

The branch canal entered the Depot under a portcullis at its eastern end. The portcullis was set in a building known as the East Lodge integrated in a high brick perimeter wall. At the west end there is a similar lodge and the canal originally extended beyond it to serve specialised buildings designed to store gunpowder that was delivered by canal boat.

These "magazine" storage buildings, each separated from the other by a building filled with earth, can still be seen from within the trading estate off the Daventry Road (A45) that occupies the area once used by the barracks.
The depot was later also served by the LMS railway, which ran ammunition trains into the depot.

An original design for the Depot was based on storehouses set out at right angles to the branch canal. This was abandoned as it was seen as a disadvantage to be constrained to fill a storehouse from the end like a sack! The buildings were built chiefly of red bricks that were made nearby. The sill bands of stone were considered non-essential but were included to enhance the appearance of the buildings.

Built at the same time as the Depot, the barracks were arranged about a Barrack Square. Some buildings had stables on the ground floor since the original purpose was to accommodate an artillery division that used guns hauled by horse. Later in 1922, the barracks became the Army School of Equitation, and an extensive indoor riding school and further stables were constructed. After being disused for many years they were demolished during the winter of 1955-6.

The Royal Army Ordnance Corps moved out of Weedon Depot on February 16, 1965 and the buildings were then used by the Ministry of Supply.
The main storehouses are now owned privately and are Grade II listed.
Many other buildings, including the perimeter walls are also Grade II listed.

Today the depot is split in two by a housing estate that has sprang up in the last few years. Most of the depot is mothballed and slowly decaying. Access is easy if you take your time to check the area out:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/depot20weedon.jpg

Old map showing the layout of the Depot & Canal/Railway connections.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/077.jpg

The East Lodge & Depot Entrance, the Portcullis is visible in the centre, where the canal use to enter the depot.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/009.jpg

The Store Houses, along with some WW2 buildings on the left. (Yes! that is an old fire engine hiding in the corner):thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/080.jpg

Store Houses both sides of the canal which still runs through the depot although cut off! The railway line (visible) in the road use to run beyond the eastern Portcullis, into the ammunition magazines.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/099.jpg

Eastern Portcullis with a section of abandoned canal, which now plays host to ducks:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/084.jpg

Ammunition magazines with a section of old railway track still present.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/095.jpg

1906 Clothing store!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/089.jpg

Rear of Ammunition Magazines.

More pics here:

http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Weedon%20Royal%20Ordnance%20Depot/?start=all