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Explore Bradford on Avon:

Coppice Hill

Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

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Coppice Hill (or Lane) is a short street that goes up hill from the old market place at the junction of Silver Street with The Shambles. It is lined with picturesque gabled houses, but does not go far before ending in front of what had been a Methodist Chapel.

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Click on the thumbnail pictures to see a larger version

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Wesleyan ChapelThe Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in 1812 to replace the smaller chapel at the back of the former Maiden Head Inn in Market Street, where John and Charles Wesley had preached. The land had been a rackground, where newly made woollen cloths were stretched on tenterhooks to dry, shape and bleach in the sun. The congregation had shrunken by the middle of the 20th century and the building was threatened with demolition. The roof was removed, but the walls still stand are a listed building. They now form the frame for a swimming pool. The building on the right was the chapel’s Sunday School; it has been converted into a house.

top of Coppice HillTo the right of the entrance of the old chapel is a short rank of seventeenth century cottages with gables and mullioned windows. No. 20 (left) was updated at the beginning of the 18th century with some larger sash windows. The door is surrounded by a bolection moulding and has a small window above it, to light the entrance passage.

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Old Forge, Coppice HillA wide timber lintel and new walling and mullioned windows show that there was once a cart entrance in the front of this house, No. 6. It was once a blacksmith’s forge and is called Old Forge.

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Weavers House, Coppice HillWeavers House has stone mullioned windows and gables to which short chimneys have been added. From the blocked doorways, it looks to have been formerly two, or possibly more, houses.

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Several items of cast iron street furniture that were made in the Bradford iron foundries are preserved in Coppice Hill.

cast iron gully grating made by Henry Crispcast iron sewer inspection cover made by Berkley Uncles