Hampton Loade Explained

Country:England
Static Image Name:Hampton Loade Ferry - 2004-07-24.jpg
Static Image Caption:Hampton Loade reaction ferry, 24 July 2004
Coordinates:52.474°N -2.373°W
Official Name:Hampton Loade
Civil Parish:Quatt Malvern [1]
Unitary England:Shropshire
Lieutenancy England:Shropshire
Region:West Midlands
Constituency Westminster:Ludlow
Post Town:BRIDGNORTH
Postcode District:WV15
Postcode Area:WV
Dial Code:01746
Os Grid Reference:SO747864

Hampton Loade is a hamlet in Shropshire, England along the Severn Valley. It is situated on the east bank of the River Severn at, some five miles south of Bridgnorth.

The unusual current-operated Hampton Loade Ferry, a reaction ferry to the hamlet of Hampton on the west bank, is responsible for Hampton Loade's name, as Loade is derived from lode, an old English word for ferry.

The hamlet is notable for the forge that stood there from 1608 to 1922. There are remnants of the forge still standing beside the river and in the houses. "Old Forge House" is where the owner of the forge lived and it is stated that there were over 6 owners of the forge in the 306 years of its use. "Old Forge Cottage" is where it's thought the workers lived.

Hampton Loade station, on the preserved Severn Valley Railway, is actually located on the Hampton side of the river[2] although the whole area is often known locally Hampton Loade due to the presence of the station.

There is an unusual bridge close to Hampton Loade: a small private roadway is suspended below two large waterpipe arches, used to pump water from the river to Chelmarsh Reservoir, by the South Staffordshire Water works.[3]

The hamlet is also home to a satellite navigation error where the ferry is listed as a car ferry or a bridge on certain sat-nav systems; there are now road signs in place warning of the error on the approach to the hamlet.

The ferry has not been run recently (as of 2017) prompting speculation that it is permanently closed. This has not been confirmed by any reliable news sources but according to the Severn Valley Railway it has ceased operation.[4]

Landslide of June 2007

On the night of 19 June 2007, the village of Hampton on the west bank suffered major damage as a result of a severe rainstorm. The one and only road into the village was washed away[5] (BBC photo), and large sections of nearby Severn Valley Railway track subsided.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Quatt Malvern Parish Council, Quatt, Bridgnorth.
  2. http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Shropshire/Hampton_Lode/ photographs of the railway station
  3. Web site: Escorts Guide | London Escorts Guide | Cheap Escorts London . 2 May 2006 . 28 April 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060428030252/http://www.brantacan.co.uk/modern_severn_bridges.htm . bot: unknown . (Web site: Escorts Guide | London Escorts Guide | Cheap Escorts London . 2 May 2006 . 7 October 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061007163825/http://www.brantacan.co.uk/Hampton.jpg . bot: unknown .)
  4. Web site: Hampton Loade Station. Severn Valley Railway. 6 July 2017. 6 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170706175650/http://www.svr.co.uk/Hampton-Info.aspx. dead.
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/6769829.stm BBC NEWS | England | Hereford/Worcs | Flash floods hit homes and roads