I WAS touched by the article that appeared in last week’s issue of this paper regarding Pte Doggett, who resided at The Barge in Honeystreet and died in the battle of Doiran, and the honour being paid to him by Brigadier Simon Hutchings and members of his brigade. Brigadier Simon Hutchings remarked that is lucky to have such a strong local link to the past.

Unfortunately, The Barge was sold by the Punch pub chain to a property speculator about four years ago. This year The Barge was placed on the market for £700,000 and the attached camp site for £450,000. The Honey Street Sawmill is seeking planning permission to develop a large housing estate and, across the canal, planning permission has been granted for five houses.

The Barge pub and the sawmill have played a significant part in Wiltshire’s industrial history. A wood yard was established in 1795, by Mr Robbins. He imported timber from Scandinavia and Russia and the cargo was conveyed from Bristol to Honeystreet by Barge. In the 1820s, Robbins, Lane and Penningar diversified and began to build the iconic Kennet and Avon Barge that was used to enter the Bristol Channel and unload timber onto the barges, often in very difficult weather conditions, and deliver to Honeystreet sawmill. The barges were later built for other carriers and used on the Thames. The barges remained in use until the 1950s. None remain in existence. A skeleton of a barge, Harriott, has been found in deep mud at Purton. The barge was built in 1810 to serve the local community and passing boats. It provided stables, a blacksmith, brewery, grainery, bakery, grocery, slaughter house and lodgings. The pub had a skittle alley and two community rooms.

Honeystreet has remained a memorial to Wiltshire’s industrial past. Patrons of The Barge and the boating community have drawn up an application to register The Barge as a community asset but the parish council are not mindful to support it.

CAROL KREBS, Kennet & Avon Canal