IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Foxbury, HUNGERFORD, RG17 8PT

View north.

The scene here, a few yards from Lambourn's Market Square appears ordinary enough but a small plaque on the nearest house tells of a terrible event that occurred on Tuesday 13th April 1953. On that date a tanker lorry conveying 3,600 gallons of aviation fuel suffered a brake failure as it approached the village down Hungerford Hill. The driver, Mr Reginald Bungay of Swindon, did well not to hit parked cars as he careered along the High Street and across the Market Square at 60mph, frantically blowing the horn, but he could not avoid colliding with buildings here on Oxford Street. The result was a massive explosion and fire and the driver was killed instantly. Miraculously there were no other injuries but the property damage was extensive and 26 people, including five children, lost their homes. The full story of the fateful day is told here: https://lambourn.org/tanker-crash-april-1953/.

Caught in the eerie light of an afternoon of heavy showers. How long ago the Red Lion ceased to be an inn, I can't say. It must have been the biggest such establishment in Lambourn, and of great importance in the days when rural business was transacted face to face. The range facing the Market Place is built of sarsen stone, while the range facing Newbury Street (on the right) is of blue and red brick. To the right - just across the road - is The George, still a thriving concern.

Effective use made of white brick, too - especially at the corbelled-out corner. The house nudging into the right-hand side of the picture seems to be built of chequered red and yellow brick - but it didn't occur to me to record it.