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| HER Number | MWB21972 |
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| Record Type | Monument |
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| Name | Site of Sterling Cable works, Aldermaston Wharf |
|---|
Summary
Location of a mid-20th century engineering works for cable manufacture, closed down in the late 20th century, the land redeveloped for housing
Monument Type(s):
- CABLE FACTORY (Mid 20th century to Late 20th century - Present - 1948 AD to 1990 AD)
Full Description
The OS Fifth edition map <1> shows a large extent of industrial buildings on a triangular site at Aldermaston Wharf between the railway line, the Kennet & Avon Canal and the lake named Hag Pit. This was the site of the Sterling Cable Company: according to Grace's Guide <2> it operated at the Aldermaston site between 1948 and 1990, making PVC armoured wiring, mains and instrumentation cables. The company also operated a vertical extrusion plant at Newbury, on the site of the old town gas works, from 1964.
An aerial photograph from 1949 <3> shows two ranges of buildings on the site, with a railway siding. The buildings are mostly single storey warehouse type sheds with lighter sections (presumably for illumination) in the roofs.
Following the closure of the site in 1990, it was redeveloped for residential housing.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Ordnance Survey. 1962-1981. Ordnance Survey Epoch 5, 1:2500. 1:2500. Buildings shown but not named. [Map / SWB14665] |
| <02> | Tweedie, A (founder). 2007-. Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk. Sterling_Cable_Co. [Website / SWB149365]
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk (Accessed 05/12/2023) |
| <03> | Aerofilms. 14/4/1949. Britain from Above - EAW021955. Aerial Photo. [Photograph / SWB149461]
https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW021955 (Accessed 15/08/2018) |
Related Monuments
| MWB18035 | Site of late 19th century gas works, later Sterling Cables, Newbury (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
None recordedIf you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.
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