Ways to Wallingford by Judy Dewey of Wallingford Museum

FOR more than a thousand years, people have been making their way to Wallingford. They’ve come by road, river, rail – and even by air.

In medieval times such roads as existed were either left over from the Romans or were pre-historic tracks, such as the Ridgeway.

Wallingford’s 12th century stone bridge was an important Thames crossing, serving the town and its royal castle.

Fine goods came in from London, with imported French wines transported by road from Southampton.

It wasn’t until the 18th century that Turnpike Trusts finally improved some routes, charging tolls at gateways and often marking distances with milestones.

Three passed through, or close to, Wallingford, easing its routes to Reading, to London via Henley, and to Wantage and Faringdon.

River traffic was also assisted in the 18th century by the building of new 'pound locks' (such as we see today at nearby Benson, Cleeve and Goring).

These replaced the old ‘flash’ locks, where boats had often waited days at a weir for a head of water to build up behind it, before being released to allow relatively safe navigation over it.

The opening of the Great Western Railway in 1840 left Wallingford isolated.

Hotels which had thrived on trade from horse-drawn coaches stopping in the town, like The Feathers in the Market Place, now found their rooms empty.

The opening of a branch line to Wallingford in 1866 was a great relief.

The approach of war in 1938 saw the building of an air base at Benson and the beginnings of a close liaison between Wallingford and the RAF.

The wartime photo reconnaissance unit, the King’s Flight – later Queen’s flight – and the helicopter base have all followed.

There's so much more to this story and you can discover it by visiting Wallingford Museum when it re-opens next Wednesday, March 1.

Ways to Wallingford is just one of three new special exhibitions, the others being: Wallingford Castle – the Inside Story, featuring a striking new artist’s impression’ of the castle, and Pettits: past to present – a history of Wallingford's department store.

Find more at wallingfordmuseum.org.uk