Chedham's Yard - Derelict to Delightful
Chedhams Yard, Church Walk, Wellesbourne, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 9QT
The Yard was run continuously by the Chedham family from the 1820s through to the mid-1960s passing from father to son. Bill Chedham was the last of the family working at the Yard. Unlike many 18th / 19th century workshops this one housed both the wheelwrights who made the wooden wheels and the blacksmiths who made the metal work for the carts and made and fitted the metal tyres. Following the Parish Council’s purchase of the Yard from Bill Chedham in 2001 there were 11 years of hard work with archaeological surveys and planning, aided and assisted by Oxford University and other groups. In 2006, with funds very low, the Yard won the third series of the BBC Restoration Village programme which gave access to up to £1million. This was the figure identified as needed to complete the surveys and restoration and to make it a site of interest. All expenditure was scrutinised and pre-approved by the BBC and National Lottery Fund team. It took another five years of hard work before the Yard opened to the public. The work included restoring and preserving the existing buildings and erecting a visitor centre. While the builders worked on site, a team of volunteers worked on cleaning, preserving and cataloguing all the artefacts found on site.
By 2012, Bill was increasingly frail but was able to see his beloved Yard given another lease of life.
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 13 September:
- 11am to 4pm, last entry 3pm
- Saturday 20 September:
- 11am to 4pm, last entry 3pm
Location & directions
Chedhams Yard, Church Walk, Wellesbourne, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 9QT
- Directions:
- A local landmark is The Stag's Head a thatched roofed public house which dates back to 1640 is on the corner of Chestnut Square. Chedham's Yard is along Church Walk which leads off Chestnut Square, in the village of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire at CV35 9QT. There is no parking at the site or along Church Walk. Vehicles should be parked in Loxley Close alongside the sports field spur and approximately 300m south of the Stag’s Head public House, near to the Coop store. There are Car Park signs on the Ettington Road. This is 300m from the entrance and about a 5 minute walk to the site.
- Contact on day:
- A Volunteer
- Telephone number:
- +441789840160
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
Access to the Yard is via a loose gravel shared driveway. Within the Yard the surfaces are uneven both outside and inside the buildings and care is necessary. Hand controlled and powered wheelchair access is possible to most areas although viewing the inside of the forge and wheelwrights will be restricted. The café and toilets are wheelchair friendly.
