Blue Vein

Blue Vein is a hamlet about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Box, Wiltshire, England.[1]

This article is about a location in England. For the blood vessel, see Vein.

Turnpike Cottage in Blue Vein

Originally a farm, it lies on what was once the principal road between Bath and London. In the 18th century the road was converted into a toll road, and a turnpike was placed at Blue Vein with a two-storey house – still standing – constructed to house the toll collector.[2][3]

In the eighteenth century the Blue Vein turnpike marked the end of the Lacock Turnpike Trust's road from Lacock, before travellers had to cross the open ground of Kingsdown towards the Bath Trust's road into Bathford. This place was renowned for robberies by highwaymen such as John Poulter.[4] In 1737 the Horse and Jockey Inn was built 300 yards down the road to the south east, where wealthy travellers could stay, and be met and escorted safely to Bath.[4]

Half way between Blue Vein and the extant former inn, now known as Old Jockey,[5] lie three bronze age round barrows on the north side of the road.[6]

The Bricker's Barn Trust constructed a northern London-Bath turnpike route in 1761 (now the A4).[7] In the mid 19th century a connecting road was built between the two routes just east of Blue Vein, and the southern route fell out of favour.[8][9]

Blue Vein Farmhouse, built of rubble stone, dates from the 17th century.[10]

References
  1. "Blue Vein, Wiltshire - area information, map, walks and more". OS GetOutside. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  2. Historic England. "Turnpike Cottage (1181522)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  3. "Image of Turnpike Cottage". Historic England Archive. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  4. Buchanan, Brenda (1992), "The Great Bath Road 1700–1830" (PDF), Bath History, 4, pp. 71–94
  5. Historic England. "Old Jockey House with screen wall (formerly listed as The Old Jockey Inn) (1022792)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  6. Historic England. "Three bowl barrows 160m south west of Hatt House (1018433)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  7. "Appendix 6:Principle Historic Roads into and out of Bath" (PDF). City of Bath World Heritage Site Setting Supplementary Planning Document. Bath & North East Somerset Council. 2013. p. 152.
  8. Katherine Harris. "Up the Hill and Down the Hill". Box People and Places. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  9. "An Act for consolidating the Trusts of certain Roads called the Blue Vein and Bricker's Barn Turnpike Roads, in the counties of Wilts and Somerset, and for more effectually repairing and improving the same", The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 11(3), His Majesty's Statute and Law Printers, 1829
  10. Historic England. "Blue Vein Farmhouse (1022791)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 December 2019.

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