Stanley

The River Marden, a minor tributary of the Bristol Avon river in Somerset, originates from the hills surrounding Calne and converges with the River Avon approximately one mile upstream from Chippenham. Historical records from the Domesday survey of England in 1086 indicate the presence of four watermills on the Marden at Calne. During the 18th century, four fulling mills are documented, and among them, Upper Mill underwent a transformation into a paper mill in 1768, operating until 1860. Hassell's Mill at Studley remained in operation until 1960.Running parallel to the Marden's course west of Calne was the Wilts & Berks Canal, which commenced operations in 1810. Unfortunately, the canal was closed in 1914 following the collapse of the Stanley aqueduct into the river in 1901. Some remnants of the canal can still be found today. This camera was installed and is maintained by the Environment Agency and can be viewed here. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Stanley Abbey, a medieval abbey situated near Chippenham, Wiltshire, thrived between 1151 and 1536. Empress Matilda granted the abbey to monks from Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight in 1151. Initially located at Loxwell, to the east of Chippenham, the abbey relocated to Stanley in 1154. Over time, the abbey expanded in size, reaching its peak at 450 acres (1.8 km2). Its influence also grew, with Abbot Nicholas hosting King John in October 1200, and in 1210, Abbot Thomas of Calstone attending a meeting between King John and the Cistercian abbots in York. In 1280, King Edward I provided the abbey with stone for the construction of a chamber for his own use, and according to the abbey chronicle, he utilized it in the spring of 1282. Princess Mary, the Bishop of Salisbury, and Edward II are all reported to have stayed at the abbey during the early years of the fourteenth century.The abbey's operations came to a halt as a consequence of the dissolution of the monasteries. The last abbot, Thomas Calne (also known as Morley), led the abbey until its dissolution in February 1536. Presently, no structures remain on the original site, which is privately owned, but access for visits can be arranged from Old Abbey Farm.