Drinking fountain

In this beautifully tinted postcard from around 1907, the Market Place of Chippenham reveals a scene both bustling and serene. The imposing tower of St Andrew’s Church watches over horse-drawn carts, smartly dressed townsfolk, and the ornate Victorian drinking fountain — a civic pride and symbol of progress in public health.

To the left, the Duke of Cumberland pub and the Bath Brewery building anchor the square in the rhythms of local commerce. This was a world on the cusp of transformation, where tradition met the early stirrings of the motor age, and yet the heart of the town remained rooted in daily life and neighbourly routines.

Each window, wheel and cobblestone whispers of stories gone by — and perhaps echoes a memory from your own family history?

📷 Share your old photographs on Oldpik.com and be part of a living archive — because history isn’t only in books, it’s in the images we keep.