Old Steeple Ashton Fuel Pumps

There's something rather wonderful about stumbling across a petrol pump from 1920s Britain still standing in the middle of a Wiltshire village. The Old Steeple Ashton Fuel Pumps are exactly that - a pair of vintage pumps that have somehow survived the decades, offering a proper glimpse into how motorists once fuelled their vehicles when cars were still a novelty rather than a necessity.

They're located in Steeple Ashton, just a short drive from Trowbridge, and they're free to have a look at. You won't need more than ten minutes here unless you're genuinely into industrial heritage, but it's the sort of spot that rewards a quick detour if you're passing through or camping nearby. The pumps themselves are modest - no grand visitor centre, no café - just the real thing left to tell its own story.

This works best if you're combining it with a broader poke around the Wiltshire countryside. Stay at one of the nearby glamping sites like Little Thornham Holidays or Country View Camping, both within a couple of miles, and you've got a proper base for exploring the local villages. The area around Trowbridge isn't dramatic scenery, but it's genuine English countryside - the sort of place where small historical details like these fuel pumps actually mean something.

If you're with kids, be honest - they'll find it mildly interesting for five minutes, then want to move on. But for anyone interested in transport history or industrial archaeology, it's a lovely, unpretentious piece of Britain's motoring past.