History of Much Marcle Garage.. For those interested.

The building now known as Much Marcle Garage began life as a World War One aircraft hanger, at Aston Down near Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire. The airfield had been constructed in late 1917 as No.1 station for the Australian Flying Corps, and became one of the AFC's main training bases in the UK during the latter part of the conflict. A number of squadrons were stationed at Aston Down during the last two years of the war, and by mid-1918 it housed up to 50 or 60 aircraft, training pilots who replaced those lost and injured in the intense battles the AFC fought over France. At the end of the war, the need for pilot training disappeared and, as the Australians were understandably keen to move home, the training units on the site were disbanded in May and June 1919. In 1920, the airfield was sold off, and the site was gradually cleared, as it reverted to agricultural land in the inter-war years.

In circa 1926, one of the aircraft hangars from Aston Down was purchased by the long-established Westons Cider company of Ledbury, in Herefordshire, and removed to Much Marcle to provide a suitable building for a garage and service station for Westons' new fleet of motor delivery vehicles, which were taking over from the traditional horse-drawn dray. The building was provided with offices to either side of a central entrance to the main elevation, with inserted timber windows, and a large 'GARAGE' sign attached to the roof, together with elaborate wrought-iron brackets for lamps. Petrol pumps were placed on the forecourt and an historic photograph, apparently taken soon after the business was begun, shows Westons' Garage and Service Depot, proudly declaring itself "Officially AA Approved".

Although the business is no longer owned by Westons, since that time, the building has been little altered: a lean-to extension has been added to the west, and the sign has been removed from the roof; the petrol pumps were removed during the later C20; and the signs to the main elevation have been repainted to reflect the changing names of the business. It continues in use as a service station, served well by the inherent flexibility of the original structure.

Steve