Hampton Loade

Hampton Loade is a hamlet in Shropshire, England along the Severn Valley. It is situated on the east bank of the River Severn at grid reference SO747864, some five miles south of Bridgnorth.

The unusual current-operated Hampton Loade Ferry, a reaction ferry to the hamlet of Hampton on the west bank, is responsible for Hampton Loade's name, as Loade is derived from lode, an old English word for ferry.

The hamlet is notable for the forge that stood there from 1608 to 1922. There are remnants of the forge still standing beside the river and in the houses. "Old Forge House" is where the owner of the forge lived and it is stated that there were over 6 owners of the forge in the 306 years of its use. "Old Forge Cottage" is where it's thought the workers lived.

Hampton Loade station, on the preserved Severn Valley Railway, is actually located on the Hampton side of the river although the whole area is often known locally Hampton Loade due to the presence of the station.

There is an unusual bridge close to Hampton Loade: a small private roadway is suspended below two large waterpipe arches, used to pump water from the river to Chelmarsh Reservoir, by the South Staffordshire Water works.

The hamlet is also home to a satellite navigation error where the ferry is listed as a car ferry or a bridge on certain sat-nav systems; there are now road signs in place warning of the error on the approach to the hamlet.

The ferry has not been run recently (as of 2017) prompting speculation that it is permanently closed. This has not been confirmed by any reliable news sources but according to the Severn Valley Railway it has ceased operation.