Blunsdon: Difference between revisions
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The [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 recorded three estates at ''Bluntesdone'', with altogether ten households.<ref>{{OpenDomesday|XX0000|broad-blunsdon-and-blunsdon-st-andrew|Broad Blunsdon and Blunsdon St Andrew}}</ref> |
The [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 recorded three estates at ''Bluntesdone'', with altogether ten households.<ref>{{OpenDomesday|XX0000|broad-blunsdon-and-blunsdon-st-andrew|Broad Blunsdon and Blunsdon St Andrew}}</ref> |
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=== Widhill === |
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Widhill, land lying north of Blunsdon St Andrew as far as the Roman road and bounded to the west by the [[River Ray, Wiltshire|River Ray]], appears in Domesday Book as two estates at ''Wildehill'' with altogether 14 households.<ref>{{OpenDomesday|XX0000|lower-and-upper-widhill|Widhill}}</ref> The area became a [[tithing]] of the parish of [[St Sampson's Church, Cricklade|St Sampson, Cricklade]], and for a time a small chapel served the two small settlements at Lower Widhill and Upper Widhill (sometimes North Widhill and West Widhill respectively).<ref name="vch">{{Cite book |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol18/70-108 |title=A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 18 |date=2011 |publisher=University of London |editor-last=Bainbridge |editor-first=Virginia |series=[[Victoria County History]] |pages=70–108 |chapter=Cricklade – Outer Cricklade |access-date=3 December 2022 |via=British History Online}}</ref> In the late 19th century Widhill became part of [[Cricklade]] civil parish, then was transferred to Blunsdon in 1934; its population at the 1931 census had been 21.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blunsdon St Andrew AP/CP |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10398927 |access-date=3 December 2022 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=University of Portsmouth}}</ref> |
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Today, Lower Widhill Farm, Chapel Farm and Upper Widhill Farm survive in the strip of farmland between the north edge of Blunsdon St Andrew and the A419.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Map of Widhill |url=https://streetmap.co.uk/map?x=413000&y=190993&z=120&sv=413000,190993&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map&searchp=ids&dn=514&ax=413000&ay=190993&lm=0 |access-date=3 December 2022 |website=Streetmap.co.uk}}</ref> |
Today, Lower Widhill Farm, Chapel Farm and Upper Widhill Farm survive in the strip of farmland between the north edge of Blunsdon St Andrew and the A419.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Map of Widhill |url=https://streetmap.co.uk/map?x=413000&y=190993&z=120&sv=413000,190993&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map&searchp=ids&dn=514&ax=413000&ay=190993&lm=0 |access-date=3 December 2022 |website=Streetmap.co.uk}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 19:20, 3 December 2022
| Blunsdon | |
|---|---|
 Chapel Hill, Blunsdon ca.1920 | |
  Blunsdon Location within Wiltshire | |
| Population | 12,414 (parish, 2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SU154902 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Swindon |
| Postcode district | SN25, SN26 |
| Dialling code | 01793 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Parish Council |
Blunsdon is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, in Wiltshire, England, about 4 miles (6 km) north of the centre of Swindon, with the A419 forming its southern boundary. Its main settlement is the village of Broad Blunsdon, with Lower Blunsdon nearby; the hamlet of Broadbush is now contiguous with Broad Blunsdon.
Blunsdon is the eastern half of the former Blunsdon St Andrew civil parish. In April 2017, that parish was divided and the western half became a new St Andrews parish.
History
Blunsdon dates from Roman times: it was discovered that a Roman travellers’ resting place existed on the site of the present-day Cold Harbour public house. The main A419 road follow the course of a Roman road known as Ermin Street that linked the historic Roman towns of Gloucester (Glevum) and Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), via Cirencester (Corinium).[citation needed]
The Domesday Book of 1086 recorded three estates at Bluntesdone, with altogether ten households.[2]
Widhill
Widhill, land lying north of Blunsdon St Andrew as far as the Roman road and bounded to the west by the River Ray, appears in Domesday Book as two estates at Wildehill with altogether 14 households.[3] The area became a tithing of the parish of St Sampson, Cricklade, and for a time a small chapel served the two small settlements at Lower Widhill and Upper Widhill (sometimes North Widhill and West Widhill respectively).[4] In the late 19th century Widhill became part of Cricklade civil parish, then was transferred to Blunsdon in 1934; its population at the 1931 census had been 21.[5]
Today, Lower Widhill Farm, Chapel Farm and Upper Widhill Farm survive in the strip of farmland between the north edge of Blunsdon St Andrew and the A419.[6]
Sport
Blunsdon's Abbey Stadium is the home of Swindon Greyhounds, broadcast world-wide three times per week and a stalwart of off course betting shops in the U.K. all the year round, plus speedway team the Swindon Robins. The Robins compete in the Elite League, with matches regularly televised live on Sky Sports.
These plans were at first recommended for refusal by the Council Officers for various reasons, the developers agreed to take the plans away for adjustment and in May 2008 planning inspectors approved the new plans, which included 450 houses and office space.[7]
The village has a football team, Blunsdon FC, which has youth development squads as well as a senior men's side playing in the Wiltshire League.
Government
Blunsdon parish covers Broad Blunsdon and the area west of the A419. In the southeast, the boundary with St Andrews leaves the A419 and follows the A4311 Cricklade Road, so that the Groundwell industrial estate is in Blunsdon parish.
Until April 2017, the whole area was the civil parish of Blunsdon St Andrew.[8][9] The parish lies within the Borough of Swindon.
Shop
After the last privately owned shop in the village closed in 2002, a village public meeting convened and agreed to open a new community shop, which was opened in 2003.[10] Located in the car park of the village hall, the shop was originally based inside a secondhand site office cabin, but in 2009 this was replaced by a brand new structure. Run mainly by volunteers, in 2010 the shop won third place for 'Best Village Shop' at the Wiltshire Life Magazine Awards.[11]
Transport
The Swindon and Cricklade Railway has rebuilt Blunsdon railway station, just outside the parish boundary.
A bypass was built between the autumn of 2006 and spring 2009. This reunited Broad Blunsdon village with the portion that was southwest of the former A419.
References
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History - Census". Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ^ Broad Blunsdon and Blunsdon St Andrew in the Domesday Book
- ^ Widhill in the Domesday Book
- ^ Bainbridge, Virginia, ed. (2011). "Cricklade – Outer Cricklade". A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 18. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 70–108. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via British History Online.
- ^ "Blunsdon St Andrew AP/CP". A Vision of Britain through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Map of Widhill". Streetmap.co.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "New Swindon speedway stadium moves ahead". Gazette & Herald. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
- ^ "Community governance review - next steps". www.swindon.gov.uk. Swindon Borough Council. March 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ "The Swindon Borough (Reorganisation of Community Governance) No. 1 Order 2017" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 19 January 2017. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ "Blunsdon village shop". communityshops.coop. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Wiltshire Life Awards Initiative 2010" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
