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Trowbridge

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For other places with the same name, see Trowbridge.
Trowbridge
PopulationExpression error: "28,148[1]" must be numeric
OS grid referenceST8557
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
PoliceWiltshire
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
List of places
UK
England
Wiltshire

Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England. The civil parish of Trowbridge had a population of 28,148 according to the 2001 census.

Location

Trowbridge is situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, about ten miles South East of Bath. Neighbouring towns and villages include Bradford on Avon, Westbury, Melksham, Devizes, Hilperton and Semington. The name of the town comes from a root meaning 'Tree Bridge', referring to the first bridge over the River Biss. The Kennet and Avon canal runs to the north of the town. This played a large part in the development of the town as it allowed coal to be transported from the Somerset coal fields. Trowbridge has a railway station on the Wessex Main Line.

History

There is evidence that the land on which Trowbridge is built was being farmed more than 3,000 years ago. In the 10th century there is clear evidence of Trowbridge's existence and in the Domesday Book the village of Straburg, as Trowbridge was then known, was recorded as having 100 residents.

From the 13th century onwards Trowbridge developed a clothing industry, increasingly becoming industrialised from the 17th century onwards; at one point in 1820 it was being described as the "Manchester of the West" as it had 15 factories, comparable to Northern industrial towns such as Rochdale. The wool industry went into decline in the late 19th century and continued to decline throughout the 20th century — the last mill closed in 1982 and is now the home of a museum dedicated to the history of the town and its former industry. In its place a bedding industry developed, initially using wool cast off from the mills — the company now known as Airsprung Furniture Group PLC was started in the town in the 1870s. Food production also developed in the town when Abraham Bowyer started his business which eventually, as Bowyers, became one of the largest employers in the town. The brewing company Ushers opened in Trowbridge in 1824 and developed the brewery in the town — this was finally shut in 2000 following several changes of ownership.

Suburbs

Longfield, Studley Green, Lower Studley, Trowle Common, Drynham.

"Ibiza"

In 2000 a local district councillor, Mr. Osborn, famously claimed that Trowbridge 'was just like Ibiza'. This comment drew widespread surprise as Mr. Osborn had never visited Ibiza, and caused some residents to suspect he had never visited Trowbridge either[2].

Architecture

Trowbridge Town Hall, as seen from Fore Street

There is much architectural interest in Trowbridge, including many of the old buildings associated with the textile industry, and the Newtown conservation area, a protected zone of mostly Victorian houses. In the churchyard of St James one can see the memorial tombstone of Thomas Helliker. The main street is Fore Street, which has a variety of shops, and there are also the Shires and Castle Place shopping centres. The Civic Hall is adjacent to the town park, where the tourist information kiosk can be found.

Entertainment and Pubs

The town is home to many pubs, several music venues, and two leisure centres.

Trowbridge is part of the historic West Country Carnival circuit.

Trowbridge Town F.C. is the local football club based in Trowbridge. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.

Trowbridge has given its name to the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival although the event is actually held at Stowford Manor farm between Wingfield near Trowbridge and Farleigh Hungerford in Somerset.

Individuals associated with Trowbridge

Trowbridge was the birthplace of Sir Isaac Pitman, developer of the Pitman Shorthand system of shorthand writing. He is remembered in the town through several memorial plaques, and his name has been taken by a pub in the town centre - "The Isaac Pitman"

The poet George Crabbe was Rector of Trowbridge from 1814 until his death in 1832

Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, had been the town's Rector in the 18th century.

Sir William Cook KCB Kt FRS, born in Trowbridge on 10th April 1905, was involved with the development of the British Nuclear Bomb at Aldermaston in the 1950s, becoming Aldermaston's Deputy Director.

John Dyer was a Trowbridge born inventor and engineer whose most important invention was the rotary fulling machine in 1833. A version of the machine, developed for the local woollen industry, is still in use today.

Professional snooker player Stephen Lee's career developed whilst playing snooker in Trowbridge's snooker club. Trowbridge Snooker Club is currently managed by Oliver (Olly) Thomas who bats for both sides and suffers from loose morals.

The town also boasts world champion town crier Trevor Heeks among its residents.

Other famous Trowbridge residents

Town Development

Since 2002, there have been plans in place[3] to redevelop the town.

In the early-1990s the supermarket chain Tesco changed location from their site near to the Civic Hall to a site adjoining the A361 on County Way. The previous site has been in development since, the developer Thyiann has now stated that work will start mid-June 2007, the plans of the site can be viewed at http://www.duffy.co.uk/datasheets/TROWBRIDGE.jpg [4]

Trowbridge residents have frequently voiced their desire for new leisure facilities to be built on the site, with reference often made to Trowbridge's lack of a cinema. These plans are now well under way with construction due to start mid-2008, a developer has been chosen and the plans for the site will be available August 2007 for public view.

The former Ushers brewery site has also been in the process of redevelopment for a number of years. A development of new apartments and a supermarket are planned for the site. [5]

The latest news, 31/05/07 was that planning permission has been granted for as £35m development, construction of offices, shops and housing. [6] the future is now looking bright and it appears the council are now finally listening to the people of Trowbridge.

Near to the new Tesco site, on the Longfield roundabout, a former scrapyard has been redeveloped into office blocks.[7]

Crime

Trowbridge resides in a county that is the second safest in the country according to a report in the Wiltshire Times 28 July 2006. Further information in the report details that "Wiltshire had the highest percentage increase in total recorded crime and violent crime in the South West." It is this information that more reflects the recent spate of violent crimes that have occurred in the town and is a contradiction to the county as a whole. An increase of 23% in violent crime from 2004/2005 to this year raises the greatest concern amongst a series of increases in crimes across the county. (Total crime up 5%) (Drug and other offences up 16%) (Criminal damage up 7%) (Crime figures featured in Wiltshire times Friday July 28). An audit by the Wiltshire Police Authority[8] gave statistics to show that, for 2002/2003, the Adcroft area of Trowbridge had the highest violent crime rate in West Wiltshire, a rate which was 3 times higher than the next highest area. Total crime for the Adcroft area, also the highest crime rate in West Wiltshire, was 10 times higher than the Woodrow area of Melksham, which had the least crime.

However this "evidence" shows that statistics can manipulated to serve a purpose and merely highlight the fact that any increase on a very low base shows as a large increase in % terms . In figures produced by Wiltshre Police authority The UK national average for Robbery is 1.85 per 1000 population , Trowbridge shows a figure of 0.2 and so the figures go on to reflect the following per 1000 population. Theft of Motor Vehicle nationally 4.04 , Trowbridge 1.36 Theft from a motor vehicle Nationally 9.56 Trowbridge 3.52 Sexual offences Nationally 1.17 Trowbridge 0.98 Violence against a person Nationally 19.97 Trowbridge 13.19 Burglary Nationally 5.67 Trowbridge 1.88

Town twinning

See also

References

  1. ^ http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=800774&c=Trowbridge&d=16&e=15&g=498669&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779
  2. ^ A view echoed by Daily Telegraph columnist Paddy Burt who, when asked during a visit to nearby Bradford-on-Avon if she was from Trowbridge, replied "Do I look as if I am?" Saturday 21st July 2007 (Number 47316)
  3. ^ http://www.westwiltshire.gov.uk/index/business/economic-development/econdev-regeneration/transforming-trowbridge/transforming-trowbridge-background.htm
  4. ^ http://www.duffy.co.uk/datasheets/TROWBRIDGE.jpg
  5. ^ http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1258369.mostviewed.supermarket_plan_for_ushers_site.php
  6. ^ http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/display.var.1442566.0.council_supports_35m_revamp_plan.php
  7. ^ http://www.mpc-data.co.uk/aboutus/where_we_are.htm
  8. ^ http://www.wiltshire-pa.gov.uk/pub_crmdrgaudit.asp
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