Bradford on Avon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bradford on Avon (sometimes Bradford-on-Avon) is a town in west Wiltshire, England with a population of about 9,326.[1] It is the smallest of the five towns in West Wiltshire. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists.
The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins. It has several buildings dating to the 17th century, when the town grew due to the thriving wool textile industry.
| Bradford on Avon | |
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| Population | 9,326 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | West Wiltshire |
| Shire county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bradford on Avon |
| Postcode district | BA15 |
| Dial code | 01225 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| UK Parliament | Westbury |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Contents |
[edit] Location
The town lies partly on the Vale of Pewsey and partly on the hill that marks the Vale's western edge, 8 miles southeast of Bath, in the hilly countryside between the Mendip Hills, Salisbury Plain and the Cotswold Hills. The Mendips provide the Jurassic limestone (Bath Stone) from which the older buildings are made. The River Avon (the Bristol Avon) runs through the town.
The town lies on the Bath—Weymouth railway line, which opened in the mid-19th century and was laid by the original (pre-grouping) Great Western Railway. Northwards the line runs past Avoncliff and Freshford stations, and joins the Great Western main line east of Bath. Trains run to Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff. Southwards, the line is joined by the minor Melksham branch from Chippenham shortly before Trowbridge. At Westbury the line crosses the main London to Plymouth line. From Westbury, trains run to Southampton, Portsmouth or Weymouth, and occasionally to Frome or Castle Cary.
Running parallel to the railway through the town is the Kennet and Avon Canal and Bradford Lock. The use of this canal declined as the railways grew but it was restored to full working order during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The canal provides a link through to the Avon at Bath in the West, and the Thames at Reading in the East.
[edit] History
The earliest evidence of habitation is fragments of Roman settlements above the town. In particular, archaeological digs have revealed the remains of a large Roman villa with a well-preserved mosaic on the playing fields of St Laurence School. The centre of the town grew up around the ford across the river Avon, hence the origin of the town's name ("Broad-Ford"). This was supplemented in Norman times by the stone bridge that still stands today. The Norman side is upstream, and has pointed arches; the newer side has curved arches. The Town Bridge and Chapel is a grade I listed building. It was originally a pack horse bridge, but widened in l7th century by rebuilding the western side.[2]
On the bridge stands a small building which was originally a chapel but later used as a town lockup. The weather vane on top takes the form of a gudgeon (an early Christian symbol), hence the saying "under the fish but over the water".
The river provided the power for the wool mills that gave the town its wealth. The town has seventeenth century buildings dating from the most successful period of the textile industry.
A notable feature of Bradford on Avon is the huge grade II* listed tithe barn,[3] The barn would have been used for collecting taxes, in the form of goods, to fund the church.
On October 8, 2003, Bradford on Avon was granted Fairtrade Town status.
[edit] Churches
Notable is the Saxon church (dedicated to St. Laurence), which may have been founded by St. Aldhelm around 700, and could have been a temporary burial site for King Edward the Martyr. It was re-discovered in the 19th century, having been used for secular purposes.
In addition to the Saxon church, the town has two Church of England churches, one Church of England chapel, two Baptist chapels, a United Reformed Church (Methodist and United Reformed), a free nonconformist church, a non-denominational charismatic Christian Fellowship, a Quaker (Society of Friends) meeting house and a Catholic church.
The original parish church has a dedication to the Holy Trinity, and is located near the town centre by the river. It is Norman in origin, and it is possible that the chancel was built over the remains of an older church. Several chapels were added on the north side, and the wall in between was later opened up and the chapels now form the north aisle. The tower and spire was built around 1480, replacing an older one, and the south wall was largely rebuilt in the 19th century.[4] The church has a ring of eight bells, with the tenor (heaviest bell) weighing 30cwt (1.5 tons).
The other Anglican church has dedication of Christ Church, and is entirely a Victorian construction.[5] The Catholic church, dedicated to St. Thomas More, occupies the building that used to be the town hall.[6]
[edit] Economy
Bradford is the headquarters of the Alex Moulton bicycle company. It has several other small scale manufacturing enterprises. In the past Bradford was the headquarters of Avon Rubber, a manufacturer of rubber products for the automotive and other industries.
The towns main business is shopping, tourism and day to day servicing of a population largely made up of families, commuters and the retired.
[edit] Local government
The most significant local government functions (including schools, roads, social services, waste disposal and emergency planning) are carried out by Wiltshire County Council.
The town also falls within the area of West Wiltshire District Council, which deals with leisure services, development control, and waste disposal. At the last district elections in 2003, it elected four members, all Liberal Democrats.
Bradford on Avon is a civil parish with an elected town council. This has a mostly consultative and ceremonial role, and the chairman of the town council has the title of Mayor of Bradford.
[edit] Trivia
- The origins of the band Jesus Jones can be traced back to the town. In 1986 Mike Edwards, Simon Matthews, Alan Doughty formed the band Camouflage, which later enjoyed million-selling success as Jesus Jones in America and the UK.
- Other well-known residents or ex-residents include Henry Shrapnel d.1842, (inventor of the 'shrapnel shell'), Miles Kington (journalist), rugby players Will Carling, Phil de Glanville, and Jon Sleightholme, Hugh Scully (television presenter), Jonathan Newth (actor) and Rob Newman (ex-footballer and current football manager).
[edit] References
- ^ Wiltshire Community History. Bradford on Avon Census Information. Wiltshire County Council. Retrieved on December 19, 2006.
- ^ The Town Bridge and Chapel. Images of England. Retrieved on August 24, 2006.
- ^ Tithe Barn. Images of England. Retrieved on August 24, 2006.
- ^ Holy Trinity Church. Images of England. Retrieved on August 24, 2006.
- ^ Christ Church. Images of England. Retrieved on August 24, 2006.
- ^ Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas More. Images of England. Retrieved on August 24, 2006.
