Fovant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Two of the Fovant Badges.
Two of the Fovant Badges.

Fovant is a medium-sized village in southwest Wiltshire, England. It is located between Salisbury and Shaftesbury in the Nadder valley. Its name is derived from the Old English Fobbefunta, meaning "spring of a man called Fobbe". It is principally known for several regimental badges cut in chalk into a nearby hill. These were created by soldiers garrisoned near Fovant during the First World War and are clearly visible from the A30 which runs through the village.

The Fovant Badge Society holds an annual 'Drumhead' Service which is attended by the Australian High Commissioner and local mayors and members of parliament. These services fund the war memorial which is the Fovant Badges, helping to conserve a part of the area's wartime history.

Originally with three pubs, an unusual occurrance in a small village, it currently has one functioning pub, The Pembroke Arms, which has changed ownership a number of times in recent years.

Fovant has a post office, a village shop and a doctor's surgery all at one end of the village. There is also a stream that runs through the village.

The post office is famous for having drivers crash into its front wall, mostly at night as the road bends round in an unexpected manner at the bottom of the hill.

Coordinates: 51°03′N, 2°00′W