Kemble, Gloucestershire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kemble is a village in Gloucestershire, England. It lies just four miles from Cirencester and is the closest settlement to the source of the River Thames. Kemble is also a locational surname, which means "One who came from Kemble". Kemble Church serves the Parish comprising the communities of Kemble, Ewen, Poole Keynes, Somerford Keynes and Shorncote.^[1]

Kemble used to be an important railway junction, the Golden Valley Line from Swindon to Cheltenham passes through the village and branch lines from Cirencester and Tetbury met here. Today, although the branch lines were dismantled in the 1960s, Kemble railway station is still important for passengers travelling to or from Cirencester.

Kemble is in an area of early historic settlement. Vestiges of much earlier habitation can be found somewhat to the south in the form of Beverston Castle and Calcot Manor. According to Lumina Technologies^[2] the ancient Calcot complex structures are relicts along an ancient Roman road, indicating the prominence of this locale in Romano-British history.

Kemble Airfield on the edge of the village once hosted the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display team. The Bristol Aero collection has a museum at the airfield.

The village has many services to offer. The railway station has a direct link to Swindon and London (Paddington Station) in one direction, then to Gloucester and Cheltenham to the North. There is an excellent, recently extended primary school with extensive playing fields, and has around 100 pupils. There is also a local pub, "The Tavern", right next to the station and a there is also a combined Post Office and local store which provides most essentials. The village of Kemble has its own website with colour photographs, including aerial photographs, of the village. There is a book written about Kemble and two of the neighbouring villages.