Kemble, Gloucestershire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kemble is a village in Gloucestershire, England.

It lies four miles from Cirencester and is the settlement closest to Thames Head, the source of the River Thames. Kemble is also a locational surname, meaning "One who came from Kemble". Kemble Church serves the parish comprising the communities of Kemble, Ewen, Poole Keynes, Somerford Keynes, and Shorncote.^[1]

Kemble was once 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 from Cirencester.

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

Kemble Airport 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. Aston Down airfield, three miles to the northwest, formerly belonged to the RAF but is now used for gliding by the Cotswold Gliding Club.

The railway station has a direct link to Swindon and London Paddington in one direction, and to Gloucester and Cheltenham in the other. There is a primary school with playing fields and around 100 pupils. There is also a local pub, "The Tavern", next to the station. A combined Post Office and local store provides most essentials. The village of Kemble has a website with colour photographs, including aerial photographs, of the village.