Minchinhampton
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Minchinhampton | |
Minchinhampton shown within Gloucestershire |
|
OS grid reference | |
---|---|
Parish | Stroud |
District | Stroud |
Shire county | Gloucestershire |
Region | South West |
Constituent country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | STROUD |
Postcode district | GL6 |
Police | Gloucestershire |
Fire | Gloucestershire |
Ambulance | Great Western |
European Parliament | South West England |
UK Parliament | Stroud |
List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire |
Minchinhampton is located on a hill top 4 miles south-south-east of Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, in the Cotswolds. The town is an ancient market town dating back to pre-1400. The town is twinned with Nkokoto, in Tanzania.[1]
Nearby is Minchinhampton Common, a recreation area for walkers and golfers. The Common is also used as grazing land for the cows of local farmers in the summer. On the Common are long parallel ditches and mounds which formed part of a large Iron Age fort. There are good views from the Common west over the Severn estuary into Wales, and east to the Golden Valley and further into the Cotswolds.
The main street in Minchinhampton has a few small shops and cafes, no Post Office and the Crown Inn. The main square has an early Market House, where a market is held every Thursday.[2]
The spire of the parish church of the Holy Trinity was pulled down for safety reasons in 1863 and now the stub has been completed with a "coronet" structure.
Minchinhampton was both the birthplace and country residence of Joanna Trollope.
Minchinhampton is close to Gatcombe Estate, the home of the Princess Royal, which hosts the Gatcombe Horse Trials in late summer each year. The twice-yearly craft fair at Gatcombe and summer visit of Gifford's Circus also add to Minchinhampton's appeal.[3]
Minchinhampton is also close to the former Ministry of Defence airfield, Aston Down, now used for gliding. The surrounding land and hangars are owned by the development firm Leda Properties. In 2005, following a Freedom of Information request, the local newspaper revealed that Aston Down is contaminated with arsenic, hydrocarbons and radium.[4] Since the site is located above a vulnerable aquifer, local residents have formed a
[edit] Notes
- ^ Stroud district twinning links. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Minchinhampton Country Market. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Gifford's Circus - Dates. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Toxic threat to water supply Stroud News and Journal. 17 August 2005