Minchinhampton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Minchinhampton
Minchinhampton (Gloucestershire)
Minchinhampton

Minchinhampton shown within Gloucestershire
OS grid reference SO871008
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: UKEnglandGloucestershire

Coordinates: 51°42′21″N 2°11′10″W / 51.705783, -2.185981

The parish church, Minchinhampton, with its unusual "coronet" tower
The parish church, Minchinhampton, with its unusual "coronet" tower

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

pressure group, the Aston Down Action Group, in an effort to persuade local government and central government agencies to implement more stringent safety regulations.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Stroud district twinning links. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  2. ^ Minchinhampton Country Market. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  3. ^ Gifford's Circus - Dates. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  4. ^ Toxic threat to water supply Stroud News and Journal. 17 August 2005


[edit] External links