Warminster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Warminster | |
  Warminster shown within Wiltshire |
|
| Population | 30,100 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | West Wiltshire |
| Shire county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Warminster |
| Postcode district | BA12 |
| Dialling code | 01985 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Westbury |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 30,000 and is part of the West Wiltshire district. The town's name is believed to be derived from the name 'Were-minster'. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster church of St Denys sits on the River Were. The town was originally called "Minster-on-the-Were", this in time was shorted to Wereminster, which eventually became Warminster. [1] The name Warminster first occurs in the early 10th century. [1]
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[edit] History
The town was first settled in the Saxon period, though there are the remains of numerous earlier settlements nearby, including the Iron Age hill fort Battlesbury Camp and Cley Hill, the latter a site operated by the National Trust.
There are indications that a Middle Iron Age settlement may also have been situated just west of the town. [2]
The town's prosperity following the growth of the wool trade in the Late Middle Ages caused the erection of many magnificent structures, including the Minster Church of Saint Denys, in a yew grove sacred from pre-Christian times, and including an organ originally destined for the then under-construction Salisbury Cathedral.
[edit] Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages the town became famous not only for its wool and cloth trade but also for its great prosperity as a corn market (it was second only to Bristol in the West of England). Many of the buildings which survive in the Market Place owe their origin to the great corn market days when they were used as stores and warehouses, or as inns and hostelries for the buyers and sellers who came from many miles around.
[edit] Civil War
During the Civil War (1642-1645) the town is thought to have changed hands at least four times between the Royalist and Parliamentary supporters. When James II came to the throne in 1685 the local gentry and the Wiltshire Militia supported him against the Duke of Monmouth who was defeated.[3]
[edit] 20th Century
During the First World War thousands of soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada were camped in the villages around Warminster.[3]
In the 1960s and early 1970s Cradle Hill became famous as the centre of a flap surrounding UFOs and crop circles with at least one author claiming that as many as 5000 UFOs had been witnessed in the area.
[edit] Religious History
Warminster is close to Stonehenge and may have some pre-Christian roots, however the modern town was founded in Anglo-Saxon times. In the North-west of the Diocese of Salisbury Warminster is a minster town in Rural Wiltshire. The Town is divided into three Church of England Parishes, and is also served by other traditions and denominations. The three Parish Churches in the town are all in the Episcopal Area of Ramsbury served by the Bishop of Ramsbury (Anglican) currently the Rt Rev'd Stephen Conway.
[edit] The Minster (St Denys.)
The Minster church dates back to the 1100’s when it was built by the Normans to replace the earlier Saxon minster. Since then it has been modified on several occasions. It was remodelled in the 14th century and additions were made in the late 15th or early 16th century, but by 1626 the church was reported to be “mightily in decay”. As a result extensive repairs were carried out from 1626 to 1629. From 1887 to 1889 the Minster was mostly rebuilt in the perpendicular style by Sir Arthur Blomfield. All that remains of the old church are the central tower, south wall of the chancel and the south porch. During the late 20th century, a kitchen, toilets and a meeting place were installed in the west end.
The worship is mainly Eucharistic and uses both traditional and modern Anglican services. There is a service of BCP Holy Communion at 8 O'clock every Sunday followed by a Sung Eucharist at 9.30 am. Informal worship is offered in the afternoons. Creche facilities and a Sunday school are always available.
The Minster was part of the 'Cley Hill' team ministry, but this was changed on 1st December 2007 when the Minster once again became a separate Parish of Warminster St Denys. The villages that had been part of the Minster benefice became the Cley Hill Villages which incorporates the following Churches:
Brixton Deverill: St Michael
Kingston Deverill: St Mary
Longbridge Deverill: St Peter & St Paul
Corsley: St Margaret of Antioch
Corsley: St Mary
Chapmanslade: St Philip & St James
Horningsham: St John the Baptist benefice
In 2007 Revd. Harvey Gibbons was installed as Priest-in-Charge of the Minster. In 2008 as Rector of Warminster St Denys and St. Mary's, Upton Scudamore
[edit] Christ Church
Christ Church serves a Parish on the southern side of Warminster. The Church is evangelical in tradition and the 9.30 family service on Sundays is lively, although the Church welcomes people of all traditions, the 11am Sunday Morning Worship service is more reflective in style and spirituality.
The Church was built in 1830 to serve what was then Warminster Common.
During the late 1960's an attempt was made to modernise the worship in the Church, and a nave Altar was built. This was a very controversial move and led, eventually, to a consistory court.
In 2004 Christ Church under went a redevelopment project that removed the controversial Nave Altar and pews, and created a modern and functional welcome / fellowship area in the lobby of the Church building. The result is a crisp, attractive and very functional Church building, with modern AV system.
The current Vicar, Peter Hunter was installed in 1997.
[edit] St John the Evangelist
St John's was built in a field called Picked Acre alongside Boreham Road.
The eight acres of land was given for a church and churchyard, together with an endowment for its upkeep, by William Temple of Bishopstrow House in 1859.
St John's Church was completed in 1865.
The baptistry at the west end was designed by architect Charles Ponting with London glaziers J Powell and Sons of Whitefriars providing the mosaic tile decoration around 1912.
Revd. Denis Brett is Rector of St Johns.
[edit] Warminster Baptist Church
Warminster Baptist Church is a vibrant, growing church of all ages located in North Row. It offers inspiring worship, a warm welcome, loving fellowship, relevant teaching and to empower people to use their gifts to introduce others to Jesus Christ.
From 2002 until 23rd March 2008 Rev. Martin Robinson was Minister of WBC [4]
[edit] Warminster United Church
Warminster United Church is an ecumenical fellowship that is within the Methodist and Reformed tradition situated in George Street. [5]
[edit] St George's Roman Catholic Church
St George's Roman Catholic Church is located in Boreham Road.
The parish is on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain, and reaches out into the Wiltshire countryside serving the people of the town of Warminster and the many villages around; and also serves the Mass Centre of St Mary in Mere at the south part of the parish.
[edit] Military
Warminster has strong military connections. It is the home of the Land Warfare Centre — formerly the Army's School of Infantry — and abuts the Salisbury Plain Training area (SPTA), which is large enough to exercise a Battlegroup and which is dotted with Royal Artillery live-firing ranges. The Small Arms School Corps and Headquarters Infantry are also based in the town.
During a training exercise in World War II, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie MC crashed his tank into a house.[1]
[edit] Suburbs
Warminster has five main suburban areas, namely Sambourne, Woodcock, Bugley, Boreham and Warminster Common
[edit] UFO Sightings
In the 1960s and early 1970s Cradle Hill became famous as the centre of a flap surrounding UFOs and crop circles with at least one author claiming that as many as 5000 UFOs had been witnessed in the area.
Some of these sightings have been refuted and at least one exponent of the UFO phenomenon has admitted faking photographic evidence.
[edit] Transport
The town is served by Warminster railway station. Wilts & Dorest Buses, First Great Western Buses and is on the Main A36 (East-West) and A350 (North-South) Trunk roads.
[edit] Twinnings
[edit] Sources
- ^ a b c Warminster Online, Accessed July 2007, online
- ^ Alby's Warminster Pages Accessed January 2008, online
- ^ a b Virtual Warminster, Accessed July 2007, online
- ^ Warminster Baptist Church http://warminsterbaptistchurch.davesimpson.co.uk/ online
- ^ Warminster United Church http://www.unitedchurchwarminster.org.uk/ online
[edit] References
[edit] External links
General Warminster
- Warminster - An Online Guide
- Warminster Forum - Online Town Forum
- A Chronology of Warminster
- Historic Warminster photos at BBC Wiltshire
- Wiltshire Times - Warminster reporter - Victoria Ashford
- Warminster Website
- Alby's Warminster
- Warminster Highbury Youth Football Club
Churches and Places of Worship
- Christ Church, Warminster
- Warminster United Church
- Warminster Baptist Church
- St Georges Roman Catholic Church
- Salisbury Diocese
Forums
UFO Phenomenon and Hoax
- An Admission of Faked Photographs
- UFO Warminster - guide to the phenomena experienced during the 1960s and 70s
[edit] Further reading on the UFO phenomena
[edit] Supportive
- Shuttlewood, Arthur (1967). The Warminster Mystery. London: Neville Spearman.
- Shuttlewood, Arthur (1978). The Flying Saucerers. London: Sphere Books. ISBN 0722178077.
- Goodman, Kevin (2007). UFO Warminster: Cradle of Contact. Reading: Swallowtail Publishing. ISBN 0955119014.
[edit] Skeptical
- Dewey, Steve and John Ries (2006). In Alien Heat: The Warminster Mystery Revisited. San Antonio, Texas, US: Anomalist Books. ISBN 1-933665-02-5.
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