| Great Somerford | |
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Great Somerford
Great Somerford shown within Wiltshire |
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| Population | 737 (2001) |
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| OS grid reference | ST963826 |
| Unitary authority | Wiltshire |
| Ceremonial county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CHIPPENHAM |
| Postcode district | SN15 5 |
| Dialling code | 01249 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | North Wiltshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Great Somerford is a village within Dauntsey Vale, Wiltshire, England, situated next to the river Avon. It lies approximately 85 miles (137 km) west of London and 12 miles (19 km) west of Swindon.
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The village was once served by a railway station, on the Malmesbury to Dauntsey branch of the Great Western Main Line. The station, then known simply as "Somerford", was opened with the line in 1877, and a goods facility added in January 1879. In January 1903 a station on the Wootton Bassett to Badminton line was opened at nearby Little Somerford, and the station at Great Somerford renamed "Great Somerford" for clarity; the Little Somerford route was much more popular, and rail traffic through Great Somerford declined steeply. The station there was downgraded to "Great Somerford Halt" in May 1922; by the time it closed altogether (along with the rest of the Malmesbury branch) in 1933 it was averaging one passenger per two trains.[1][2]
Since 2007 the Volunteer Inn has been owned by local brewer, Arkell's. It has a large events room to the rear of the pub and is host to several village skittles teams. [3][4][5]
Skittles Teams
In total there are three remaining World War 2 pillboxes in the village.
Pillbox #1
The first pillbox is facing the river and a disused railway. In 2007 The pillbox was graffitied severely and stayed that way for some time until the end of 2007 when the Parish Council re-painted the pillbox a khaki white.
Pillbox #2
The second pillbox is on the edge of a medium sized field next to the Avon River. There has been no damage to this pillbox, though in torrential rain it does tend to flood.
Pillbox #3
The third pillbox is situated along the left of Dauntsey Road opposite a small cottage. Recently the pillbox has been cleared of the covering thornbush as the 2008 Dauntsey Horse Trials took place.
Great Somerford falls within the North Wiltshire constituency for elections to the House of Commons; the member of parliament is James Gray.