| Kington St Michael | |
South end of the village |
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Kington St Michael
Kington St Michael shown within Wiltshire |
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| Population | 685 (2001 Census)[1] |
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| OS grid reference | ST9077 |
| Parish | Kington St Michael |
| Unitary authority | Wiltshire |
| Ceremonial county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Chippenham |
| Postcode district | SN14 |
| Dialling code | 01249 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | North Wiltshire |
| Website | Kington St Michael Village Website |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Kington St Michael is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Chippenham in Wiltshire.
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Kington St Michael is about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of junction 17 of the M4 motorway and Chippenham and about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the A350.
The village is largely a linear village based on its main street, which runs from southeast to northwest, where Honey Knob Hill leads into open countryside heading towards Grittleton.[2]
The nearby Easton Piercy is a hamlet and part of the parish.[3]
There is evidence of habitation of the area in the New Stone Age and Bronze Ages. The first named settlement dates to about AD 934, when it was known as "Kington". Later known as "Kington Minchin" during the early existence of Kington St. Michael Priory, it became "Kington St Michael" in 1279 when the church was rededicated to St Michael.[4]
A market cross was adjacent to the Priory and according to Aubrey, sold staple foods. A Michaelmas Fair was also noted for its "ale and geese".[4]
The main activity in the village was agriculture for many years, although there is some evidence of a small textile industry.[4] In about 1760 the Chippenham to Malmesbury road (now the A350) was made a turnpike, and Kington benefited from the increase in traffic, by the end of the 18th century supporting "tailors, two blacksmiths and a carpenter ... [and] a slaughterhouse, malthouse and public house". By 1851 the range of occupations reported in the village had expanded further.[4]
The village has several Grade II listed buildings. Grade II* listed buildings include St Michael's parish church and a group of monuments in the churchyard.[5]
Following the closure of the local Post Office on 2nd April 2008, there is now a community owned shop, staffed by volunteers, operating from part of the village hall and providing local produce and an off-licence. It is staffed mainly by local residents and also offers PostPoint postal facilities.[6][7]
The village has one primary school, Kington St Michael Church of England school, a voluntary controlled school with a catchment area including the village itself and parts of north Chippenham.[8] It has around 110 pupils and is described by Ofsted as "a good school with significant outstanding features. The level of care and support the school provides is outstanding."[9]
The village has one public house, The Jolly Huntsman. It dates back to the 18th century, when beer was brewed on the premises and it was named The White Horse Brewery, it is now a free house. It has been included in the CAMRA "Good Beer Guide" since 2006 and was named "Regional Pub of the Year" in 2010.[10]