Great Somerford
| Great Somerford | |
  Great Somerford Great Somerford shown within Wiltshire | |
| Population | 737 (2001) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
Amenities
- Church of St. Peter & St. Paul
- Fourways Store & Post Office
- Volunteer Inn
- Walter Powell Church of England Community Primary School
- Walter powell Pre-school
- Methodist Church
- Great Somerford Free Gardens, including allotments and the Jubilee Garden
- Somerfords AFC
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]
The Volunteer Inn
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]
Clubs and societies
- Great Somerford Bell Ringers
- Coffee Pots
- SFA-Somerford Fishing Association
- Somerford's Football Club
- Somerfords Garden Club (meets in Little Somerford Village Hall on the 3rd Thursday of most months)
- Great Somerford Bee-Keepers
Skittles Teams
- Press Gang
- Somerford Show
- The Volunteer
- Old C(offin D)odgers
- Trouble & Strife
- Somerford Teens
- Cupid Stunts
- Has Beens
River Avon
Great Somerford Measuring Station
In 1963 the Environment Agency constructed a river level measuring station consisting of one of the earliest compound crump weirs in Britain. [6] The typical river level range is between 16 and 75 centimetres. The highest level recorded was 2.43 metres. During the widespread flooding in 2007, the river level reached 2.06 metres on the 21st of July, whilst flooding in July 1968 drowned the entire structure. [6][7]
World War II pillboxes
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.
Political representatives
Great Somerford falls within the North Wiltshire constituency for elections to the House of Commons; the member of parliament is James Gray.
References
- ↑ Bavister, Roy; Bryan O'Donnell (31 October 2005). "Some notes on Great Somerford boundaries and Conservation Areas". North Wiltshire District Council. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ↑ "Rail". Athelstan Museum, Malmesbury. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
- ↑ "Arkells Volunteers for Service" (Press release). Arkell's Brewery.
- ↑ "Landlord's family 'Volunteer' to eat up" (Press release). Arkell's Brewery.
- ↑ Salisbury Journal - It's No. 107 for Arkell's Brewery, 28 November 2007
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Environment Agency - Great Somerford Measuring Station Specification
- ↑ Environment Agency - [www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120718.aspx?stationId=3027 River levels at Great Somerford Measuring Station]
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Somerford. |
- Arkell's Brewery - The Volunteer
- The Francis Frith photographic collection
- Photographs at the Geograph grid reference photography project –
- Parish Council page at the North Wiltshire District Council website
- NWDC Conservation Area Description, October 2005 (PDF) Retrieved 25 March 2007.
- Church of St. Peter & St. Paul
- Village Design Statement
- A Vision of Britain Through Time – A vision of Britain between 1801 and 2001. Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
- GENUKI – UK & Ireland Genealogy
- Lundy, Darryl. "Place Index - Great Somerford". thePeerage.com.
- "Somerford & District Horse Show". British Show Jumping Association.
- "Dauntsey Park Horse Trials". Dauntsey Park Eventing.
- Environment Agency - [www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120718.aspx?stationId=3027 River levels at Great Somerford Measuring Station]