Twyning

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The Fleet Inn
The River Avon seen from the garden of the Fleet Inn.

Twyning is a village on the River Avon in the north of Gloucestershire, near Tewkesbury, England. The name derives from the Old English for "between the rivers";[1] despite its spelling, it is pronounced "twinning".

The village is divided into two parts, the older "Churchend", and "Twyning Green", where the populace are said to have moved to escape the Black Death.[citation needed] It has two pubs, The Fleet at Twyning by the river and the Village Inn overlooking the village green. Boats have traditionally ferried people up the river Avon from Tewkesbury to enjoy the Fleet's hospitality but the service is not currently operating.

There is also a small shop which houses a post office and a primary school of approximately 150 pupils. There are still a number of original black and white Tudor houses, although many were burned down (illegally) to make way for new developments in years past.[citation needed]

There is recreation complex called TRAC, that contains a park, three tennis courts, a 5-a-side football pitch and a pavilion. The village is fortunate to escape the floods that regularly blight this area, as it is situated on a slope up from the river. However, some properties (especially the riverside Fleet Inn) were affected in the great flood of 2007. The village is surrounded by fishing lakes and various places on the river for anglers.

Churchend

The older part of the village, Churchend, contains the village church which is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene.[2]

Twining surname

It is thought that the Twining surname is descended from, or at least connected to, the name of the village. A 15th century Abbot at Winchcombe Abbey, which is also in Gloucestershire, was called John Twining.[3]

The tea merchants, Twinings, are also thought to originate in Twyning. A branch of the family removed themselves to Painswick in the early Middle Ages and worked in the wool trade. In the 17th century Thomas Twining moved to London during a period of economic depression and began his tea business.

References

  1. ↑ Mills, A. D. (1996). The Popular Dictionary of English Place-Names. Parragon Book Services Ltd and Magpie Books. p. 336. ISBN 0-7525-1851-8. 
  2. ↑ Twyning, St Mary Magdalene - a church near you
  3. ↑ Genealogy of the Twining family'' Thomas Jefferson Twining, 1890

Coordinates: 52°1′50″N 2°8′50″W / 52.03056°N 2.14722°W / 52.03056; -2.14722


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