Winchcombe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Winchcombe | |
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| Population | 4,379 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Tewkesbury |
| Shire county | Gloucestershire |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CIRENCESTER |
| Postcode district | GL5 |
| Dial code | 01242 |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| UK Parliament | Cotswold |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire | |
Winchcombe is a Cotswold town in the Local Authority District of Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, England. Its 2001 census population was 4,379.
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[edit] Early history
The Belas Knap long barrow to be found near Winchcombe, was constructed in about 3000 BC. Later, during the Anglo-Saxon period, Winchcombe was a chief city of Mercia, the others being Lichfield and Tamworth. Subsequently, during the 11th century, the town was briefly the county town of Winchcombeshire. The Anglo Saxon Saint St. Kenelm is supposed to be buried in the town.
[edit] Notable buildings
In Winchcombe and the immediate vicinity can be found Sudeley Castle and the remains of Hailes Abbey, which was one of the main centres of pilgimages in Britain due to a phial possessed by the monks said to contain the blood of Christ. There is nothing left of the now-vanished Winchcombe Abbey. St Peter's church in the centre of the town is famous for its grotesques.
[edit] Rail transport
Winchcombe was once served by a railway line, a relative latecomer in British railway history, which opened in the early 1900s by the Great Western Railway. The line ran from Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham and was part of a main line from Birmingham to the South West and South Wales. Winchcombe railway station, passenger services continued on this line until 1968, and freight until 1976 when a derailment at Broadway damaged the line. It was decided not to bring the section back into use and by the early 1980s it had been dismantled. The stretch between Toddington and Cheltenham Racecourse, including Winchcombe, has since been reconstructed and reopened as a heritage railway called the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. A new station has been erected at Winchcombe, on its original site, the building being the former station at Monmouth (Troy). Nearby is the 693 yard Greet Tunnel, the second longest on any preserved line in Britain.
[edit] Other public transport
A bus service, run by a company called Castleways Ltd, connects the town to Cheltenham, Broadway, Willersey and further afield on special services.
[edit] Public Houses
Winchcombe is the home to five pubs: The Old White Lion; The Sun Inn; The White Hart; The Plaisterer's Arms; and The Corner Cupboard.
[edit] Community radio
In April 2005, Winchcombe launched its very own community radio station [1] which broadcasts for 4 days a year.
[edit] Notable residents
For the last forty years of his life, the noted soldier, educator and poet Sidney Fooks made his home at Corndean, one mile outside Winchcombe.
| Following the Cotswold Way | |
|---|---|
| Towards Bath |
Towards Chipping Campden |
| 13.5 km (8 miles) to Cheltenham |
19 km (12 miles) to Broadway |
[edit] External links
- Winchcombe website - maintained by Winchcombe Business Forum
- Radio Winchcombe Community Radio for Winchcombe
- Winchcombe Info (photos, accommodation, etc)
- Winchcombe Parish (Church of England)
- Winchcombe Abbey Primary School
- Winchcombe School (secondary school, a Specialist Science School)
