62-735: The Ridgeway Benefice is a group of parishes in Wiltshire , England, to the north of Marlborough . The parishes are Chiseldon with Draycot Foliat ; Ogbourne St Andrew , which also serves the hamlets of Ogbourne Maizey and Rockley ; and Ogbourne St George . The benefice is part of the Marlborough Deanery in the Diocese of Salisbury of the Church of England , which is part of the Christian , Anglican Communion . The benefice
124-460: A Center Parcs holiday village. It was the first stately home to open to the public, and the Longleat estate has the first safari park outside Africa and other attractions including a hedge maze . The house was built by Sir John Thynne and designed mainly by Robert Smythson , after Longleat Priory was destroyed by fire in 1567. It took 12 years to complete and is widely regarded as one of
186-676: A centre at Corsham Court in Corsham , and Oxford Brookes University maintains a minor campus in Swindon (almost 50 km from Oxford). Swindon is the UK's second largest centre of population (after Milton Keynes ) without its own university. Service Children's Education has its headquarters in Trenchard Lines in Upavon , Wiltshire. The county registered a population of 680,137 in
248-621: A film location, including: Libel (1959); several episodes of the BBC science-fiction television series Doctor Who , and for 30 years a Doctor Who Exhibition was hosted on the grounds, with an event celebrating the series's 20th anniversary being held at the house at Easter 1983; the Indian Hindi film Mohabbatein (2000); and the BBC show How to Improve Your Memory (2006). The music video for Toni Braxton 's 1993 single " Breathe Again "
310-466: A golden great bustard , which had been extinct in England since 1832 but is now the subject of a breeding programme on Salisbury Plain . It is surrounded by a green and white circle, representing the stone circles at Stonehenge and Avebury and also the six surrounding counties. The field consists of alternating green and white stripes, which reference the banner of arms of the council but also represent
372-760: A league record points tally of 103. After Salisbury City went into liquidation in 2014, a new club, Salisbury , was formed in 2015 and will play in the National League South for the 24/25 season. Wiltshire County Cricket Club play in the Minor Counties league. Swindon Robins Speedway team, who competed in the top national division, the SGB Premiership , had been at their track at the Blunsdon Abbey Stadium near Swindon since 1949. In 2020 they stopped racing due to
434-433: A proportion is caused orographically (uplift over hills). Autumn and winter are rainiest, caused by Atlantic depressions, which are then most active. Even so, any month can be the wettest or driest in a given year but the wettest is much more likely to be Oct-Mar, and the driest Apr-Sept. In summer, a greater proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. It
496-521: A result of elections held in 2021, Wiltshire Council comprises 61 Conservatives , 27 Liberal Democrats , seven Independents and three Labour members. Swindon Borough Council has 34 Conservative councillors and 23 Labour members. Until the 2009 structural changes to local government , Wiltshire (apart from Swindon) was a two-level county, divided into four local government districts – Kennet , North Wiltshire , Salisbury and West Wiltshire – which existed alongside Wiltshire County Council , covering
558-437: A village pond. When confronted by the excise men they raked the surface to conceal the submerged contraband with ripples, and claimed that they were trying to rake in a large round cheese visible in the pond, really a reflection of the full moon. The officials took them for simple yokels or mad and left them alone, allowing them to continue with their illegal activities. Many villages claim the tale for their own village pond, but
620-616: Is a stately home about 4 miles (7 km) west of Warminster in Wiltshire, England. A leading and early example of the Elizabethan prodigy house , it is a Grade I listed building and the seat of the Marquesses of Bath . Longleat is set in 1,000 acres (400 ha) of parkland landscaped by Capability Brown , along with 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of let farmland and 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of woodland, which includes
682-569: Is also home to a University Technical College , UTC Swindon , specialising in engineering. A second UTC, South Wiltshire UTC , was based in Salisbury but closed in August 2020. Wiltshire is one of the few remaining English counties without a university or university college; the closest university to the county town of Trowbridge is the University of Bath . However, Bath Spa University has
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#1732782398678744-403: Is distinctive in having a significantly higher number of people in various forms of manufacturing (especially electrical equipment and apparatus, food products, and beverages, furniture, rubber, pharmaceuticals , and plastic goods) than the national average. In addition, there is higher-than-average employment in public administration and defence , due to the military establishments around
806-497: Is frequent. In the summer the Azores high pressure affects south-west England; however, convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours. In December 1998, there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton (Somerset). Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection , though
868-535: Is often the northern half of the county that sees most of the showers with south-westerly winds in summer, whereas in the south of the county, the proximity of a relatively cold English Channel often inhibits showers. In autumn and winter, however, the sea is often relatively warm, compared with the air passing over it and can often lead to a higher rainfall in the south of the county (e.g. Salisbury recorded over 200mm of rain in Nov 2009 and January 2014). Average rainfall for
930-759: Is represented in the Football League by Swindon Town , who play at the County Ground stadium near Swindon town centre. They joined the Football League on the creation of the Third Division in 1920, and have remained in the league ever since. Their most notable achievements include winning the Football League Cup in 1969 and the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1970, two successive promotions in 1986 and 1987 (taking them from
992-470: Is run by Reverend Roger Powell. This Anglicanism -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Wiltshire Wiltshire ( / ˈ w ɪ l t . ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪr / ; abbreviated to Wilts ) is a ceremonial county in South West England . It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to
1054-408: The 2011 Census . Wiltshire (outside Swindon) has a low population density of 1.4 persons per hectare, when compared against 4.1 for England as a whole. Historical population of Wiltshire county: At the 2016 European Union membership referendum , Wiltshire voted in favour of Brexit . Wiltshire is represented by eight Parliamentary constituencies . Seven are entirely within the county, while
1116-714: The Boer War , World War I and World War II. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry lives on as Y (RWY) Squadron, based in Swindon, and B (RWY) Squadron, based in Salisbury, of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry . Around 1800, the Kennet and Avon Canal was built through Wiltshire, providing a route for transporting cargoes from Bristol to London until the development of the Great Western Railway . Information on
1178-675: The Dorset Downs in the west to Dover in the east. The largest area of chalk in Wiltshire is Salisbury Plain , which is used mainly for arable agriculture and by the British Army as training ranges. The highest point in the county is the Tan Hill – Milk Hill ridge in the Pewsey Vale , just to the north of Salisbury Plain, at 295 m (968 ft) above sea level. The chalk uplands run north-east into West Berkshire in
1240-887: The Fourth Division to the Second ), promotion to the Premier League as Division One play-off winners in 1993 (as inaugural members), the Division Two title in 1996, and their promotion to League One in 2007 after finishing third in League Two . Chippenham Town is the area's highest-ranked non-league football club; they currently play in the National League South after winning the Southern Premier League in 2016/17, with
1302-674: The Gazette and Herald and Wiltshire Times . Places of interest in Wiltshire include: Areas of countryside in Wiltshire include: Roads running through Wiltshire include The Ridgeway , an ancient route, and Roman roads the Fosse Way , London to Bath road and Ermin Way . National Cycle Route 4 and the Thames Path , a modern long distance footpath , run through the county. Routes through Wiltshire include: Longleat Longleat
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#17327823986781364-616: The Marlborough Downs ridge, and south-west into Dorset as Cranborne Chase . Cranborne Chase, which straddles the border, has, like Salisbury Plain, yielded much Stone Age and Bronze Age archaeology . The Marlborough Downs are part of the North Wessex Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), a 1,730 km (670-square-mile) conservation area. In the north-west of the county, on the border with South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset ,
1426-659: The Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in 1987. Other Grade I listed buildings on the Longleat Estate include: the stables, the orangery , and the boathouse and bridge over the lake. Longleat Safari Park opened in 1966 as the first drive-through safari park outside Africa, and is home to over 500 animals, including Rothschild's giraffes , Grant's zebras , Rhesus monkeys , rhinos , African lions , Amur tigers and grey wolves . Cheetahs , koalas and spotted hyenas are among
1488-731: The South Cotswolds constituency extends into southern parts of Gloucestershire. At the 2024 general election , the Conservatives won three seats ( East Wiltshire , Salisbury , and South West Wiltshire ); Labour two ( Swindon North and Swindon South ); and the Liberal Democrats three ( Chippenham , Melksham and Devizes , and South Cotswolds). The ceremonial county of Wiltshire consists of two unitary authority areas, Wiltshire and Swindon, governed respectively by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council . As
1550-530: The Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles , which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and other ancient landmarks. Much of the plain is a training area for the British Army . The city of Salisbury is notable for its medieval cathedral . Large country houses open to the public include Longleat , where there is also a safari park , and the National Trust 's Stourhead . The county, in
1612-500: The " M4 corridor effect", which attracts business, and the attractiveness of its countryside, towns and villages. The northern part of the county is richer than the southern part, particularly since Swindon is home to national and international corporations such as Intel , Motorola , Patheon , Catalent (formerly known as Cardinal Health ), Becton-Dickinson , WHSmith , Early Learning Centre and Nationwide , with Dyson located in nearby Malmesbury . Wiltshire's employment structure
1674-631: The 17th century, English Civil War Wiltshire was largely Parliamentarian . The Battle of Roundway Down , a Royalist victory, was fought near Devizes . In 1794, it was decided at a meeting at the Bear Inn in Devizes to raise a body of ten independent troops of Yeomanry for the county of Wiltshire, which formed the basis for what would become the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry , who served with distinction both at home and abroad, during
1736-414: The 261 civil parishes of Wiltshire is available at Wiltshire Council's Wiltshire Community History website which has maps, demographic data, historic and modern pictures and short histories. The local nickname for Wiltshire natives is " Moonrakers ". This originated from a story of smugglers who managed to foil the local Excise men by hiding their alcohol, possibly French brandy in barrels or kegs, in
1798-424: The 9th century written as Wiltunscir , is named after the former county town of Wilton . Wiltshire is notable for its pre- Roman archaeology . The Mesolithic , Neolithic and Bronze Age people that occupied southern Britain built settlements on the hills and downland that cover Wiltshire. Stonehenge and Avebury are perhaps the most famous Neolithic sites in the UK. In the 6th and 7th centuries Wiltshire
1860-561: The Covid-19 Pandemic and subsequently announced in 2022 that they would not be returning. Swindon Wildcats compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League , the second tier of British ice hockey, and play their home games at Swindon's Link Centre . A flag to represent Wiltshire, the "Bustard Flag", was approved by a full meeting of Wiltshire Council on 1 December 2009. It depicts in the centre
1922-698: The Flight into Egypt – worth more than £5m – was stolen from the drawing room in January 1995. It was found in a plastic shopping bag in London in 2002. Longleat staged the Red Bull Air Race in 2005. A copy of the painting The Fallen Madonna , a running joke from the BBC television sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! , was made for Henry Thynne and hangs in Longleat House. The house has been much used as
Ridgeway Benefice - Misplaced Pages Continue
1984-544: The Orangery. Henry Thynne, 3rd Marquess of Bath (1797–1837) was succeeded by John Thynne, 4th Marquess of Bath (1831–1896) who collected Italian fine arts. He employed John Crace , whose prior work included Brighton Pavilion , Woburn Abbey , Chatsworth House and the Palace of Westminster , to add Italian renaissance style interiors. Thomas Thynne, 5th Marquess of Bath (1862–1946) inherited in 1896. During World War I ,
2046-879: The UK average in 1998, and was only marginally above the rate for South West England. Wiltshire has 30 county secondary schools, publicly funded, of which the largest is Warminster Kingdown , and eleven private secondaries, including Marlborough College , St Mary's Calne , Dauntsey's near Devizes , and Warminster School . The county schools are nearly all comprehensives , with the older pattern of education surviving only in Salisbury , which has two grammar schools ( South Wilts Grammar School and Bishop Wordsworth's School ) and three non-selective schools. There are four further education colleges, which also provide some higher education: New College (Swindon); Wiltshire College (Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury); Salisbury Sixth Form College ; and Swindon College . Wiltshire
2108-621: The ante-library, with a magnificent Venetian painting on the ceiling; the Red Library, which displays many of the 40,000 books in the house; the Breakfast Room, with a ceiling to match the ante-library; the Lower Dining Room; the bathroom and bath-bedroom: the bath is a lead-lined tub of coopered construction , originally filled by hand from buckets and drained the same way; taps and drains are now provided. The lead lining
2170-475: The brother of Charles I ; the upper west corridor; the Grand Staircase; and the banqueting suite on the top floor: the furniture and interiors designed by Claire Rendall, the dining table commissioned from John Makepeace and the chandelier from Jocelyn Burton . The house was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1968. The formal gardens, pleasure grounds and parkland were listed Grade I on
2232-768: The chalk and grass of the county's downlands. The white can also represent peace, and the green joy, hope or safety. The flag has been registered in the flag registry of the vexillological charity the Flag Institute . Wiltshire has twenty-one towns and one city : A list of settlements is at List of places in Wiltshire . Local TV coverage is covered by BBC West and ITV West Country ; however, Swindon and Salisbury receive BBC South and ITV Meridian . The county's local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire , Heart West , Greatest Hits Radio South West and Greatest Hits Radio South (covering Salisbury and surrounding areas). County-wide local newspapers are
2294-524: The chalk into Greensand and Oxford Clay in the centre of the county. In the south west of the county is the Vale of Wardour . The south-east of the county lies on the sandy soils of the northernmost area of the New Forest . Chalk is a porous rock, so the chalk hills have little surface water. The main settlements in the county are therefore situated at wet points. Notably, Salisbury is situated between
2356-489: The chalk of Salisbury Plain and marshy flood plains. The county has a green belt mainly along its western fringes as a part of the extensive Avon Green Belt . It reaches as far as the outskirts of Rudloe/ Corsham and Trowbridge, preventing urban sprawl particularly from the latter in the direction of Bradford-on-Avon , and affording further protection to surrounding villages and towns from Bath in Somerset. Along with
2418-506: The county is around 800 mm (31 in), drier parts averaging 700mm (28ins)and the wettest 900mm (around 35ins). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added (GVA) of Wiltshire at current basic prices with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. The Wiltshire economy benefits from
2480-747: The county, particularly around Amesbury and Corsham . There are sizeable British Army barracks at Tidworth , Bulford and Warminster , and the Royal School of Artillery is at Larkhill. Further north, RAF Lyneham was home to the RAF's Hercules C130 fleet until 2011; the MoD Lyneham site is now a centre for Army technical training. Wiltshire is also distinctive for the high proportion of its working-age population who are economically active (86.6% in 1999–2000) and its low unemployment rates . The gross domestic product (GDP) level in Wiltshire did not reach
2542-636: The county. The south-west is also downland, and contains the West Wiltshire Downs , the Vale of Wardour to their south, and part of Cranborne Chase in the far south of the county. The north-west of Wiltshire is part of the Cotswolds , a limestone area. The county's two major rivers are both called the Avon; the northern Avon enters the county in the north-west and flows in a south-westerly direction before leaving it near Bradford-on-Avon , and
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2604-584: The finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain. It continues to be the seat of the Thynn family, who have held the title of Marquess of Bath since 1789; the eighth and present Marquess is Ceawlin Thynn . Longleat was previously an Augustinian priory . The name comes from " leat ", an artificial waterway or channel such as that which supplies a watermill . Sir Charles Appleton (1515–1580) purchased Longleat for Sir John Thynn in 1541 for £53. Appleton
2666-422: The formal gardens with a landscaped park and dramatic drives and entrance roads. Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath (1765–1837) employed Jeffry Wyatville to modernise the house and received advice from Humphrey Repton on the grounds. Wyatville demolished several parts of the house, including Wren's staircase, and replaced them with galleries and a grand staircase. He also constructed many outbuildings including
2728-430: The gardens around the house to allow for tourists. The safari park opened in 1966. Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath (1932–2020) was an artist and mural painter with a penchant for mazes and labyrinths: he created the hedge maze, the love labyrinth, the sun maze, the lunar labyrinth and King Arthur's maze on the property. Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath (born 1974) inherited in 2020. A Titian work, Rest on
2790-503: The house was used as a temporary hospital. During World War II , it became the evacuated Royal School for Daughters of Officers of the Army . An American hospital was also constructed in the grounds; Henry Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath (1905–1992) inherited in 1946. Faced with considerable death duties he sold large parts of the wider estates; to allow Longleat itself to survive, he opened the house to public visitors. Russell Page redesigned
2852-567: The house; and was succeeded by Thomas Thynne (1646–1682), and then Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth (1640–1714) who started the house's large book collection. Formal gardens, canals, fountains and parterres were created by George London with sculptures by Arnold Quellin and Chevalier David. The Best Gallery, Long Gallery, Old Library and Chapel were all added by Christopher Wren. Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth (1710–1751) married Louisa Carteret . Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath (1734–1796) employed Capability Brown who replaced
2914-488: The most recent additions to the safari park. Four lion cubs were born in September 2011, making a total of ten cubs born that year, and Disney named two of them Simba and Nala as part of a co-promotion agreement for the upcoming Lion King 3D film. Longleat House was built in the sixteenth century by Sir John Thynn on the site of a dissolved priory, and in 1949 became the first stately home in Britain to be opened to
2976-563: The operation of the Longleat Forest holiday village. The Longleat hedge maze is considered the world's longest, with 1.69 miles (2.72 km) of pathway. The layout was by maze designer Greg Bright. Over 16,000 English yews form the walls surrounding a central tower, and there are six raised footbridges. Longleat Woods ( grid reference ST795435 ) is a 249.9 ha (618 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, notified in 1972. Longleat Forest
3038-583: The possession of the crown and the church. At the time of the Domesday Survey , the industry of Wiltshire was largely agricultural; 390 mills are mentioned, and vineyards at Tollard and Lacock. In the succeeding centuries sheep-farming was vigorously pursued, and the Cistercian monastery of Stanley exported wool to the Florentine and Flemish markets in the 13th and 14th centuries. In
3100-473: The public on a commercial basis. The house, park and attractions are open from mid-February to the start of November each year. The 9,800-acre (4,000 ha) estate, of which the park occupies 900 acres (360 ha), has long been one of the top British tourist attractions, and has motivated other large landowners to generate income from their heritage in response to rising maintenance costs. Longleat leases 400 acres (160 ha) of land to Center Parcs for
3162-590: The rest of South West England , Wiltshire has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than counties further east. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). Although there is a marked maritime influence, this is generally rather less pronounced than it is for other south-western counties, which are closer to the sea. July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima of approximately 22 °C (71.6 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (33.8 °F) or 2 °C (35.6 °F) are usual and air frost
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#17327823986783224-464: The same area and carrying out more strategic tasks, such as education and county roads. However, on 1 April 2009 these five local authorities were merged into a single unitary authority called Wiltshire Council. With the abolition of the District of Salisbury, a new Salisbury City Council was created at the same time to carry out several citywide functions and to hold the city's charter. The county
3286-407: The south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon , and Trowbridge is the county town . The county has an area of 3,485 km (1,346 square miles) and a population of 720,060. The county is mostly rural, and the centre and south-west are sparsely populated. After Swindon (183,638), the largest settlements are the city of Salisbury (41,820) and
3348-589: The southern Avon rises on Salisbury Plain and flows through Salisbury, then into Hampshire. The far south-east contains part of the New Forest . Much of the county is protected: the Marlborough Downs; West Wiltshire Downs, Vale of Wardour, and Cranbourne Chase; and the Cotswolds are all part of designated national landscapes , and the New Forest is a national park . Salisbury Plain is noted for
3410-401: The story is most commonly linked with The Crammer in Devizes . Two-thirds of Wiltshire, a mostly rural county, lies on chalk , a kind of soft, white, porous limestone that is resistant to erosion, giving it a high chalk downland landscape. This chalk is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and stretching from
3472-409: The towns of Chippenham (37,548) and Trowbridge (37,169). For local government purposes the county comprises two unitary authority areas, Swindon and Wiltshire . Undulating chalk downlands characterize much of the county. In the east are Marlborough Downs , which contain Savernake Forest . To the south is the Vale of Pewsey , which separates the downs from Salisbury Plain in the centre of
3534-461: The underlying rock is the resistant oolite limestone of the Cotswolds . Part of the Cotswolds AONB is also in Wiltshire, in the county's north-western corner. Between the areas of chalk and limestone downland are clay valleys and vales . The largest of these vales is the Avon Vale . The Avon cuts diagonally through the north of the county, flowing through Bradford-on-Avon and into Bath and Bristol . The Vale of Pewsey has been cut through
3596-409: Was a builder with experience gained from working on The Old School Baltonsborough , Bedwyn Broil and Somerset House . In April 1567 the original house caught fire and burnt down. A replacement house was effectively completed by 1580. Adrian Gaunt, Alan Maynard, Robert Smythson , the Earl of Hertford and Humpfrey Lovell all contributed to the new building but most of the design was Sir John's work. He
3658-406: Was at the western edge of Saxon Britain, as Cranborne Chase and the Somerset Levels prevented the advance to the west. The Battle of Bedwyn was fought in 675 between Escuin , a West Saxon nobleman who had seized the throne of Queen Saxburga , and King Wulfhere of Mercia . In 878 the Danes invaded the county. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, large areas of the country came into
3720-425: Was filmed at the house & gardens. The tour of the house comprises: the Elizabethan Great Hall, with a minstrels' gallery; The lower east corridor, a wide room originally used as servant access to the main rooms. This now holds fine furniture and paintings. Also on display are two visitor books, one showing the signatures of Elizabeth II and Philip, the other Albert ( George VI ) and Elizabeth (the Queen Mother);
3782-413: Was replaced in 2005. The room holds the first plumbed-in flush lavatory in the house; the State Dining Room, with a Meissen porcelain table centrepiece; the Saloon; the State Drawing Room, designed by Crace; the Robes Corridor; the Chinese Bedroom; the Music Room, with instruments including a barrel organ; the Prince of Wales Bedroom, so named because of a large painting of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales ,
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#17327823986783844-426: Was the first of the Thynne 'dynasty' that have held unbroken ownership since the 16th century. Sir John's immediate descendants were Sir John Thynne the Younger (1555–1604) and then Sir Thomas Thynne ( ca. 1578–1639). Thomas's secret marriage to his family's enemy is said to have inspired Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet ; Sir James Thynne (1605–1670) employed Sir Christopher Wren to carry out modifications to
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