- published: 19 Jul 2009
- views: 18983
- author: wiltshireweb
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- A350 road
- A417 road
- Adult education
- Aescwine of Wessex
- Agronomy
- Alcatel-Lucent
- Amesbury
- Andrew Murrison
- Anglo-Italian Cup
- Anglo-Saxons
- Archaeology
- Area
- Avebury
- Avon Valley Path
- Azores
- Barbury Castle
- Bath Spa University
- Bath, Somerset
- Beckhampton Avenue
- Becton-Dickinson
- Bedford Borough
- Bedfordshire
- Bedwyn
- Bentley Wood
- Berkshire
- Biddestone
- Blackpool
- Blunsdon
- Borough of Halton
- Borough of Poole
- Borough of Swindon
- Bournemouth
- Bowood House
- Bracknell Forest
- Bradford on Avon
- Brandy
- Brighton and Hove
- Bristol
- British Army
- Bronze Age
- Buckinghamshire
- Bulford
- Caen Hill Locks
- Calne
- Cambridgeshire
- Cardinal Health
- Castle Combe
- Castle Hill, Mere
- Catalent
- Central Bedfordshire
- Chalk
- Chalk Group
- Cheltenham
- Cherhill White Horse
- Cheshire
- Cheshire East
- Chippenham
- Chisbury Chapel
- Christchurch, Dorset
- City of London
- Claire Perry
- Clay
- Comprehensive school
- Contraband
- Convection
- Convective
- Cornwall
- Cornwall Council
- Corsham
- Corsham Court
- Cotswold District
- Cotswold Water Park
- Cotswolds
- Country park
- County Durham
- County town
- Cranborne Chase
- Cricklade
- Cumbria
- Damson Brook
- Dauntsey's School
- Defense (military)
- Derby
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- Devizes
- Devizes Guardians
- Devon
- Districts of England
- Domesday Survey
- Dorset
- Dorset Downs
- Dover
- Downland
- Duncan Hames
- Dyson (company)
- East Devon
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- Edington Priory
- Electrical equipment
- English Civil War
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- Ermin Street
- Essex
- European Parliament
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- Honda
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- Larkhill
- Leicester
- Leicestershire
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- List of zoos
- Littlecote House
- Longleat
- Low-pressure area
- Ludgershall Castle
- Luton
- Lydiard Country Park
- M4 corridor
- M4 Corridor
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- Malmesbury
- Malmesbury Abbey
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- Marlborough College
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- Robert Buckland
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- Silbury Hill
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- Stone circle
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- Swindon
- Swindon (borough)
- Swindon College
- Swindon Robins
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- Tan Hill, Wiltshire
- Taunton Deane
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- Telford and Wrekin
- Temperateness
- Template SW England
- Template Wiltshire
- Tewkesbury Borough
- Thames Path
- The Courts Garden
- The Ridgeway
- Theater (structure)
- Thurrock
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- Westbury White Horse
- Westbury, Wiltshire
- Western Daily Press
- Westwood Manor
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- Wilton, Wiltshire
- Wiltshire
- Wiltshire College
- Wiltshire Council
- Wiltshire Horn
- Win Green Down
- Wokingham Borough
- Woodhenge
- Worcestershire
- Wroughton
- York
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A350 road
The A350 is a north-south primary route in southern England, that runs from the M4 motorway in Wiltshire to Poole in Dorset. Starting at junction 17 of the M4 motorway north of Chippenham (51°30′53″N 2°07′18″W / 51.5148°N 2.1217°W / 51.5148; -2.1217 (A350 road (northern end))), it goes past the small village of Lacock and then through the towns of Melksham, Westbury, Warminster, Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum, ending in Poole beside Poole Harbour, an English Channel port (50°42′31″N 1°59′35″W / 50.7087°N 1.9931°W / 50.7087; -1.9931 (A350 road (southern end))). There have been many bypasses built along the A350, including at Shaftesbury in the 1950s, Chippenham, Warminster, Blandford Forum and most recently south of Melksham at Semington. The Semington stretch was made wide enough for future carriageway 'dualling' should it be required. Most parts of the route are single carriageway with a few short tracts of dual carriageway.
The section between Chippenham and Warminster also takes in the towns of Melksham and Westbury, plus several villages. Nevertheless, this entire stretch of the A350 remains a single carriageway. This section frequently becomes congested due to the close proximity of several sizeable population centres over a relatively short distance (whose thousands of commuters are served by only a single-lane road), and the fact that it is also a major trunk road linking the M4 to the port of Poole, used by thousands of heavy goods vehicles each week.
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A417 road
The A417 is a main road in England.
It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place (around King Alfred's statue and thence to Faringdon, via Stanford in the Vale (speed-limited here to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)). At Faringdon, its traditional route over Folly Hill and down through the market place has been blocked by the more recent development of the A420. Turning left on the A420 and right at the next roundabout, through Faringdon, leads on to Lechlade, where it crosses the River Thames. It then runs past the Cotswold Water Park, through Fairford to Cirencester and thence to Gloucester and Ledbury, to a point south of Leominster, where it joins the A49.
From the start of the Cirencester bypass to Gloucester, the A417 forms part of a major new dual-carriageway route (A419/A417) connecting the M4 (junction 15) with the M5 at Gloucester (junction 11A). At the A429 roundabout on the older Cirencester bypass, the A417 follows the A429 north for 0.5 miles (0.80 km), where it once passed a Little Chef (removed during the recent creation of the Blunsdon Bypass), then resumes when it joins the newer bypass (which is also the A417). There is a large BP service station here and a Texaco one further north near a roadside restaurant. The 6-mile (9.7 km) Cirencester & Stratton Bypass opened on December 9 1997. This route carries traffic between the ports of the south coast and the industrial Midlands. The 4-mile (6.4 km) dual-carriageway North of Stratton to Nettleton Improvement opened on January 16 1998. The roundabout at the end of this section often has congestion during peak hours.
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Amesbury
Coordinates: 51°10′00″N 1°47′00″W / 51.1667°N 1.7833°W / 51.1667; -1.7833
Amesbury is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish, and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer—dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press—in 2002. It has a population of 8,907.
Eleanor of Provence, queen of England, died in Amesbury on 24/25 June 1291, and was buried in Amesbury Abbey.
Amesbury is located in southern Wiltshire, eight miles north of Salisbury. It sits in the River Avon valley on the southern fringes of Salisbury Plain and has historically been considered an important river crossing area on the road from London to Warminster and Exeter. This has continued into the present with the building of the A303 across the Avon next to the town. Originally the town developed around the water meadows next to several bends in the river, but in time has spread onto the valley hillsides and absorbed part of the military airfield at Boscombe Down.
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Avebury
Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, in southwest England. Unique amongst megalithic monuments, Avebury contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain. It is both a tourist attraction and a place of religious importance to contemporary Pagans.
Constructed around 2600 BCE, during the Neolithic, or 'New Stone Age', the monument comprises a large henge that is, a bank and a ditch. Inside this henge is a large outer stone circle, with two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown, although archaeologists believe that it was most likely used for some form of ritual or ceremony. The Avebury monument was a part of a larger prehistoric landscape containing several older monuments nearby, including West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill.
By the Iron Age, the site had been effectively abandoned, with some evidence of human activity on the site during the Roman occupation. During the Early Mediaeval, a village first began to be built around the monument, which eventually extended into it. In the Late Mediaeval and Early Modern periods, locals destroyed many of the standing stones around the henge, both for religious and practical reasons. The antiquarians John Aubrey and William Stukeley however took an interest in Avebury during the 17th century, and recorded much of the site before its destruction. Archaeological investigation followed in the 20th century, led primarily by Alexander Keiller, who oversaw a project of reconstructing much of the monument.
wn.com/Avebury -
Bath, Somerset
Coordinates: 51°23′N 2°22′W / 51.38°N 2.36°W / 51.38; -2.36
Bath (
/ˈbɑːθ/ or /ˈbæθ/) is a city in the ceremonial county of Somerset in the south west of England. It is situated 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Bristol. The population of the city is 83,992. It was granted city status by Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590, and was made a county borough in 1889 which gave it administrative independence from its county, Somerset. The city became part of Avon when that county was created in 1974. Since 1996, when Avon was abolished, Bath has been the principal centre of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES).
The city was first established as a spa with the Latin name, Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") by the Romans in AD 43, although verbal tradition suggests that Bath was known before then. They built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills of Bath in the valley of the River Avon around hot springs.Edgar was crowned king of England at Bath Abbey in 973. Much later, it became popular as a spa town during the Georgian era, which led to a major expansion that left a heritage of exemplary Georgian architecture crafted from Bath Stone.
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Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire ( /ˈbɛdfərdʃər/ or /ˈbɛdfərdʃɪər/; abbreviated Beds.) is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.
It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east.
The highest elevation point is 243 metres (797 ft) on Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns.
As part of a 2002 marketing campaign, the plant conservation charity Plantlife chose the Bee Orchid as the county flower.
The traditional nickname for people from Bedfordshire is "Bedfordshire Bulldogs" or "Clangers", this last deriving from a local dish comprising a suet crust dumpling filled with meat or jam or both.
It is the 14th most densely populated county of England and the fifth most densly populated non-metropolitan county with over half the population of the county living in the two largest built up areas of Bedford (102,000) and Luton (236,000).
The first recorded use of the name was in 1011 as "Bedanfordscir," meaning the shire or county of Bedford, which itself means "Beda's ford" (river crossing).
wn.com/Bedfordshire -
Bedwyn
Coordinates: 51°22′44″N 1°36′07″W / 51.379°N 1.602°W / 51.379; -1.602
Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.
Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south-west of Hungerford and 6 miles (9.7 km) south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass through the village. Bedwyn railway station is at Great Bedwyn and is the terminus of the rail commuter service via Reading and London Paddington. It is a railhead for Marlborough which is served by buses that connect with the trains.
Position: grid reference SU278645
The battle of 'Bedanheafeford' between Aescwine of Wessex and King Wulfhere of Mercia in 675 is alleged to have been fought near Great Bedwyn. The battle was originally recorded in the 675AD entry of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The location of the battle has been associated with Crofton by local historians, due to placename interpretation, and the discovery of graves belonging to suspected battlefield victims in 1892.
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Berkshire
Berkshire ( /ˈbɑrkʃər/ or /ˈbɑrkʃɪər/, abbreviated Berks) is both a ceremonial county and a historic county of England. The administrative county of Berkshire including the Berkshire County Council were abolished in 1998. The county is often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and letters patent issued confirming this in 1974.
The ceremonial county has the same boundaries as the former administrative county, but historically the county was not co-terminous with this. The county borders the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Wiltshire and Hampshire. Historically the county included several towns to the northwest of the county (including Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage) that were moved into Oxfordshire in 1974 boundary changes. At the same time the town of Slough was moved into Berkshire from Buckinghamshire.
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Blackpool
Blackpool
i/ˈblækpuːl/ is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, 17.5 miles (28.2 km) northwest of Preston, 27 miles (43 km) north of Liverpool, 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Bolton and 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manchester. It has an estimated population of 140,000, making it the third most populous settlement in North West England after Manchester and Liverpool, and a population density that makes it the fourth most densely populated borough of England and Wales outside Greater London.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Early Modern period, Blackpool was a coastal hamlet in Lancashire's Hundred of Amounderness, and remained such until the mid-18th century when it became fashionable in England to travel to the coast during the summer to bathe in sea water to improve well-being. In 1781, visitors attracted to Blackpool's 7-mile (11 km) sandy beach were able to use a newly built private road, built by Thomas Clifton and Sir Henry Hoghton. Stagecoaches began running to Blackpool from Manchester in the same year, and from Halifax in 1782. In the early 19th century, Henry Banks and his son-in-law John Cocker erected new buildings in Blackpool such that its population grew from less than 500 in 1801 to over 2,500 in 1851. St John's Church in Blackpool was consecrated in 1821.
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Blunsdon
Coordinates: 51°37′N 1°47′W / 51.61°N 1.79°W / 51.61; -1.79
Broad Blunsdon is a village in the Borough of Swindon, England, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Swindon itself.
Together with the nearby villages of Blunsdon St Andrew and adjoining Lower Blunsdon, the settlement is usually known simply as Blunsdon. The A419 dual carriageway divides Blunsdon into Blunsdon St Andrew to the west and Broad Blunsdon to the east.
During the 2001 census 2250 dwellings were registered in the civil parish of Blunsdon St Andrew, though not all of these dwellings exist in the village of Blunsdon as the parish also includes the nearby developments of St Andrews Ridge, Ash Brake, Oakhurst, Redhouse and Groundwell West which part of the town of Swindon.
The village of Blunsdon St Andrew includes the ruins of Blunsdon Abbey, the Victorian mansion which was destroyed by fire in 1904. Although the property was insured, the death of Louisa Thomas, the mansion's owner, later that year, put an end to hopes of rebuilding. Among the items destroyed was a unique collection of Welsh Manuscripts assembled by Rachel Thomas, mother of David Alfred Thomas, later Viscount Rhondda It has now been converted into a caravan park. The nearby large-scale development on the edge of Swindon was named Abbey Meads after Blunsdon Abbey. In addition, a former manor house and listed building stood nearby, known as The Grange. This has recently been converted into apartments.
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Borough of Halton
Halton is a local government district in North West England, with borough status and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998. It consists of the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and the civil parishes of Hale, Daresbury, Moore, Preston Brook, Halebank and Sandymoor. The district borders Merseyside, Warrington and Cheshire West and Chester. The borough straddles the River Mersey - the area to the north (including Widnes) is historically part of Lancashire, that to the south (including Runcorn) part of Cheshire.
Although Halton dates back to the 12th century (and beyond) when land on both sides of the river belonged to the Barony of Halton, the origin of the District Council was the outcome of the local government commission's suggested reforms of England, in 1969, the Redcliffe-Maud Report. This proposed to create metropolitan counties constituted of Metropolitan District Councils in the most urbanised parts of England. The model was that of the London Boroughs and Greater London Council formed in 1964. South Lancashire and North Cheshire were two of these and two new Metropolitan Counties were to be formed around Liverpool (as 'Merseyside' county) and Manchester/Salford (as 'Greater Manchester' county.) however, the towns of Widnes and Runcorn (and the County Borough of Warrington) which lay between these were reluctant to join either. The Commission agreed that the Halton group and Warrington were to become District Councils within Cheshire, as they were detached from Lancashire by the two new Metropolitan Counties controlling the territory to the north. However, the Metropolitan Counties ceased as local government units (along with the GLC) in 1984 and any remaining powers were devolved to the constituent Metropolitan Districts which cooperated over joint police authorities and fire services.
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Bowood House
Bowood is a grade I listedGeorgian country house with interiors by Robert Adam and a garden designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. It is adjacent to the village of Derry Hill, halfway between Calne and Chippenham in Wiltshire, England. The greater part of the house was demolished in 1956.
The first house at Bowood was built circa 1725 on the site of a hunting lodge, by the former tenant Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet, who had purchased the property from the Crown. His grandfather Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, had previously been granted the lease by Charles II. Bridgeman got into financial strife, and in 1739 under a Chancery Decree, the house and park were acquired by his principal creditor Richard Long. In 1754 Long sold it to the first Earl of Shelburne, who employed architect Henry Keene to extend the house. The 2nd Earl, Prime Minister from 1782 to 1783, was created Marquess of Lansdowne for negotiating peace with America after the War of Independence. He furnished Bowood and his London home, Lansdowne House, with superb collections of paintings and classical sculpture, and commissioned Robert Adam to decorate the grander rooms in Bowood and to add a magnificent orangery, as well as a small menagerie for wild animals where a leopard and an orangutan were kept in the 18th century. Adam also built a fine mausoleum for the 1st Earl in the park.
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Bracknell Forest
Coordinates: 51°25′01″N 0°44′49″W / 51.417°N 0.7469°W / 51.417; -0.7469
Bracknell Forest is one of six unitary authorities within Berkshire in southern England. It covers the two towns of Bracknell and Sandhurst as well as surrounding villages including Crowthorne and Binfield. It also includes the areas of North Ascot, Warfield and Winkfield. Parts of the borough border neighbouring boroughs such as Wokingham Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. The south of the borough also borders onto Hampshire and Surrey.
Bracknell Forest was formed on 1 April 1974, as the non-metropolitan district of Bracknell. The district took on the territory of the former Easthampstead Rural District (in which the Bracknell new town had been developed). It changed its name in May 1988, at the same time as it was granted borough status.
On 1 April 1998, Berkshire County Council was abolished, as a consequence of the Banham Review, and Bracknell Forest Borough Council became a unitary authority. From 2008, references to 'borough' were phased out in favour of simply Bracknell Forest Council.
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Bradford on Avon
Coordinates: 51°20′49″N 2°15′04″W / 51.3469°N 2.2510°W / 51.3469; -2.2510
Bradford on Avon (sometimes Bradford-on-Avon) is a town in west Wiltshire, England with a population of about 9,326. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists.
The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins. It has several buildings dating to the 17th century, when the town grew due to the thriving English woollen textile industry.
The town lies partly on the Avon Valley, and partly on the hill that marks the Vale's western edge, eight miles southeast of Bath, in the hilly countryside between the Mendip Hills, Salisbury Plain and the Cotswold Hills. The local area around Bath provides the Jurassic limestone (Bath Stone) from which the older buildings are constructed. The River Avon (the Bristol Avon) runs through the town.
The earliest evidence of habitation is fragments of Roman settlements above the town. In particular, archaeological digs have revealed the remains of a large Roman villa with a well-preserved mosaic on the playing fields of St Laurence School. The centre of the town grew up around the ford across the river Avon, hence the origin of the town's name ("Broad-Ford"). This was supplemented in Norman times by the stone bridge that still stands today. The Norman side is upstream, and has pointed arches; the newer side has curved arches. The Town Bridge and Chapel is a grade I listed building. It was originally a packhorse bridge, but widened in the 17th century by rebuilding the western side. On 2 July 1643 the town was the site of a skirmish in the English Civil War, between Royalists who seized control of the bridge on their way to the Battle of Lansdowne.
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Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove is a unitary authority area and city on the south coast of England. It is England's most populous seaside resort. The major part of the city consists of Brighton, with around 155,000 people of the total population of 251,000. Consequently, people usually refer to the city as just "Brighton". Brighton and Hove's urban area has a population of over 450,000 people. The city is famous for its history as a seaside town, and more recently for its reputation of having a large gay community. The city is also famous for its football team, Brighton & Hove Albion FC (commonly known as just "Brighton" or "Albion"). They currently play in the Football League Championship at the Amex Stadium, opened in 2011.
In 1997, the two large towns of Brighton and Hove were joined to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, which was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the millennium celebrations in 2000.
Brighton and Hove forms part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation, the 12th largest conurbation in the United Kingdom. Along this area of the south coast, there is little or no gap of countryside between these large towns and city. Directly to the west is Southwick and then Shoreham-by-Sea, and a short distance to the east are Peacehaven and Newhaven. The city, district and urban areas of Brighton and Hove have the biggest populations in the South East England region.
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Bristol
Bristoli/ˈbrɪstəl/ is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007. It is England's sixth and the United Kingdom's eighth most populous city, one of the group of English Core Cities and the most populous city in South West England.
Historically within Gloucestershire, the city received a Royal Charter in 1155 and was granted County status in 1373. From the 13th century, for half a millennium, it ranked amongst the top three English cities after London, alongside York and Norwich, on the basis of tax receipts, until the rapid rise of Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester during the Industrial Revolution in the latter part of the 18th century. It borders the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire, and is also located near the historic cities of Bath to the south east and Gloucester to the north. The city is built around the River Avon, and it also has a short coastline on the Severn Estuary, which flows into the Bristol Channel.
wn.com/Bristol -
Bulford
Coordinates: 51°12′54″N 1°46′19″W / 51.215°N 1.772°W / 51.215; -1.772
Bulford (grid reference SU175435) is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, close to Salisbury Plain. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,698.
The name is derived from the Old English bulut ieg ford meaning 'ragged robin island ford'.
The village is separated from the site of Bulford Camp, an army base, and is close to Durrington, Amesbury and Larkhill. Avondale School in the village is a private preparatory school that educates, amongst others, some of the children from the army camp.
Bulford is perhaps most famous for being the site of the Bulford Kiwi a large chalk kiwi on the hill above the village.
The village is the site of the confluence of the Nine Mile River with the River Avon.
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Caen Hill Locks
Caen Hill Locks are a flight of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal, between Rowde and Devizes in Wiltshire England.
The 29 locks have a rise of 237 feet in 2 miles (72 m in 3.2 km) or a 1 in 44 gradient. The locks come in three groups. The lower seven locks, Foxhangers Wharf Lock to Foxhangers Bridge Lock, are spread over 1.2 km. The next sixteen locks form a steep flight in a straight line up the hillside. Because of the steepness of the terrain, the pounds between these locks are very short. As a result, 15 locks have unusually large sideways-extended pounds to store the water needed to operate them. A final six locks take the canal into Devizes. This flight of locks was engineer John Rennie's solution to climbing the very steep hill, and was the last part of the 87 mile route of the canal to be completed. Whilst the locks were under construction a tramroad provided a link between the canal at Foxhangers to Devizes, the remains of which can be seen in the towpath arches in the road bridges over the canal. A brickyard was dug to the south of the workings to manufacture the bricks for the lock chambers and this remained in commercial use until the middle of the 20th century.
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Calne
Coordinates: 51°26′07″N 2°00′15″W / 51.4353°N 2.00427°W / 51.4353; -2.00427
Calne ( /ˈkəln/) is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The town lies on the River Marden, the Wilts & Berks Canal and the A4 road 19 miles (31 km) east of Bath (the closest city), 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Chippenham and 13 miles (21 km) west of Marlborough. Wiltshire's county town of Trowbridge is 15 miles (24 km) to the southwest, with London some 91 miles (146 km) to the east. According to the 2001 Census, Calne's population numbered 13,606 inhabitants.
In AD 978 Anglo Saxon Calne was the site of a two-storey building with a hall on the first floor. It was here that St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury met the Witenagemot in order to justify his controversial Church reforms, which involved the secular priests being replaced by Benedictine monks and the influence of landowners over churches on their lands being taken away. According to legend, at one point Dunstan called upon God to support his cause, at which point the floor collapsed killing most of his opponents, whilst Dunstan and his supporters were in the part that remained standing. This was claimed as a miracle by Dunstan's supporters.
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Castle Combe
Coordinates: 51°29′41″N 2°13′11″W / 51.49463°N 2.21971°W / 51.49463; -2.21971
Castle Combe is a small village in Wiltshire, England, with a population of about 350. It is renowned for its attractiveness and tranquillity, and for fine buildings including the medieval church. The 14th century market cross, erected when the privilege to hold a weekly market in Castle Combe was granted, is situated where the three principal streets converge. Some small stone steps near the cross were for horse riders to mount and dismount and close by are the remains of the buttercross. The village has twice played host to the Combe Sunday event, a music extravaganza which attracted 4,000 visitors to the village in 2006.
The 4-star Manor House Hotel in the village was built in the 14th century. It has 48 rooms and 365 acres (1.5 km2) of gardens.
The village prospered during the fifteenth century, when it belonged to Millicent, the wife of Sir Stephen Le Scrope and then of Sir John Fastolf (1380–1459), a Norfolk knight who was the effective lord of the manor for fifty years. He promoted the woollen industry, supplying his own troops and others for Henry V's war in France.
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Castle Hill, Mere
Coordinates: 51°05′24″N 2°15′58″W / 51.090°N 2.266°W / 51.090; -2.266
Castle Hill is a fairly small yet noticeably steep hill rising from the Northwestern side of Mere, Wiltshire, England. The region is at the Southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain.
As the name suggests, a medieval castle stood on top of the hill for about 200 years. Apparently, the sides of the hill were artificially steepened, and it is generally supposed this was done for defensive reasons, but it is unknown whether this was done in medieval times or earlier, maybe even during the megalithic period. In this respect, Castle Hill may be compared with other unusual hills in Britain, such as Silbury Hill in Wiltshire. Little is known about the castle that once stood on its flattened apex. It is widely believed that stones from the castle were used when building some of the houses in Mere, yet even here there is much evidence to be collected.
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Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It was created from the merger of Bedfordshire County Council, Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire on 1 April 2009. The unitary council provides over a hundred services to 120,000 homes and over a quarter of a million people.
Since 1974, Bedfordshire had been governed as a shire county, mostly under the control of Bedfordshire County Council. It was divided into three local government districts, Bedford Borough, Mid Bedfordshire, and South Bedfordshire. Luton Borough became a unitary authority in 1997.
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. The four proposals considered were:
On 6 March 2008 the DCLG decided to implement Proposal 2. This meant that from 1 April 2009 there would be three unitary authorities in Bedfordshire: Bedford, Luton and the new Central Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council initially challenged this decision in the High Court, but on 4 April 2008 it was announced the Judicial Review in the High Court had been unsuccessful, and the County Council declared they would not be appealing the decision.
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Cherhill White Horse
The Cherhill White Horse is a hill figure on Cherhill Down, 3.5 miles east of Calne in Wiltshire, England. Dating from the late 18th century, it is the third oldest of several such white horses in Great Britain, with only the Uffington White Horse and the Westbury White Horse being older. The figure is also sometimes called the Oldbury White Horse.
'Cherhill' is pronounced as if spelt 'Cherrill'.
Facing towards the north-east, the Cherhill White Horse lies on a steep slope of Cherhill down, a little below the earthwork known as Oldbury Castle, and can be seen from the A4 road and the nearby village of Cherhill. A good viewpoint is a lay-by alongside the westbound carriageway of the A4 where it passes below the horse. From near here, a footpath climbs the hill towards the horse.
Near the horse is an obelisk called the Lansdowne Monument, visible in some photographs of the White Horse. This is a 38-metre stone structure, erected in 1845 by the 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne to commemorate his ancestor Sir William Petty.
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Cheshire
Cheshire ( /ˈtʃɛʃər/ or /ˈtʃɛʃɪər/; also known as the County Palatine of Chester, and archaically, as the County of Chester; abbreviated Ches.) is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although the largest town since county boundary changes in 1974 is Warrington (moved from Lancashire for administrative purposes in 1974). Other major towns include Widnes (also moved from Lancashire in 1974), Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow. Historically the county contained the Wirral, Stockport, Altrincham and other towns. The county is bordered by Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south, and Flintshire and Wrexham in Wales to the west. The county is a part of the Welsh Marches.
Cheshire's area is 2,343 square kilometres (905 sq mi) and its population is around 700,000. Apart from the large towns along the River Mersey and the historic city of Chester, it is mostly rural, with a number of small towns and villages that support an agricultural industry. It is historically famous as a former principality and for the production of Cheshire cheese, salt, bulk chemicals, and woven silk.
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Chippenham
Coordinates: 51°27′31″N 2°06′57″W / 51.4585°N 2.1158°W / 51.4585; -2.1158
Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located 21 km (13 mi) east of Bath and 163 km (101 mi) west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065, however, Council projections for 2009 estimate the population at 42,060.
The town was established on a crossing of the River Avon and is believed to have existed as some form of settlement since before Roman times. It was a royal vill, and probably a royal hunting lodge, under Alfred the Great. Kings lodge school, a primary school in Chippenham was named after King Alfred's Hunting lodge. The town continued to grow when the Great Western Railway arrived in 1841, and while historically a market town the economy has changed to that of a commuter town.
Chippenham is twinned with La Flèche in France and Friedberg in Germany. The town motto is "Unity and Loyalty".
Chippenham is set on a prominent crossing of the River Avon and lies between the Marlborough Downs to the east, the Cotswolds to the north and west and Salisbury Plain to the south.
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Chisbury Chapel
St Martin's Chapel, Chisbury is a Mediaeval former chapel next to the manor house in the hamlet of Chisbury, Wiltshire.
St Martin's was built in the early part of the 13th century. There are written records of it from 1246 onwards and its surviving architecture is contemporary with that period. The walls are faced with flint. The windows have the remains of good-quality Decorated Gothic tracery that suggests they were added in the latter part of the 13th century.
Between 1496 and 1518 St. Martin's lacked a priest, but it was served again from then until 1547. Thereafter St. Martin's lapsed from use for worship and was re-used as a barn. It was re-roofed with thatch in the 19th century and is a listed building, but in 1998 its condition was semi-ruinous.
It is in the guardianship of English Heritage.
Coordinates: 51°23′24″N 1°35′55″W / 51.3901°N 1.5986°W / 51.3901; -1.5986
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Christchurch, Dorset
Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically within Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in the county. It covers an area of 19.5 square miles (51 km2) and has a population of approximately 45,000, making it the fourth most populous town in the county.
Christchurch was founded in the 7th century at the confluence of the rivers Avon and Stour which flow into Christchurch Harbour. The town was originally named Twynham but became known as Christchurch following the construction of the priory in 1094. The town developed into an important trading port and was fortified in the 9th century. Further defences were added in the 12th century with the construction of a castle which was destroyed by the Parliamentarian Army during the English Civil War. During the 18th and 19th centuries smuggling flourished in Christchurch and became one of the town's most lucrative industries. The town was heavily fortified during Second World War as a precaution against an expected invasion and in 1940 an Airspeed factory was established on the town's airfield which manufactured aircraft for the Royal Air Force.
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City of London
The City of London is an area in central London, England. In the medieval period it constituted most of London, but the conurbation has grown far beyond it. As the City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though it remains a notable part of central London, holds city status in its own right, and is a separate ceremonial county.
It is often referred to as the City (often written on maps as "City") or the Square Mile, as it is just over one square mile (1.12 sq mi/2.90 km2) in area. These terms are also often used as metonyms for the United Kingdom's financial services industry, which continues a notable history of being based in the City.
The term London now refers to a much larger conurbation roughly corresponding to Greater London, a local government area which includes 32 London boroughs including the City of Westminster as well as the City of London. The local authority for the City, the City of London Corporation, is unique in the United Kingdom, and has some unusual responsibilities for a local authority in Britain, such as being the police authority for the City. It also has responsibilities and ownerships beyond the City's boundaries. The Corporation is headed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, an office separate from (and much older than) the Mayor of London.
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Cornwall
Cornwall ( /ˈkɔrnwɔːl/ or /ˈkɔrnwəl/;Cornish: Kernow [ˈkɛrnɔʊ]; Latin: Cornubia or Cornuvia) is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of 537,400 and covers an area of 3,563 km2 (1,376 sq mi). The administrative centre and only city is Truro.
The area now known as Cornwall was first inhabited in the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. It continued to be occupied by Neolithic and then Bronze Age peoples, and later (in the Iron Age) by Brythons with distinctive cultural relations to neighbouring Wales and Brittany. There is little evidence that Roman rule was effective west of Exeter and few Roman remains have been found. Cornwall was a division of the Dumnonii tribe—whose tribal centre was in the modern county of Devon—known as the Cornovii, separated from Wales after the Battle of Deorham, often coming into conflict with the expanding English kingdom of Wessex before King Athelstan in AD 936 set the boundary between English and Cornish at the Tamar. From the early Middle Ages, British language and culture was apparently shared by Brythons trading across both sides of the Channel, evidenced by the corresponding high medieval Breton kingdoms of Domnonee and Cornouaille and the Celtic Christianity common to both territories.
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Corsham
Coordinates: 51°26′N 2°11′W / 51.43°N 2.19°W / 51.43; -2.19
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England. It is at the southwestern edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 national route, which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath (7.5 miles / 12 kilometres) and Chippenham (4.5 miles / 7 kilometres).
Corsham was historically a centre for agriculture and later the wool industry, and remains a focus for quarrying Bath Stone. It contains several notable historic buildings, such as the stately home of Corsham Court. In World War II and the Cold War, it became a major administrative and manufacturing centre for the Ministry of Defence, with numerous establishments both above ground and in the old quarry tunnels. The early 21st century saw some growth in Corsham's role in the film industry.
Corsham apparently derives its name from Cosa's hām, "ham" being Old English for homestead, or village. The town is referred in the Domesday book as Cosseham; the letter 'R' appears to have entered the name later under Norman influence (possibly caused by the recording of local pronunciation.), when the town is reported to have been in the possession of the Earl of Cornwall. Corsham is recorded as Coseham in 1001, as Cosseha in 1086, and at Cosham as late as 1611 (on John Speed's map of Wiltshire). The Corsham area belonged to the King in Saxon times, the area at the time also had a large forest which was cleared to make way for further expansion.
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Cotswold District
Coordinates: 51°43′08″N 1°58′05″W / 51.719°N 1.968°W / 51.719; -1.968
Cotswold is a local government district in Gloucestershire in England. It is named after the wider Cotswolds region. Its main town is Cirencester.
It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the urban district of Cirencester with Cirencester Rural District, North Cotswold Rural District, Northleach Rural District and Tetbury Rural District.
Eighty per cent of the district lies within the River Thames catchment area, with the Thames itself and several tributaries including the River Windrush and River Leach running through the district. Lechlade in an important point on the river as the upstream limit of navigation. In the 2007 floods in the UK, rivers were the source of flooding of 53 per cent of the locations affected and the Thames at Lechlade reached record levels with over 100 reports of flooding.
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Cotswold Water Park
The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system. The lakes were created by extraction of glacial Jurassic limestone gravel,which had eroded from the Cotswold Hills, and these filled naturally after working ceased in the early 1970s.
Unlike the name suggests it is not a water fun park but a rural area with many lakes created by previous and current gravel extraction. It is a significant area for wildlife and particularly for wintering and breeding birds. The local Wildlife Trusts (Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) are involved in partnership with the Cotswold Water Park Trust in working with local communities and organisations in the area. The Cotswold Water Park Trust is an environmental charity working to improve all 40 square miles of the Cotswold Water Park for people and wildlife. The lake area is very varied and encompasses a wide variety of recreational activities including sailing and fishing.
It consists of 147 numbered lakeswhich were formed by allowing old gravel quarries to become filled with water.
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Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in southwestern and west-central England, an area 25 miles (40 km) across and 90 miles (145 km) long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The highest point in the Cotswolds range is Cleeve Hill at 1,083 ft (330 m), 2.5 miles (4 km) to the north of Cheltenham.
The Cotswolds lie mainly within the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, but extend into parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The hills give their name to the Cotswold local government district in Gloucestershire, which administers a large part of the area.
The name Cotswold is sometimes attributed the meaning sheep enclosure in rolling hillsides, incorporating the term wold meaning woodland. The English Place-Name Society has for many years accepted that the term Cotswold is derived from Codesuualt of the twelfth century or other variations on this form, the etymology of which was given 'Cod's-wold', which is 'Cod's high open land'. Cod was interpreted as an Old English personal name, which can be recognised in further names: Cutsdean, Codeswellan, and Codesbyrig, some of which date back to the eighth century AD. It has subsequently been noticed that "Cod" could philologically derive from a Brittonic female cogname "Cuda", which is the name of a mother goddess recognised in the Cotswold region.
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Cranborne Chase
Cranborne Chase (grid reference ST970180) is a chalk plateau in central southern England, straddling the counties Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The plateau is part of the English Chalk Formation and is adjacent to Salisbury Plain and the West Wiltshire Downs in the north, and the Dorset Downs to the south west. The scarp slope of the hills faces the Blackmore Vale to the west, and to some extent the Vale of Wardour to the north. The chalk gently slopes south and dips under clays and gravels.
An area of 379 square miles (981 square kilometres)of the Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the sixth largest AONB in the country. The highest point is Win Green, in Wiltshire, at 910 ft (277 m).
The downland has a long history with many earthworks and archaeology from the Neolithic age onwards. The dense woodland originally covering the downs would have gradually been cleared by the first farmers, but would have grown back repeatedly over the centuries as soils became exhausted and the agricultural carrying capacity of the land was exceeded several times over the course of six millennia. Much of the area therefore remained wooded from the Middle Ages until World War II.
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Cricklade
Coordinates: 51°38′24″N 1°56′42″W / 51.640°N 1.945°W / 51.640; -1.945
Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire in England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester.
On 25 September 2011 Cricklade was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's 'Champion of Champions' award in the Britain in Bloom competition.
Cricklade is twinned with Sucé-sur-Erdre in France. Cricklade's Latin motto is In Loco Delicioso, which means "in a pleasant place".
The 2001 census recorded Cricklade's population as 4,132.
There is a large clock, called the Jubilee clock, which was erected in 1898 in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee the preceding year. It stands outside The Vale Hotel in the High Street, where the Town Cross once stood. There are two replicas of the cross in Cricklade; one is in the churchyard of St Sampson's, the other at St Mary's, and there is local rivalry as to which one is now believed to be the original.
Cricklade was founded in the 9th century by the Anglo Saxons, who chose it for the fact that it is where the Roman road Ermin Street crosses the River Thames. It was the home of a Saxon royal mint.
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Cumbria
Cumbria ( /ˈkʌmbriə/, locally [ˈkʊmbɾiə]) is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle and the only other major urban area is the town of Barrow-in-Furness on the south-western tip of the county. It consists of six districts, and in 2008 had a population of just under half a million. Cumbria is one of the most sparsely populated counties in the United Kingdom, with 73.4 people per km2 (190/sq mi). In comparison, the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, in the south, has a population density over twelve times this at 921/km2 (2,385.3/sq mi).
Cumbria, the third largest ceremonial county in England by area, is bounded to the north by the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders, to the west by the Irish Sea, to the south by Lancashire, to the southeast by North Yorkshire, and to the east by County Durham and Northumberland.
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Dauntsey's School
Coordinates: 51°16′55″N 1°59′53″W / 51.282°N 1.998°W / 51.282; -1.998
Dauntsey's School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the village of West Lavington, Wiltshire, England. The School was founded in 1542, in accordance with the will of William Dauntesey, a master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.
The school was moved to its current site in the year 1895. The school occupies approximately 25 acres (100,000 m2) of land at the main school campus, though this was recently increased by the acquisition of a field behind the school. However, the school has yet to develop this land, and it remains a ploughed field with a bike park. The bike park featured in MBUK in 2004 when they held the 'Backyard Jam'. Where the Osiris BMX team did a show there, though the park has since been bulldozed by the school to avoid law suits as the local residents took to using it without permission. The school also owns a large portion of land approximately 15 minutes' walk (or a mile's drive) from the main school. The land has an old Manor building on it, which is used as a lower school boarding house, a wood, a golf course, a defunct swimming pool and an athletics track and now also a cricket pitch set in the walled garden.
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Derby
Derby (i/ˈdɑːbi/ DAR-bi), is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407. According to the 2001 census, Derby was at that time the 18th largest settlement in England, measured by urban area.
The city has Roman, Saxon and Viking origins.
The Roman camp of 'Derventio' was probably at Little Chester/Chester Green (grid reference SK353375); The site of the old Roman fort is at Chester Green. Later the town was one of the 'Five Boroughs' (fortified towns) of the Danelaw.
Djúra-bý, recorded in Anglo-Saxon as Deoraby "Village of the Deer". This popular belief is asserted by Tim Lambert who states, "The name Derby is derived from the Danish words deor by meaning deer settlement" without reference or proof. However some[who?] assert that it is a corruption of the original Roman name 'Derventio'. The proven origin of the name "Derby" would seem to be elusive.
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Derbyshire
Coordinates: 53°8′N 1°36′W / 53.133°N 1.6°W / 53.133; -1.6
Derbyshire (i/ˈdɑrbɨʃə/ DAR-bi-shər or /ˈdɑrbɪʃɪər/ DAR-bi-sheer; abbreviated Derbys. or Derbs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The southern extremity of the Pennine range of hills extends into the north of the county. The county contains within its boundary of approximately 225 miles part of the National Forest. It borders on Greater Manchester to the northwest, West Yorkshire to the north, South Yorkshire to the northeast, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the southeast, Staffordshire to the west and southwest and Cheshire also to the west. In 2003 the Ordnance Survey placed Church Flatts farm, near Coton in the Elms, as the furthest point from the sea in Great Britain.
The city of Derby is now a unitary authority area, but remains part of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. The non-metropolitan county contains 30 towns with between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants. There is a large amount of sparsely populated agricultural upland: 75% of the population live in 25% of the area.[citation needed]
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Devizes
Coordinates: 51°21′11″N 1°59′38″W / 51.353°N 1.994°W / 51.353; -1.994
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Chippenham and about 11 miles (18 km) east of Trowbridge.
Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week. It has nearly five hundred listed buildings, a large open Green at the heart of the town, some notable churches and a Town Hall. Its development has grown around the 11th century Norman castle.
Devizes Castle was built by Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury in 1080, but the town is not mentioned in the Domesday Book. Because the castle was located on the boundaries of the manors of Rowde, Bishops Cannings and Potterne it became known as the castrum ad divisas or "the castle at the boundaries", hence the name Devizes. On John Speed's map of Wiltshire (1611), the town's name is recorded as The Devyses. The first castle on the site was of the motte and bailey form and was probably constructed from wood and earth, but this burnt down in 1113. A new castle was built in stone by Roger of Salisbury, Osmund's successor. Devizes received its first charter in 1141 permitting regular markets. The castle changed hands several times during the civil war between Stephen of Blois and Matilda in the 12th century. The castle held important prisoners, including Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror in 1106. Robert was kept in Devizes for twenty years, before being moved to Cardiff Castle.
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Devon
Coordinates: 50°42′N 3°48′W / 50.7°N 3.8°W / 50.7; -3.8
Devon ( /ˈdɛvən/) is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although it has never been officially "shired" and that use often indicates a traditional or historical context. Nowadays, "Devonshire" is mostly a demonym.
The county shares borders with Cornwall to the west and Dorset and Somerset to the east. Its southern coast abuts the English Channel and its northern coast the Bristol Channel and Celtic Sea. The name "Devon" derives from the ancient Dumnonia, which was home to the independent kingdom of Brythonic Celtic speaking people who inhabited this area of the southwestern peninsula of Britain continuously from through the Roman era until partial absorption into the English-speaking Kingdom of Wessex some time in the eighth or ninth century, with some emigration to the sister Kingdom of Domnonee in Brittany taking place.
Devon is the fourth largest of the English counties by area and has a population of 1,141,600 making it the 11th most populous. The county town is the cathedral city of Exeter. In addition to Devon County Council, the county contains two unitary authorities (independent from Devon County Council's control): the port city of Plymouth and Torbay, a conurbation of seaside resorts. Plymouth is also the largest city in Devon. Much of the county is rural (including national park) land, with a low population density by British standards. It contains Dartmoor 954 km2 (368 sq mi), the largest open space in southern England. It is the only English county to have two separate coastlines – a north and southern coastline.
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Dover
Coordinates: 51°07′46″N 1°18′32″E / 51.1295°N 1.3089°E / 51.1295; 1.3089
Dover ( /ˈdoʊvər/; French: Douvres) is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings. The town is the administrative centre of the Dover District and home of the Dover Calais ferry through the Port of Dover. The surrounding chalk cliffs have become known as the White Cliffs of Dover, and the narrow sea passage nearby – the Strait of Dover. Its strategic position has been evident throughout its history: archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain. The name of the town derives from the name of the river that flows through River Dour. The town has been inhabited since the Stone Age according to archeological finds, and Dover is one of only a few places in Britain – London and Cornwall being other examples – to have a corresponding name in the French language, Douvres.
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East Devon
Coordinates: 50°40′44″N 3°14′20″W / 50.679°N 3.239°W / 50.679; -3.239
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth along with Axminster Rural District, Honiton Rural District and part of St. Thomas Rural District.
East Devon is covered by two Parliamentary constituencies, East Devon and Tiverton and Honiton. Both were retained in the 2010 general election by the Conservative Party.
In the 2001 census it was found that a third of East Devon's population were over 60. The average for England was 24%. East Devon also had a higher number of people living in 'Medical and Care Establishments' at 1.6% compared to the England average of 0.9%.
A large amount of East Devon is made up of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), East Devon AONB and the Blackdown Hills. AONBs have the same level of protection as National parks of England and Wales which restricts new developments, which protects the natural beauty of this district.
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East Sussex
East Sussex ( /ˈsʌsɨks/) is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.
East Sussex is part of the historic county of Sussex, which has its roots in the ancient kingdom of the South Saxons, who established themselves there in the 5th century AD, after the departure of the Romans. Archaeological remains are plentiful, especially in the upland areas. The area's position on the coast has also meant that there were many invaders, including the Romans and later the Normans. Earlier industries have included fishing, iron-making, and the wool trade, all of which have declined, or been lost completely.
Sussex is traditionally divided into six sub-divisions known as rapes. From the 12th century the three eastern rapes and the three western rapes each had separate quarter sessions, with the county town of the three eastern rapes being Lewes. This situation was formalised by Parliament in 1865, and the two parts were made into administrative counties, each with distinct elected county councils in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888. In East Sussex there were also three self-administered county boroughs: Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
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Edington Priory
Edington Priory in Wiltshire, England, was founded by William Edington, the bishop of Winchester, in 1332 in his home village of Edington. The priory church was built between 1352 and 1361.
What was originally a college for priests later became a monastery for Augustinian canons. The Catholic Encyclopedia claims that it was granted by Edward the Black Prince to the Brothers of Penitence.
The first rector, brought from Ashridge Priory, was John de Aylesbury, the last John Ryve. Edward VI granted the property to William Paulet, Baron St John; by the 19th century it belonged to the Watson-Taylor family.
During Jack Cade's rebellion in 1450, William Ayscough, Bishop of Salisbury and confessor to Henry VI, was forced to flee Salisbury. Seeking refuge in the church at Edington, he was discovered on June 29, dragged from the high altar during mass and murdered in the fields outside the church.
The church still stands today, a good example of the transition between the decorated and perpendicular style of church-building. It contains the burial monuments of several local notables, including tombs removed from St Giles at Imber during the early 1950s - following the evacuation of the village in 1943.
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European Parliament
The European Parliament (abbreviated as Europarl or the EP) is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU). Together with the Council of the European Union (the Council) and the European Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament is currently composed of 754 Members of the European Parliament, who represent the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after the Parliament of India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world (375 million eligible voters in 2009).
It has been directly elected every five years by universal suffrage since 1979. However, turnout at European Parliament elections has fallen consecutively at each election since that date, and has been under 50% since 1999. Turnout in 2009 stood at 43% of all European voters, ranging from 90% in Luxembourg and Belgium (where compulsory voting is used) to 20% in Slovakia. Turnout was under 50% in 18 out of 27 member states.
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Exeter
Exeter (i/ˈɛksɨtər/ EK-si-tər) is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the County Council. The city is on the River Exe, about 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Plymouth, and 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Bristol. According to the 2001 Census, its population in that year was 111,076, while the mid-2010 estimate was 119,600.
Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Britain. Its Exeter Cathedral, founded in the early 12th century, became Anglican at the time of the 16th century Reformation.
Exeter has been identified as one of the top ten most profitable locations for a business to be based. The city has good transport links, with Exeter St David's railway station, Exeter Central railway station, the M5 motorway and Exeter International Airport connecting the city both nationally and internationally. Although a popular tourist destination, the city is not dominated by tourism.
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Flanders
Flanders (Dutch: Vlaanderen (help·info)) is the (political) community of the Flemings, one of the communities of Belgium, and also a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
"Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. Over the course of history, the geographical territory that was called "Flanders" has varied. In the second half of the twentieth century, there has been a gradual shift of political and economic power from French-speaking Wallonia (which was industrialized earlier) to the Flemish.
To the English-speaking peoples, Flanders meant historically (from circa 1000 AD) the land situated along the North Sea from the Strait of Dover to the Scheldt estuary. The southern borders were generally ill-defined. Over the last millennium, it was mostly the southern and western borders that receded to give the present day borders within northern Belgium.
Flanders has figured prominently in European history. Between the early 17th century and 1945, the political outcomes of modern Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria were often decided by battles on the plains of Flanders. Even earlier in British and Irish history, the Flemings (or Flemish) were important allies of the Normans in their conquest of England (1066) and invasion of Ireland (1169–71).
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Florentine
Florence (Italian: Firenze [fiˈrɛntse] (
listen), alternate obsolete form: Fiorenza; Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.
Florence is famous for its history. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages. A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.
The historic centre of Florence attracts millions of tourists each year, and Euromonitor International ranked the city as the world's 72nd most visited in 2009, with 1,685,000 visitors. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by Forbes as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and the city is noted for its history, culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace, amongst others, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics.
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Fonthill Abbey
Fonthill Abbey — also known as Beckford's Folly — was a large Gothic revival country house built around the turn of the 19th century at Fonthill Gifford in Wiltshire, England, at the direction of William Thomas Beckford and architect James Wyatt. It was constructed near the site of the Palladian house, later known as Fonthill Splendens, which was constructed by his father, William Beckford, to replace the Elizabethan house that Beckford père had purchased in 1744 and which had been destroyed by fire in 1755. The abbey is now almost all demolished.
Fonthill Abbey was a brainchild of William Thomas Beckford, son of wealthy English plantation owner William Beckford and a student of architect Sir William Chambers, as well as of James Wyatt, architect of the project.
In 1771, when Beckford was ten years old, he inherited £1,000,000 (roughly £100 million in 2008 values) and an income which his contemporaries estimated at around £100,000 per annum, a colossal amount at the time (equivalent to £10 million in 2008), but which biographers have found to be closer to half of that sum. Newspapers of the period described him as "the richest commoner in England".
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Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. It was set up in 1919 to expand Britain's forests and woodland after depletion during the First World War. To do this the commission bought large amounts of former agricultural land, eventually becoming the largest land owner in Britain.
Over time the purpose of the Commission broadened to include many other activities beyond timber production. One major activity is scientific research, carried out at several designated "research forests" across Britain. Recreation is also important, with several outdoor activities being actively promoted. Protecting and improving biodiversity within Britain's forests are both part of the Forestry Commission's remit.
The Forestry Commission manages almost one million hectares of land in Great Britain, making it the country's biggest land manager. The majority of the land (60%) is in Scotland, 26% of the landholding is in England and the remainder in Wales. Some of Britain's best-loved and most spectacular landscapes are in its care. Activities carried out on the forest estate include maintenance and improvement of the natural environment and the provision of recreation, timber harvesting to supply domestic industry, regenerating brownfield and replanting of harvested areas.
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Gloucester
Gloucester (i/ˈɡlɒstər/ GLOS-tər) is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately 32 miles (51 km) north-east of Bristol, and 45 miles (72 km) south-southwest of Birmingham.
Gloucester was founded in AD 97 by the Romans under Emperor Nerva as Colonia Glevum Nervensis, and was granted its first charter in 1155 by King Henry II. Economically, the city is dominated by the service industries, and has a strong financial and business sector, being home to the bank Cheltenham & Gloucester and historically was prominent in the aerospace industry.
The existence of a British settlement at Gloucester (Caer Glow, Gleawecastre, Gleucestre) is not confirmed by any direct evidence, but Gloucester was the Roman municipality of Colonia Nervia Glevensium, or Glevum, founded in the reign of Nerva. Parts of the walls can be traced, and many remains and coins have been found, though inscriptions are scarce. Evidence for some civic life after the end of Roman Britain includes the mention in the Historia Brittonum that Vortigern's grandfather ruled Gloucester. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Gloucester was part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577 until 584, when it came under the control of Mercia.
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Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (i/ˈɡlɒstərʃər/ GLOSS-tər-shər; abbreviated Glos.) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean.
The county town is the city of Gloucester, and other principal towns include Cheltenham, Cirencester, Stroud, and Tewkesbury.
When considered as a ceremonial county, Gloucestershire borders the preserved county of Gwent in Wales (now Monmouthshire), and in England the ceremonial counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. Ceremonially, it includes the area covered by the South Gloucestershire unitary authority.
According to a 2002 campaign by the charity Plantlife, the county flower of Gloucestershire is the Wild Daffodil.
Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century, though the areas of Winchcombe and the Forest of Dean were not added until the late 11th century. Gloucestershire originally included the then "small town" of Bristol. The "local" rural community moved to the port city, (as Bristol was to become) and Bristol's population growth accelerated during the industrial revolution. Bristol became part of the administrative County of Avon in 1974.
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Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London and the 32 London boroughs. This territory has the same boundaries as the London Government Office Region and the London European Parliament constituency. The region has by far the highest GVA per capita in the United Kingdom. It covers 1,572 km2 (607 sq mi) and had a 2009 mid-year estimated population of 7,753,600. The term Greater London was in use before 1965 to refer to a variously defined area, larger than the County of London and often similar to the Metropolitan Police District.
In addition to its administrative and statistical functions, Greater London (excluding the City of London) is one of the 48 ceremonial counties of England, and is under the Greater London Lieutenancy.
Instead of forming a single political unit, London is divided into the small, interior City of London and the much wider Greater London. This arrangement has come about because as the area of London grew and absorbed neighbouring settlements, a series of administrative reforms did not fully amalgamate the City of London with the metropolitan area, and its unique political structure was retained. Outside the limited boundaries of the old city, a variety of arrangements governed the wider area since 1855, culminating with the creation of the Greater London administrative area in 1965.
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Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the cities of Manchester and Salford. Greater Manchester was created on 1 April 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972.
Greater Manchester spans 493 square miles (1,277 km2). It is landlocked and borders Cheshire (to the south-west and south), Derbyshire (to the south-east), West Yorkshire (to the north-east), Lancashire (to the north) and Merseyside (to the west). There is a mix of high-density urban areas, suburbs, semi-rural and rural locations in Greater Manchester, but overwhelmingly the land use is urban. It has a focused central business district, formed by Manchester city centre and the adjoining parts of Salford and Trafford, but Greater Manchester is also a polycentric county with ten metropolitan districts, each of which has at least one major town centre and outlying suburbs. The Greater Manchester Urban Area is the third most populous conurbation in the UK, and spans across most of the county's territory.
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Herefordshire
Herefordshire ( /ˈhɛrɨfərdʃər/; abbreviated Herefs.) is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG11) and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the County of Herefordshire. It borders the English ceremonial counties of Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh preserved counties of Gwent to the south-west and Powys to the west. Hereford is a cathedral city and is the county town; with a population of approximately 55,800 inhabitants it is also the largest settlement.
The county is one of the most rural and sparsely populated in England, with a population density of 82/km² (212/sq mi). The land use is predominantly agricultural and the county is well known for its fruit and cider production, and the Hereford cattle breed.
From 1974 to 1998, Herefordshire was part of the former non-metropolitan county of Hereford and Worcester.
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Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire (i/ˈhɑrtfərdʃɪər/ or /ˈhɑrfərdʃər/; abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.
Hertfordshire is one of the home counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London (to the south), Buckinghamshire (to the west), Bedfordshire (including the unitary authorities of Luton and Central Bedfordshire to the north), Cambridgeshire (to the north east) and Essex (to the east).
Hertfordshire was originally the area assigned to a fortress constructed at Hertford under the rule of Edward the Elder in 913. The name Hertford is derived from the Anglo-Saxon heort ford, meaning deer crossing (of a watercourse). The name Hertfordshire first appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 1011. Deer feature prominently in many county emblems.
There is evidence of human beings living in Hertfordshire since the Middle Stone Age. It was first farmed during the Neolithic period and permanent habitation appeared at the beginning of the Bronze Age. This was followed by tribes settling in the area during the Iron Age.
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Highworth
Coordinates: 51°37′51″N 1°42′43″W / 51.630850°N 1.7119367°W / 51.630850; -1.7119367
Highworth is a market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about 6 miles (9.7 km) north-east of Swindon town centre. At the 2001 census it had a population of 7,996. It is often described as the "gateway to the Cotswolds" but only on the recently erected signs, and is notable for its Queen Anne Style architecture and Georgian buildings dating from its pre-eminence in the 18th century.
Highworth is mentioned in the Domesday Book as 'Wrde'. During the English Civil War, when Charles I fought against Parliament, Highworth was a royalist stronghold. From 1894 to 1974 there was a Highworth Rural District. In 2006 the town celebrated the 800th anniversary of the granting of the charter for its market, which is still held every Saturday. Highworth, with a population of over 12,000, was formerly larger than neighbouring Swindon. The origins and layout of Highworth are medieval. The centre of the old town has been designated as a conservation area.
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Iford Manor
Iford Manor (grid reference ST802589) in Wiltshire sits on the steep slopes of the Frome valley, which itself has been occupied since Roman times. The house is mediaeval in origin, the classical façade having been added in the 18th century when the hanging woodlands above the garden were planted.
Iford is best known for its Grade I internationally listed Gardens, designed during the early part of the 20th century by the garden architect Harold Peto. He lived at Iford from 1899 until his death in 1933 during which time he built up an extensive collection of artefacts, brought back from his travels abroad. His great love of the Italianate style is plainly evident at Iford, where flowers occupy a subordinate place amongst the more structural elements of cypress, statuary, broad walks and pools.
A number of plants of particular interest can be found at Iford: standard Wisteria sinensis blossoms across much of the front of the house and up flights of steps linking the terraces (particularly good in late May); Phillyria latifolia; Buxus sempervirens grows in wild tree form in the woods above the house and is extensively used in the gardens as a structural plant; Cupressus sempervirens; Hemerocallis citrina, the scented day-lily; naturalised Martagon lilies.
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Intel
Coordinates: 37°23′16.54″N 121°57′48.74″W / 37.3879278°N 121.9635389°W / 37.3879278; -121.9635389
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest and highest valued semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers. Intel Corporation, founded on July 18, 1968, is a portmanteau of Integrated Electronics (though a common misconception is that "Intel" is from the word intelligence[citation needed]). Intel also makes motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphic chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Founded by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove, Intel combines advanced chip design capability with a leading-edge manufacturing capability. Though Intel was originally known primarily to engineers and technologists, its "Intel Inside" advertising campaign of the 1990s made it and its Pentium processor household names.
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Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–5 miles (3–7 km) off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent. The Island has many resorts which have been holiday destinations since Victorian times.
The Island has a rich history, including a brief status as an independent kingdom in the 15th century. Until 1995, like Jersey and Guernsey, the Island had its own Governor—most notably Lord Mountbatten from 1969 to 1974, after which he became Lord Lieutenant until his assassination in 1979.
It was home to the poets Swinburne and Alfred Lord Tennyson, and to Queen Victoria, who built her much-loved summer residence and final home Osborne House at East Cowes. The Island's maritime and industrial history encompasses boat building, sail making, the manufacture of flying boats, the world's first hovercraft and the testing and development of Britain's space rockets. It is home to the Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival, Bestival and the recently revived Isle of Wight Festival, which, in 1970, was the largest rock music event ever held. The Island has some exceptional wildlife and is one of the richest locations of dinosaur fossils in Europe.
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Kennet (district)
Coordinates: 51°21′07″N 1°59′42″W / 51.352°N 1.995°W / 51.352; -1.995
Kennet was a non-metropolitan local government district in Wiltshire, England, abolished as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. It was named after the River Kennet.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Devizes, Marlborough, and Devizes Rural District, Marlborough and Ramsbury Rural District and Pewsey Rural District.
The district council was based at offices in Devizes. It was abolished on 1 April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, when its functions were taken over by the new Wiltshire Council unitary authority.
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Kent
Kent /ˈkɛnt/ is a county in South East England, and one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of Medway. Kent has a nominal border with France halfway through the Channel Tunnel. Maidstone is its county town and historically Rochester and Canterbury have been accorded city status, though only the latter still holds it.
Kent's location between London and the continental Europe has led to its being in the front line of several conflicts, including the Battle of Britain during World War II. East Kent was known as Hell Fire Corner during the conflict. England has relied on the county's ports to provide warships through much of the past 800 years; the Cinque Ports in the 12th–14th centuries and Chatham Dockyard in the 16th–20th centuries were of particular importance to the country's security. France can be seen clearly in fine weather from Folkestone, and the iconic White Cliffs of Dover.
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Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull (i/ˌkɪŋstən əpɒn ˈhʌl/ KING-stən ə-pon HUL), usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles (40 km) inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of 263,900 (2010 est.). The Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) population stands at 573,300.
Renamed Kings town upon Hull by King Edward I in 1299, the town and city of Hull has served as market town, military supply port, a trading hub, fishing and whaling centre, and industrial metropolis.
Hull was an early theatre of battle in the English Civil Wars. Its 18th-century Member of Parliament, William Wilberforce, played a key role in the abolition of the slave trade in Britain.
The city is unique in the UK in having had a municipally-owned telephone system from 1902, sporting cream, not red, telephone boxes.
After suffering heavy damage during the Second World War, Hull weathered a period of post-industrial decline, during which the city gained unfavourable results on measures of social deprivation, education and policing. In recent years the city has embarked on an extensive programme of economic regeneration, reconstruction and urban renewal. The economic crisis since 2008 has caused some setbacks to these developments.
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Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey in the village of Lacock, Wiltshire, England, was founded in the early 13th century by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, as a nunnery of the Augustinian order.
Lacock Abbey, dedicated to St Mary and St Bernard, was founded in 1229 by the widowed Lady Ela the Countess of Salisbury, who laid the abbey's first stone 16 April 1232, in the reign of King Henry III, and to which she retired in 1238. Her late husband had been William Longespee, an illegitimate son of King Henry II. The abbey was founded in Snail's Meadow, near the village of Lacock. The first of the nuns were veiled in 1232.
Generally, Lacock Abbey prospered throughout the Middle Ages. The rich farmlands which it had received from Ela ensured it a sizeable income from wool.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century, Henry VIII of England sold it to Sir William Sharington, who converted it into a house starting in 1539, demolishing the abbey church. Few other alterations were made to the monastic buildings themselves: the cloisters, for example, still stand below the living accommodation. About 1550 Sir William added an octagonal tower containing two small chambers, one above the other; the lower one was reached through the main rooms, and was for storing and viewing his treasures; the upper one, for banqueting, only accessible by a walk across the leads of the roof. In each is a central octagonal stone table carved with up-to-date Renaissance ornament. A mid-16th century stone conduit house stands over the spring from which water was conducted to the house. Further additions were made over the centuries, and the house now has various grand reception rooms.
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Lancashire
Lancashire ( /ˈlæŋkəʃər/ or, less commonly, /ˈlæŋkəʃɪər/) is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston. Lancashire is sometimes referred to by the abbreviation Lancs, as originally used by the Royal Mail. The population of the county is 1,449,700. People from the county are known as Lancastrians.
The history of Lancashire is thought to have begun with its founding in the 12th century. In the Domesday Book (1086), some of its lands had been treated as part of Yorkshire. The land that lay Inter Ripam et Mersam, "between the Ribble and Mersey", formed part of the returns for Cheshire. Once its initial boundaries were established, it bordered Cumberland, Westmorland, Yorkshire and Cheshire.
Lancashire emerged during the Industrial Revolution as a major commercial and industrial region. The county encompassed several hundred mill towns and collieries. By the 1830s, approximately 85% of all cotton manufactured worldwide was processed in Lancashire.Preston, Accrington, Blackburn, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, Chorley, Darwen, Nelson, Colne and Burnley were major cotton mill towns during this time. Blackpool was a major centre for tourism for the inhabitants of Lancashire's mill towns, particularly during wakes week.
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Larkhill
Coordinates: 51°11′53″N 1°48′47″W / 51.198°N 1.813°W / 51.198; -1.813
Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It is a short distance west of Durrington village proper and 1 mi (1.6 km) north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about 10 mi (16 km) north of Salisbury.
The settlement has a long association with the British military and originally grew from military camps. It is now one of the main garrisons on Salisbury Plain, along with Tidworth, Bulford Camp and Warminster.
Before the military garrison was established the area was known as Lark Hill, part of Durrington Down, owing to it being the highest point in the parish. After the first military buildings were established, it came to be known as Larkhill Camp.
Much of Larkhill sits within the Stonehenge World Heritage Site, an area rich in Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments. Several long barrows and round barrow groups are located within the settlement. Robin Hood's Ball, the Stonehenge Cursus and the Lesser Cursus lie close to the garrison.
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Leicester
Coordinates: 52°38′03″N 1°08′19″W / 52.63422°N 1.13852°W / 52.63422; -1.13852
Leicester (/lɛstər/ LESS-tər pronunciation (help·info)) is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest. In 2010, the population of the Leicester unitary authority was estimated at 306,600, the second highest in the region, whilst 441,213 people lived in the wider Leicester Urban Area in 2006, making Leicester the tenth most populous settlement in the United Kingdom and the UK's fourteenth largest urban area. It is the largest city in the East Midlands yet has the second largest urban area in the region behind Nottingham Urban Area. Eurostat's Larger Urban Zone listed the population of the area at 772,400 people as of 2004.
Ancient Roman pavements and baths remain in Leicester from its early settlement as Ratae Corieltauvorum, a Roman military outpost in a region inhabited by the Celtic Corieltauvi tribe. Following the demise of Roman society the early medieval Ratae Corieltauvorum is shrouded in obscurity, but when the settlement was captured by the Danes it became one of five fortified towns important to the Danelaw. The name "Leicester" is thought to derive from the words castra of the "Ligore", meaning camp of the dwellers on the (river) Legro. Leicester appears in the Domesday Book as "Ledecestre". Leicester continued to grow throughout the Early Modern period as a market town, although it was the Industrial Revolution that facilitated a process of rapid unplanned urbanisation in the area.
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Leicestershire
Leicestershire (i/ˈlɛstəʃɪər/ or /ˈlɛstərʃər/ or /ˈlɛstəʃə/; abbreviation Leics.) is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire. The county borders Derbyshire to the north-west, Nottinghamshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Warwickshire to the south-west, Staffordshire to the west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-east. The border with Warwickshire is Watling Street (the A5).
County Hall, situated in Glenfield, about 3 miles (5 km) north-west of Leicester city centre, is the seat of Leicestershire County Council and the headquarters of the county authority. The City of Leicester is administered from offices in Leicester itself and the City Council meets at Leicester Town Hall.
The River Soar rises to the east of Hinckley, in the far south of the county, and flows northward through Leicester before emptying into the River Trent at the point where Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire meet. A large part of the north-west of the county, around Coalville, forms part of the new National Forest area extending into Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The highest point of the county is Bardon Hill at 278 metres (912 ft), which is also a Marilyn.
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Lincolnshire
Coordinates: 53°4′N 0°11′W / 53.067°N 0.183°W / 53.067; -0.183
Lincolnshire ( /ˈlɪŋkənʃə/ or /ˈlɪŋkənʃɪə/; abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the northwest, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders Northamptonshire in the south for just 20 yards (18 m), England's shortest county boundary. The county town is Lincoln, where the county council has its headquarters.
The ceremonial county of Lincolnshire is composed of the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire and the area covered by the unitary authorities of North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire. Therefore, part of the ceremonial county is in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, and part is in the East Midlands region. The county is the second largest of the English counties and one that is predominantly agricultural in land use. The county can be broken down into a number of geographical sub-regions including: the Lincolnshire Fens (south Lincolnshire), the Carrs (similar to the Fens but in north Lincolnshire), the Lincolnshire Wolds, and the industrial Humber Estuary and North Sea coast around Grimsby and Scunthorpe.
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Longleat
Longleat is an English stately home, currently the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset. It is noted for its Elizabethan country house, maze, landscaped parkland and safari park. The house is set in over 900 acres (360 ha) of parkland, landscaped by Capability Brown, with 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) of woods and farmland. It was the first stately home to open to the public, and also claims the first safari park outside Africa.
The house was built by Sir John Thynne, and designed mainly by Robert Smythson, after the original priory was destroyed by fire in 1567. It took 12 years to complete and is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain. Longleat is currently occupied by Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, a direct descendant of the builder; however, the peer passed the management of the business to his son Viscount Weymouth early in 2010.
Longleat was purchased by Sir John Thynn in 1541. He was the first of the Thynne 'dynasty' – the family name was Thynn or Thynne in the 16th century, later consistently Thynne, but the present head of the family reverted to the spelling Thynn in the 1980s.
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Luton
Luton (i/ˈluːtən/ LOOT-ən, local /ˈluːʔən/) is a large town, borough and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles (50 km) north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.
Luton is home to Blue Square Premier team Luton Town Football Club, whose history includes several spells in the top flight of the English league as well as a Football League Cup triumph in 1988. They play at Kenilworth Road stadium, which has been their home since 1905.
London Luton Airport, opened in 1938, is one of England's major airports. During the Second World War it doubled as an RAF base.
The University of Bedfordshire is based in the town.
The Luton Carnival, held on the late May bank holiday, is the largest one-day carnival in Europe.
The town was for many years famous for hat-making, and was also home to a large Vauxhall Motors factory; the head office of Vauxhall Motors is still situated in the town. Car production at the plant began in 1905 and continued until 2002, but commercial vehicle production remains.
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Lydiard Country Park
Lydiard Park is a 260-acre (1.1 km2) country park at Lydiard Tregoze, 7 km (4.3 mi) west of central Swindon, Wiltshire, UK near Junction 16 of the M4 .
The park contains Lydiard House, the former residence of the St John family, the Viscounts Bolingbroke. The house was built in the Elizabethan style in the early 17th century, but was later updated by its owner Sir John St John during the English Civil War.
It remained in the ownership of the St John family for over 500 years, but it was empty by 1943. It became a hospital for German prisoners of war, being allocated the number 160 as a p.o.w. camp. It still housed German soldiers as late as March, 1946.
Swindon Corporation was shamed by a schoolboy campaign into buying the property. They opened it to the public in 1955, and it remains open all year round. The house underwent a major restoration project, and was brought back to its original Palladian splendour. The house and grounds, though picturesque, are somewhat smaller than most English stately homes.
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M4 corridor
The M4 corridor is the area in the United Kingdom adjacent to the M4 motorway, which runs from London to South Wales. The area is a major hub for high-technology companies. Technology companies with major operations located in the area include Citrix Systems, Dell, Huawei, Lexmark, LG, Novell, Nvidia, Panasonic, SAP and Symantec.
Important cities and towns in the area include Bath, Bracknell, Bristol, Cardiff, Maidenhead, Reading, Newbury, Newport, Slough, Swansea and Swindon. The area is served by the M4 Motorway, the Great Western Main Line, including the South Wales Main Line, and London Heathrow Airport.
The eastern end of the English M4 corridor is home to a large number of technology companies, particularly in Berkshire, Swindon and the Thames Valley. For this reason this part of the M4 Corridor is sometimes described as England's "Silicon Valley".Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Bracknell and Newbury are the main towns in the Berkshire stretch of the M4.
Reading is home to many information technology and financial services businesses, including Cisco, Microsoft, ING Direct, Oracle, Prudential, Yell Group and Ericsson. Vodafone is located in Newbury, O2 plc is in Slough and the headquarters of Hutchison 3G UK are in Maidenhead.
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M4 Corridor
The M4 corridor is the area in the United Kingdom adjacent to the M4 motorway, which runs from London to South Wales. The area is a major hub for high-technology companies. Technology companies with major operations located in the area include Citrix Systems, Dell, Huawei, Lexmark, LG, Novell, Nvidia, Panasonic, SAP and Symantec.
Important cities and towns in the area include Bath, Bracknell, Bristol, Cardiff, Maidenhead, Reading, Newbury, Newport, Slough, Swansea and Swindon. The area is served by the M4 Motorway, the Great Western Main Line, including the South Wales Main Line, and London Heathrow Airport.
The eastern end of the English M4 corridor is home to a large number of technology companies, particularly in Berkshire, Swindon and the Thames Valley. For this reason this part of the M4 Corridor is sometimes described as England's "Silicon Valley".Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Bracknell and Newbury are the main towns in the Berkshire stretch of the M4.
Reading is home to many information technology and financial services businesses, including Cisco, Microsoft, ING Direct, Oracle, Prudential, Yell Group and Ericsson. Vodafone is located in Newbury, O2 plc is in Slough and the headquarters of Hutchison 3G UK are in Maidenhead.
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M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places along the route include Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea. Originally referred to as the London-South Wales Motorway, the English section was constructed between 1965 and 1971, the Welsh section was completed in 1993 and the Second Severn Crossing opened in 1996.
The M4 runs close to the A4 from London to Bristol. After crossing the River Severn it follows the A48 through South Wales, using the Brynglas Tunnels at Junction 25a, Newport and terminates just north of Pontarddulais. The route of the M4 is known as the M4 corridor.
A new road from London to South Wales was first proposed in the 1930s, and the Ministry of Transport announced plans for the M4 as one of the first major post-war trunk road improvement projects in 1956.
The Chiswick Flyover opened in 1959. However it was not originally classed as a motorway. The Maidenhead bypass opened in 1961 whilst J1-J5 opened in 1965. From J18 to the west of Newport was opened in 1966 and included the Severn Bridge (now part of the M48). The Port Talbot by-pass, also built in the 1960s and now part of the M4, was originally the A48(M) motorway, a number now allocated to a short section of motorway near Cardiff. The Ministry of Transport originally intended that the M4 would terminate at Tredegar Park west of Newport, and it was only following the creation of the Welsh Office that the Government became committed to a high-standard dual carriageway to Pont Abraham in Carmarthenshire.
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Malmesbury Abbey
Malmesbury Abbey, at Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, is a religious house dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It was one of the few English houses with a continual history from the 7th century through to the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Malmesbury was founded as a Benedictine monastery around 676 by the scholar-poet Aldhelm, a nephew of King Ine of Wessex. In 941 AD, King Athelstan was buried in the Abbey. Æthelstan had died in Gloucester in October 939. The choice of Malmesbury over the New Minster in Winchester indicated that the king remained an outsider to the West Saxon court.
By the 11th century it contained the second largest library in Europe and was considered one of the leading European seats of learning. The Abbey was the site of an early attempt at human flight when, in 1010, the monk Eilmer of Malmesbury flew a primitive hang glider from a tower. Eilmer flew over 200 yards (200 m) before landing, breaking both legs. He later remarked that the only reason he did not fly further was the lack of a tail on his glider. The 12th-century historian William of Malmesbury was of the community.
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Marlborough Downs
Coordinates: 51°10′19″N 1°49′30″W / 51.172°N 1.825°W / 51.172; -1.825
The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is located in the English counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. The name North Wessex Downs is not a traditional one, the area covered being better known by various overlapping local names, including the Berkshire Downs, the White Horse Hills, the Lambourn Downs, the Marlborough Downs, the Vale of Pewsey and Savernake Forest.
The AONB covers an area of some 1,730 km2 (670 sq mi). It takes the form of a horse shoe on its side, with the open end facing east, surrounding the town of Newbury and the River Kennet watershed. The northern arm reaches as far east as the suburbs of Reading, mid-Berkshire, whilst the southern arm similarly reaches Basingstoke in northern Hampshire. The western extreme of the AONB reaches as far as Calne and Devizes. The highest points are the 297m (974 ft) summit of Walbury Hill, situated southwest of Hungerford in West Berkshire, close to the Hampshire border, and the Milk Hill-Tan Hill ridge east of Devizes, mid-Wiltshire, at 295m (968 ft) above sea level.
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Melksham
Coordinates: 51°22′25″N 2°08′16″W / 51.373553°N 2.137898°W / 51.373553; -2.137898
Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon. It lies in the county of Wiltshire.
It is situated 19 km (12 mi) southeast of the city of Bath, 11 km (6.8 mi) south of Chippenham, 8 miles (13 km) west of Devizes and 14 miles (23 km) north of Warminster on the A350 national route. The 2001 UK census cited Melksham as having 20,000 inhabitants, including sizeable environs such as Bowerhill and Berryfield. As such it is Wiltshire's fifth-largest town by population after Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge.
The town of Melksham developed at a ford across the River Avon and the name is presumed to derive from "meolc", the Old English for milk, and "ham", a village. On John Speed's map of Wiltshire (1611), the name is spelt both Melkesam (for the hundred) and Milsham (for the town itself). Melksham was a royal estate at the time of the Norman Conquest[citation needed]
In 1539 the prioress and nuns of Amesbury surrendered their Melksham estates to the king[citation needed] which they had held for about 250 years. This property, which consisted of the Lordship of the Manor and Hundred, was in 1541 granted to Sir Thomas Seymour. Seymour then sold it to Henry Brouncker, who had already made purchases of real estate in the neighbourhood. At some uncertain date, perhaps about 1550, Brouncker built a residence for himself on the site of an earlier mansion. This was known as Place House, built in a style suitable to that of a resident lord, who was also a man of considerable wealth.
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Mendip
Mendip is a local government district of Somerset in England. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of 285 square miles (738 km2) ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 110,000. The administrative centre of the district is Shepton Mallet but the largest town (three times larger than Shepton Mallet) is Frome, pronounced "Froome" and spelt that way until about 1890.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Glastonbury and Wells, along with Frome, Shepton Mallet, Street urban districts, and Frome Rural District, Shepton Mallet Rural District, Wells Rural District, and part of Axbridge Rural District and part of Clutton Rural District.
Several explanations for the name "Mendip" have been suggested. Its earliest known form is Mendepe in 1185. One suggestion is that it is derived from the medieval term "Myne-deepes". However, A D Mills derives its meaning from Celtic monith, meaning mountain or hill, with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English yppe in the sense of upland, or plateau.
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Mercia
Mercia ( /ˈmɜrsiə/, /ˈmɜrʃə/) was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands. The name is a Latinisation of the Old English Mierce or Myrce, meaning "border people".
Mercia's neighbours included Northumbria, Powys and the kingdoms of southern Wales, Wessex, Sussex, Essex and East Anglia.
The name Mercia is still in use today by a wide range of organisations, including military units, public, commercial and voluntary bodies; and occurs as a female given name.
Mercia's exact evolution from the Anglo-Saxon invasions is more obscure than that of Northumbria, Kent, or even Wessex. Also, Mercia developed an effective political structure and adopted Christianity later than the other kingdoms. Archaeological surveys show that Angles settled the lands north of the River Thames by the 6th century. The name Mercia is Old English for "boundary folk" (see Welsh Marches), and the traditional interpretation is that the kingdom originated along the frontier between the native Welsh and the Anglo-Saxon invaders. However, P. Hunter Blair argued an alternative interpretation: that they emerged along the frontier of Northumbria and the inhabitants of the Trent river valley.
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Mere, Wiltshire
Coordinates: 51°05′24″N 2°15′58″W / 51.090°N 2.266°W / 51.090; -2.266
Mere is a small town in Wiltshire, England. It lies at the extreme southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain close to the borders of Somerset and Dorset.
There is an old market square (although markets have not been held for several years), a chiming town clock and a large 15th century parish church of St Michael the Archangel, along with St Mary's Catholic church and also Methodist and United Reformed churches. The number of shops has halved since the A303 bypass road was opened in 1976. The steep slope of Castle Hill rises from the northwestern side of Mere. Castle Hill was the site of a relatively large (390 by 102 feet) castle, built in the mid-13th century by the lord of the manor, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. The castle fell into disrepair in the 15th century and its stone is said to have been used to build local houses. The Duchy of Cornwall still owns large amounts of land in the area. Local industry and commerce includes the Hill Brush company, large wholesale plant nurseries and the notable Yapp's wine merchants.
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Merseyside
Merseyside ( /ˈmɜrzisaɪd/) is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool. Merseyside, which was created on 1 April 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972, takes its name from the River Mersey.
Merseyside spans 249 square miles (645 km2) of land which border Lancashire (to the north-east), Greater Manchester (to the east), and Cheshire (to the south and south-west); the Irish Sea is to the west. North Wales is across the Dee Estuary. There is a mix of high density urban areas, suburbs, semi-rural and rural locations in Merseyside, but overwhelmingly the land use is urban. It has a focused central business district, formed by Liverpool City Centre, but Merseyside is also a polycentric county with five metropolitan districts, each of which has at least one major town centre and outlying suburbs. The Liverpool Urban Area is the seventh most populous conurbation in the UK, and dominates the geographic centre of the county, while the smaller Birkenhead Urban Area dominates the Wirral Peninsula in the south.
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Mid Devon
Coordinates: 50°54′00″N 3°29′24″W / 50.900°N 3.490°W / 50.900; -3.490
Mid Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Tiverton.
The district was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tiverton and Crediton urban district together with Tiverton Rural District, and Crediton Rural District. It was originally called Tiverton District, but was renamed in 1978 by resolution of the district council. The main Town in Mid Devon is Tiverton, it is a major, busy town set in the heart of Devon.
Mid Devon shares borders with several other Devon districts as well as the county of Somerset. Neighbouring districts include Exeter, East Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge, West Devon and Torridge.
Several rivers run through the district of Mid Devon, including the Exe, the Culm and the Yeo.
Raddon Top (772 ft.) is a landmark for 20 miles around. Westcote tells us that there was an earthwork on the summit, practically ploughed down even in his day. The views from here are superb, even for Devon.
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Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough (i/ˈmɪdəlzbrə/ MID-əlz-brə) is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. The local authority, a unitary authority, is Middlesbrough Borough Council.
Historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, in 1968 the town became the centre of the County Borough of Teesside, which was absorbed by the non-metropolitan county of Cleveland in 1974. In 1996 Cleveland was abolished, and Middlesbrough became a unitary authority, within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.
It is locally regarded that the town exceeds the confines of the Middlesbrough Borough to include the areas of Eston, Grangetown, Normanby, Ormesby, and South Bank which are wards of the neighbouring unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland.[citation needed][by whom?]
To the northeast of Middlesbrough lies the Tees Estuary, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) away. A few miles to the south lies the edge of the North York Moors National Park.
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Milk Hill
Milk Hill, located near Alton Priors east of Devizes, is the highest point in the county of Wiltshire, southwest England, at some 295 m / 968 ft above sea level (the adjacent Tan Hill rises to 294 m). It is the location of the Alton Barnes white horse (a hill figure cut in 1812).
On 23 August 2009, the BBC programme Countryfile featured an item on analysis by Ordnance Survey to determine whether Milk or Tan Hill is the highest. It was confirmed that Milk Hill is 26 centimetres (10.2 in) higher than Tan Hill.
Located at the western edge of the Vale of Pewsey (part of the North Wessex Downs AONB), it is also the highest summit along a 50 km ridge extending all the way from the South Downs, across the southern Chilterns and into Wiltshire. Milk Hill is the second highest point between Bristol and London after Walbury Hill in West Berkshire (297 m / 974 ft.)
Milk Hill was the starting point for longest hang-glider flight ever in the UK on May 10th, 2011 by Nev Almond.
Coordinates: 51°22′40″N 1°51′07″W / 51.37766°N 1.85196°W / 51.37766; -1.85196
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Mompesson House
Mompesson House is an 18th-century house located in the Cathedral Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. The house has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1952.
Coordinates: 51°04′00″N 1°47′54″W / 51.0667°N 1.7984°W / 51.0667; -1.7984
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North Devon
Coordinates: 51°04′52″N 4°03′29″W / 51.081°N 4.058°W / 51.081; -4.058
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth. The district was formed on 1 April 1974 as a merger of the Barnstaple municipal borough, the Ilfracombe and Lynton urban districts, and Barnstaple Rural District and South Molton Rural District.
The wider geographic area of North Devon is divided between North Devon District and the district of Torridge, based in Bideford.
North Devon is popular with retired people. The 2001 census showed 15 454 (18%) people aged 14 years and under, 54 413 (62%) aged 15–64 and 17 651 (20%) aged 65 and over. For comparison, the same age distributions across England are 19%, 65% and 16% respectively. People over 65 helped to live at home is below the national average. Life expectancy for men, at 76.9, is close to the national average, and increasing more slowly than throughout England. Female life expectancy is good at 82.1; and rising in line with England. There is a gap of 6 years in the life expectancy of people in the highest fifth of wards and the lowest fifth.
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North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare.
North Somerset borders the local government areas of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip and Sedgemoor. North Somerset contains the parliamentary constituencies of Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset.
Between 1 April 1974 and 31 March 1996, it was the Woodspring district of the county of Avon (named after Woodspring Priory, an isolated mediaeval church near the coast just north east of Weston-super-Mare). The district of Woodspring was formed from the municipal boroughs of Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead urban districts, Long Ashton Rural District, and part of Axbridge Rural District.
Though the government proposed that the new unitary area be known as "North West Somerset" from 1 April 1996, the council voted instead to adopt the name "North Somerset" and so the name "North West Somerset" was never widely used. There remained some legal doubt as to whether the council had validly changed the name to "North Somerset", but in 2005 the council passed a resolution to put the matter beyond doubt.
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North Wiltshire
Coordinates: 51°27′40″N 2°07′08″W / 51.461°N 2.119°W / 51.461; -2.119
North Wiltshire was a local government district in Wiltshire, England, formed on 1 April 1974, by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Calne, Chippenham, and Malmesbury along with Calne and Chippenham Rural District, Cricklade and Wootton Bassett Rural District and Malmesbury Rural District. It shared its name with the North Wiltshire parliamentary constituency, which had similar, but not identical, boundaries.
The district council was based at Monkton Park, Chippenham.
The district was abolished on 1 April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, when its functions were taken over by the new Wiltshire Council unitary authority.
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North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a county in England. It is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of 8,654 square kilometres (3,341 sq mi), making it the largest ceremonial county in England. The majority of the Yorkshire Dales and all of the North York Moors lie within North Yorkshire's boundaries, and around 40% of the county is covered by National Parks. The county town is Northallerton.
The area under the control of the county council, or shire county, is divided into a number of local government districts; they are Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby.
The Department for Communities and Local Government did consider reorganising North Yorkshire County Council's administrative structure by abolishing the seven district councils and the county council to create a North Yorkshire unitary authority. The changes were planned to be implemented no later than 1 April 2009. This was rejected on 25 July 2007 so the County Council and District Council structure will remain.
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Northamptonshire
Coordinates: 52°17′N 0°50′W / 52.283°N 0.833°W / 52.283; -0.833
Northamptonshire ( /nɔrˈθæmptənʃər/ or /nɔrθˈhæmptənʃɪər/; archaically, the County of Northampton; abbreviated Northants. or N/hants) is a landlocked ceremonial county in the East Midlands region of England. Its population is 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with eight other ceremonial counties: Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east, Buckinghamshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the south-west and Lincolnshire to the north-east – England's shortest county boundary at 19 metres (21 yd). The county seat is Northampton. Other large population centres include Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Rushden and Daventry.
Northamptonshire's county flower is the cowslip[citation needed].
Much of Northamptonshire’s countryside appears to have remained somewhat intractable with regards to early human occupation, resulting in an apparently sparse population and relatively few finds from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. In about 500 BC the Iron Age was introduced into the area by a continental people in the form of the Hallstatt culture, and over the next century a series of hill-forts were constructed at Arbury Camp, Rainsborough camp, Borough Hill, Castle Dykes, Guilsborough, Irthlingborough, and most notably of all, Hunsbury Hill. There are two more possible hill-forts at Arbury Hill (Badby) and Thenford.
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Northumberland
Northumberland ( /nɔrˈθʌmbərlənd/; abbreviated Northumb. or Northd, the latter being preferred by the Royal Mail) is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. It borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham to the south and Tyne and Wear to the south east and the Scottish Borders council area to the north. Its North Sea coastline is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a 64 mile (103 km) long distance path. Since 1981, the county council has been located in Morpeth, situated in the east of the county.
The historical boundaries of the county of Northumberland included Newcastle upon Tyne, the traditional county town, as well as Tynemouth and other settlements in North Tyneside, all areas transferred to Tyne and Wear in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The historical county boundaries are sometimes taken to exclude Islandshire, Bedlingtonshire and Norhamshire (collectively North Durham), exclaves of County Durham which were incorporated into Northumberland in 1844. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region (code UKC21) and is one of three local authority areas that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region.
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Nottingham
Nottingham (i/ˈnɒtɪŋəm/ NOT-ing-əm) is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and is one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group.
Nottingham is famed for its links with the legend of Robin Hood and, during the Industrial Revolution, obtained worldwide recognition for its lace-making, bicycle and tobacco industries. With origins tracable back to 600 AD, Nottingham was granted its city charter as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1897 and has since been officially titled the City of Nottingham. The city has historically been nicknamed The Queen of the Midlands, being the smaller yet less industrialised regional neighbour to the Midlands biggest city, Birmingham. Nottingham is considered the primary centre of England's East Midlands region, being home to numerous regional headquarters and media stations including the BBC East Midlands and the Regional Government Office.
Whilst Nottingham has always had a tightly-drawn authority boundary, accounting for its relatively small population of 306,700, Nottingham's Urban Area has a population of approximately 670,000; in the 2001 census, it was the eighth largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Eurostat's concept of the Larger Urban Zone listed the area's population at 825,600 as of 2004.
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Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire ( /ˈnɒtɪŋəmʃər/ or /ˈnɒtɪŋəmʃɪər/; abbreviated Notts) is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditional county town is Nottingham, though the county council is based in West Bridgford in the borough of Rushcliffe, at a site facing Nottingham over the River Trent.
The districts of Nottinghamshire are Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and Rushcliffe. The City of Nottingham was administratively part of Nottinghamshire between 1974 and 1998 but is now a unitary authority, remaining part of Nottinghamshire for ceremonial purposes.
As of 2006 the county is estimated to have a population of just over one million. Over half of the population of the county live in the Greater Nottingham conurbation (which continues into Derbyshire). The conurbation has a population of about 650,000, though less than half live within the city boundaries.
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Old Sarum Airfield
Old Sarum Airfield (ICAO: EGLS) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) north northeast of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.
The aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P768) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Blanefield Airfield Operations). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.
The site is a mix of residential and industrial sites. Residential areas are located to the east, occupying the old airfield married quarters and officers' mess, now known as Throgmorton Hall. Industrial/business units occupy a large number of the original World War I and World War II airfield buildings, as well as several large modern warehouses, office blocks and car showrooms, the development of which is continuing to the present day.
Old Sarum is the best-preserved flying field of the World War I period. It is bounded by one of the most complete suites of technical and hangar buildings of the period. The site has three Grade II* listed hangars, a Grade II listed former workshop, and a Grade II listed TA Headquarters (former Station Headquarters).
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Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire ( /ˈɒksfərdʃər/ or /ˈɒksfərdʃɪər/; archaically the County of Oxford; abbreviated Oxon from the Latinised form of "Oxford", Oxonia) is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire (to the north/northeast), Buckinghamshire (to the east), Berkshire (to the south), Wiltshire (to the southwest) and Gloucestershire (to the west).
The county has major education and tourist industries. The area is noted for the concentration of performance motorsport companies and facilities. Oxford University Press is the largest firm among a concentration of print and publishing firms; the University of Oxford is also linked to the concentration of local biotechnology companies.
The main centre of population is the city of Oxford. Other significant settlements are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford; Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Future population growth in the county is hoped[clarification needed] to be concentrated around Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Didcot and Witney, near the South Midlands growth area.
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Peterborough
Peterborough (
/ˈpiːtərbrə/ or 
i/ˈpiːtərbərə/) is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of 173,400 in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated 75 miles (121 km) north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea approximately 30 miles (48 km) to the north-east. The railway station is an important stop on the East Coast Main Line.
The local topography is flat and low-lying, and in some places lies below sea level. The area known as the Fens is to the east of Peterborough. The City of Peterborough includes the outlying military installation of RAF Wittering, and as a unitary authority it borders Northamptonshire and Rutland to the west, Lincolnshire to the north, and Cambridgeshire to the south and east.
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current city centre. This site also shows evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, then known as Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral. The population grew rapidly following the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, and Peterborough became an industrial centre, particularly noted for its brick manufacture.
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Philipps House
Coordinates: 51°05′06″N 1°59′02″W / 51.085°N 1.984°W / 51.085; -1.984
Philipps House is an early nineteenth-century Neo-Grecian country house at Dinton, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. The house was designed by Jeffry Wyatt, later Sir Jeffry Wyatville for William Wyndham, and was built between 1813-16 on the site of an earlier, demolished seventeenth-century house, Dinton House, which had been the Wyndham family home. The new house was also called Dinton House, and was known as this until 1916 when it was bought by Bertram Philipps, and was renamed after him. In 1943 Philipps gave the house and 250 acres (1.0 km2) of parkland to the National Trust.
The house is built of Chilmark stone, a local building stone also used for Salisbury Cathedral, and Wyatt was believed to have based his design on Pythouse, some seven miles (11 km) away at Newtown, near Tisbury. The house is two-storied with symmetrically set chimney stacks and a central lantern. The main (south) front has nine bays with an Ionic portico. The rooms are planned around a spacious square hall. The house is one of the first in England to have a central heating system installed. This was achieved by pumping hot air from a boiler in the basement into the stair well. Now open to the public, the house contains an impressive collection of Regency furniture and furnishings. The house is Grade II* listed.
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Plymouth
Plymouthi/ˈplɪməθ/ is a city and unitary authority area on the south coast of Devon, England, about 190 miles (310 km) south-west of London. It is situated between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound. Since 1967, the City of Plymouth has included the suburbs of Plympton and Plymstock, which are on the east side of the River Plym.
Plymouth's history goes back to the Bronze Age, when its first settlement grew at Mount Batten. This settlement continued to grow as a trading post for the Roman Empire, until the more prosperous village of Sutton, the current Plymouth, surpassed it. In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers left Plymouth for the New World and established Plymouth Colony – the second English settlement in what is now the United States of America. During the English Civil War the town was held by the Parliamentarians and was besieged between 1642 and 1646.
Throughout the Industrial Revolution, Plymouth grew as a major commercial shipping port, handling imports and passengers from the Americas, while the neighbouring town of Devonport grew as an important Royal Naval shipbuilding and dockyard town. In 1914 the three neighbouring and independent towns, viz., the county borough of Plymouth, the county borough of Devonport, and the urban district of East Stonehouse were merged to form a single County Borough. The new, merged town took the name of Plymouth which, in 1928, achieved city status. The city's naval importance later led to its targeting and partial destruction during World War II, an act known as the Plymouth Blitz. After the war the city centre was completely rebuilt.
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Poole
Coordinates: 50°43′N 1°59′W / 50.717°N 1.983°W / 50.717; -1.983
Poole ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 33 kilometres (21 mi) east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The town had a population of 138,288 according to the 2001 census, making it the second largest settlement in Dorset. Together with Bournemouth and Christchurch, the town forms the South East Dorset conurbation with a total population of over 400,000.
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Iron Age. The earliest recorded use of the town’s name was in the 12th century when the town began to emerge as an important port, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. In later centuries the town had important trade links with North America and at its peak in the 18th century it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. During the Second World War the town was one of the main departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion.
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Portsmouth
Portsmouth (i/ˈpɔːtsməθ/) is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island. It is situated 64 miles (103 km) south west from London and 19 miles (31 km) south east from Southampton.
As a significant naval port for centuries, Portsmouth is home to the world's oldest dry dock still in use and also home to some famous ships, including HMS Warrior, the Tudor carrack Mary Rose and Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory. Although smaller than in its heyday, the naval base remains a major dockyard and base for the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos whose Headquarters resides there. There is also a thriving commercial ferryport serving destinations on the continent for freight and passenger traffic. The City of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club are both nicknamed Pompey.
The Spinnaker Tower is a striking recent addition to the city's skyline. It can be found in the redeveloped former HMS Vernon, formerly a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy, now an area of retail outlets, restaurants, clubs and bars now known as Gunwharf Quays.
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RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham (IATA: LYE, ICAO: EGDL) is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton. The station was also home to No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing.
RAF Lyneham was the Royal Air Force's principal Transport hub, operating the modern C-130J Hercules, and the aging, but very adaptable, C-130K Hercules. The base was designated as a Master Diversion Airfield. It is one of the primary airfields to which aircraft divert in the eventuality of their home bases being closed due to weather, or other unforeseen events (such as aircraft crashes), having occurred.
RAF Lyneham is also renowned for being the "gateway" between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan; the base was also where repatriation of British personnel killed in Afghanistan takes place. The bodies were transported through the nearby town of Royal Wootton Bassett, with crowds lining the streets to pay tribute to the fallen.
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Reading, Berkshire
Reading (i/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ RED-ing) is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some 40 miles (64 km) west of London.
The Borough of Reading has a population of 145,700 (2008 estimate) and the town formed the largest part of the Reading/Wokingham Urban Area which had a population of 369,804 (2001 census). The town is currently represented in the UK parliament by two members, and has been continuously represented there since 1295. For ceremonial purposes the town is in the county of Berkshire and has served as its county town since 1867, previously sharing this status with Abingdon.
The first evidence for Reading as a settlement dates from the 8th century. Reading was an important centre in the medieval period, as the site of Reading Abbey, a monastery with strong royal connections. The town was seriously impacted by the Civil War, with a major siege and loss of trade, and played a pivotal role in the Revolution of 1688, with that revolution's only significant military action fought on the streets of the town. The 19th century saw the coming of the Great Western Railway and the development of the town's brewing, baking and seed growing businesses.
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Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees Valley economic area. It is represented in Parliament by Ian Swales (Liberal Democrat) for the Redcar constituency and by Tom Blenkinsop (Labour) for the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.
The district was created in 1974 as the borough of Langbaurgh, one of four districts of the new non-metropolitan county of Cleveland. It was formed from the Coatham, Kirkleatham, Ormesby, Redcar and South Bank wards of the county borough of Teesside, along with Guisborough, Loftus, Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea, Eston Grange and Skelton and Brotton urban districts, from the North Riding of Yorkshire. The borough was named after the ancient Langbaurgh wapentake of Yorkshire. On 1 January 1988 the borough was renamed as Langbaurgh-on-Tees.
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Redlands Airfield
Redlands Airfield (X2SN) is an unlicenced private airfield in Wanborough, east of Swindon, Wiltshire, a few miles from junction 15 of the M4. Redlands Airfield has been operating since 1990 after being granted planning permission by Swindon Borough Council for a microlight flying club and school. Over the years, skydiving, additional microlight hangarage and a cafe have been added to the portfolio offered. Redlands is a base for microlight aviation and skydiving parachute training. Redlands Airfield has three well drained grass runways of 750m, 407m and 274m and hangarage facilities for all microlight types. There is a 5 star 'Scores on the Doors' rated Cafe on site which is open to all Airfield visitors with ample car parking available.
Organisations based at the airfield include Redlands Microlight Club, Clearprop Microlight School. and Skydive London. Many national and local charities use the Airfield to raise money through sponsored charity jumps.
Visiting microlights are welcome at Redlands with PPR.
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River Ebble
The River Ebble is one the five rivers of the English city of Salisbury.
Rising at Alvediston 12 miles to the west 51°0′36.41″N 2°2′5.76″W / 51.0101139°N 2.0349333°W / 51.0101139; -2.0349333 it joins the River Avon 2 miles south of Salisbury at Bodenham 51°1′58.04″N 1°45′29.10″W / 51.0327889°N 1.758083°W / 51.0327889; -1.758083, after flowing through Ebbesbourne Wake, Fifield Bavant, Little London, Knapp, Mount Sorrel, Broad Chalke, Stoke Farthing, Bishopstone, Stratford Tony, Coombe Bissett, Odstock and Nunton.
The River Chalke is the most significant tributary, rising in Bowerchalke and flowing through the Chalke Valley to join the Ebble at Mount Sorrel in Broad Chalke, after running through and trout farms. The Chalke also provides a steady, year round flow so that the winterbourne section of the Ebble is only from Alvediston to Knapp.
The flow of the Ebble is augmented at Little London by multiple pumped bore holes that feed the extensive commercial watercress farm at Knapp before the confluence with the Chalke.
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River Nadder
The River Nadder is one of the chalk stream rivers of southern England, much sought after by fly fishermen because of its clear waters and abundance of brown trout. It is one of the main tributaries of the River Avon, rising from a number of springs and small streams at Donhead St. Mary in south Wiltshire. The river winds its way east-northeast, heading towards the medieval cathedral city of Salisbury.
During the course of its 32 kilometre journey the Nadder meanders and widens gradually until it flows through the park of Wilton House to the west of Salisbury after which the river joins the River Wylye, another tributary of the Avon. For its last few kilometres it passes through the unspoilt water meadows at Harnham on the outskirts of the city, and finally into the River Avon beneath a backdrop of the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral spire.
The origin of the name is from Brythonic nootr, "flowing water". Folk etymology derives it from the perceived likeness of its meanderings to an adder, the original Old English name for which was "nadder".
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Rutland
Coordinates: 52°39′20.00″N 0°39′30.00″W / 52.65556°N 0.65833°W / 52.65556; -0.65833
Rutland ( /ˈrʌtlənd/) is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough (a unitary authority ceremonially in Cambridgeshire) and Northamptonshire.
Its greatest length north to south is only 18 miles (29.0 km), greatest breadth east to west, 17 miles (27.4 km). It is the smallest (in terms of population) normal unitary authority in mainland England (only the City of London is smaller in terms of area), and is 348th of the 354 districts in terms of population. It is the smallest historic English county, leading to the adoption of the Latin motto Multum In Parvo or "much in little" by the county council in 1950. Among modern ceremonial counties the Isle of Wight, City of London and City of Bristol are all smaller. The former County of London, in existence 1889 to 1965, also had a smaller area.
The only towns in Rutland are Oakham, the county town, and Uppingham. At the centre of the county is the large artificial reservoir, Rutland Water, with a similar surface area to Windermere. It is an important nature reserve serving as an overwintering site for wildfowl and a breeding site for ospreys. The town of Stamford is just over the border in a protruding part of Lincolnshire.
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Salisbury
Coordinates: 51°04′26″N 1°47′37″W / 51.0740°N 1.7936°W / 51.0740; -1.7936
Salisbury ( /ˈsɔːlzbri/ SAWLZ-bree or /ˈsɒlzbri/ SOLZ-bree, or locally /ˈsɔːzbri/) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county (the largest being Swindon). It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use.
The city is located in the south-east of Wiltshire, near the edge of Salisbury Plain. It sits at the confluence of five rivers: the Nadder, Ebble, Wylye and Bourne are tributary to the Avon, which flows to the south coast and into the sea at Christchurch, Dorset. Salisbury railway station serves the city, and is the crossing point between the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line, making it a regional interchange.
Although the actual city was not established until 1220, there has been a settlement in the area since prehistory. There is evidence of Neolithic settlement on the hilltop of Old Sarum, which became a hill fort in the Iron Age. The Romans called this fort "Sorviodunum" and may also have occupied the fort. The Saxons established themselves there called it "Searesbyrig" and the Normans built a castle or "Seresberi". By 1086, in the Domesday Book, it was called "Salesberie".
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Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and is considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture. The main body was completed in only 38 years, from 1220 to 1258.
The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (123m/404 ft). Visitors can take the "Tower Tour" where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wood scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain (80 acres (320,000 m2)). The Cathedral contains the world's oldest working clock (from AD 1386) and has the best surviving of the four original copies of Magna Carta (all four original copies are in England). Although commonly known as Salisbury Cathedral, the official name is the Cathedral of Saint Mary. In 2008, the cathedral celebrated the 750th anniversary of its consecration in 1258.
It is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Salisbury, and seat of the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt. Revd. Nick Holtam.
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Salisbury Plain
Coordinates: 51°09′18″N 1°48′32″W / 51.155°N 1.809°W / 51.155; -1.809
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering 300 square miles (780 km2). It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known landmarks. Largely as a result of the establishment of the Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain (ATE SP), the plain is sparsely populated and is the largest remaining area of calcareous grassland in north-west Europe. Additionally the plain has arable land, and a few small areas of beech trees and coniferous woodland.
The boundaries of Salisbury Plain have never been truly defined, and there is some difference of opinion as to its exact area. The river valleys surrounding it, and other downs and plains beyond them loosely define its boundaries. To the north the scarp of the downs overlooks the Vale of Pewsey, and to the north west the Bristol Avon. The River Wylye runs along the south west, and the Bourne runs to the east. The Avon runs through the eastern half of the plain and to the south the plain peters out as the river valleys close together before meeting at Salisbury. From here the Avon continues south to the English Channel at Christchurch. The Hampshire Downs and the Berkshire Downs are chalk downland to the east and north of Salisbury Plain, and the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase are to the south west. In the west and north west the geology is mainly of the clays and limestones of the Blackmore Vale, Avon Vale and Vale of Wardour.
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Salisbury, England
Coordinates: 51°04′26″N 1°47′37″W / 51.0740°N 1.7936°W / 51.0740; -1.7936
Salisbury ( /ˈsɔːlzbri/ SAWLZ-bree or /ˈsɒlzbri/ SOLZ-bree, or locally /ˈsɔːzbri/) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county (the largest being Swindon). It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use.
The city is located in the south-east of Wiltshire, near the edge of Salisbury Plain. It sits at the confluence of five rivers: the Nadder, Ebble, Wylye and Bourne are tributary to the Avon, which flows to the south coast and into the sea at Christchurch, Dorset. Salisbury railway station serves the city, and is the crossing point between the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line, making it a regional interchange.
Although the actual city was not established until 1220, there has been a settlement in the area since prehistory. There is evidence of Neolithic settlement on the hilltop of Old Sarum, which became a hill fort in the Iron Age. The Romans called this fort "Sorviodunum" and may also have occupied the fort. The Saxons established themselves there called it "Searesbyrig" and the Normans built a castle or "Seresberi". By 1086, in the Domesday Book, it was called "Salesberie".
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Sedgemoor
Sedgemoor is a low lying area of land in Somerset, England. It lies close to sea level south of the Polden Hills, historically largely marsh (or "moor" in its older sense). The eastern part is known as King's Sedgemoor, and the western part West Sedgemoor. Sedgemoor is part of the area now known as the Somerset Levels. Historically the area was known as the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor.
Sedgemoor has given its name to a local government district formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the municipal borough of Bridgwater, the Burnham-on-Sea urban district, Bridgwater Rural District and part of Axbridge Rural District. The district covers a larger area than the historical Sedgemoor, extending north of the Polden Hills across the Somerset Levels to the Mendip Hills.
Sedgemoor does not mean "sedge moor", but is instead "marsh of a man called Sicga" from the Old Norse personal name Sicga and Old English mor "moor". The name was recorded as Secgamere in 1165.
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Shearwater (lake)
Coordinates: 51°10′41″N 2°12′36″W / 51.178°N 2.210°W / 51.178; -2.210 Shearwater is a man-made freshwater lake near Crockerton village, close to the town of Warminster in Wiltshire. Part of the Longleat Estate, the lake is surrounded by mature woodland, and is popular with anglers, walkers and cyclists.
The lake is home to Shearwater Sailing Club, which sails mainly Wayfarer dinghies and Laser dinghies
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Shropshire
Shropshire ( /ˈʃrɒpʃər/ or /ˈʃrɒpʃɪər/; alternatively Salop; abbreviated, in print only, Shrops) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Wales to the west, Cheshire to the north, Staffordshire to the east, Worcestershire to the south-east and Herefordshire to the south. A unitary authority (Shropshire Council) was created on 1 April 2009, taking over from the previous county council and 5 district councils, and covers most of the county. The borough of Telford and Wrekin, included in Shropshire for ceremonial purposes, has been a separate unitary authority since 1998.
The county's population and economy is centred on five towns: the county town of Shrewsbury, which is culturally and historically important and is located in the centre of the county;Telford, a new town in the east which was constructed around a number of older towns, most notably Wellington, Dawley and Madeley, which is today the most populous; and Oswestry in the north-west, Bridgnorth just to the south of Telford, and Ludlow in the south. The county has many further smaller towns, including Whitchurch in the north, Newport just to the north-east of Telford, and Market Drayton in the north-east of the county.
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Slough
Coordinates: 51°30′36″N 0°35′35″W / 51.51°N 0.593056°W / 51.51; -0.593056
Sloughi/ˈslaʊ/ is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road (it becomes the Great West Road closer to London) and the Great Western Main Line, 22 miles (35 km) west of central London. At the 2001 census, the population of Slough was 119,070 (est. 122,000 in 2006) and the borough area was the most ethnically diverse local authority area outside London in the United Kingdom. Slough has the highest proportion of religious adherents in England.
Historically, the larger part of the present-day Slough area was formerly in Buckinghamshire with a small part of the borough originally in Middlesex. Slough is home to the Slough Trading Estate, which, coupled with extensive transport links, makes it an important business centre in South East England. It is the largest industrial estate in single private ownership in Europe.
Slough is at grid reference SU978797, just west of Greater London. Nearby towns are Windsor to the south, Maidenhead to the west, Uxbridge to the northeast and Beaconsfield to the north.
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Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset (i/ˈsʌmərsɛt/ or /ˈsʌmərsɨt/) in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the River Severn. Its traditional northern border is the River Avon, but the administrative boundary has crept southwards with the creation and expansion of the City of Bristol, and latterly the county of Avon and its successor unitary authorities to the north. Somerset's county town, Taunton, is in the south.
Somerset is a rural county of rolling hills such as the Blackdown Hills, Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels. There is evidence of human occupation from Palaeolithic times, and of subsequent settlement in the Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. The county played a significant part in the consolidation of power and rise of King Alfred the Great, and later in the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion.
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South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056.
To the north it includes part of Dartmoor National Park, to the east borders Torbay, and to the west Plymouth. It contains some of the most unspoilt coastline on the south coast, including the promontories of Start Point, and Bolt Head. The entire coastline, along with the lower Avon and Dart valleys, form most of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The South Hams, along with nearby Broadsands in Paignton, is the last British refuge of the Cirl Bunting.
The South Hams were originally part of the Brythonic (Celtic) Kingdom of Dumnonia later reduced to the modern boundary at the River Tamar as Cornwall presumably during the tenth century reign of Æthelstan. Post-Roman settlement on coastal promontory hillforts, such as Burgh Island, follows the established pattern of trading — of tin in particular — found across the western, so-called 'Celtic', Atlantic coastal regions. In the later Anglo-Saxon era the South Hams was a feudal estate consisting of all of the land between the River Plym and River Dart and south of Dartmoor with the English Channel forming the southern boundary. There is some evidence that Cornish was spoken and understood in the area until the late Middle Ages.
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South Somerset
South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England.
The South Somerset district covers and area of 370 square miles (958 km2) ranging from the borders with Devon and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 158,000. The administrative centre of the district is Yeovil.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, and was originally known as Yeovil, adopting its present name in 1985. It was formed by the merger of the municipal boroughs of Chard, Yeovil, along with Crewkerne and Ilminster urban districts and the Chard Rural District, Langport Rural District, Wincanton Rural District and Yeovil Rural District.
The Council covers the whole of the Yeovil constituency, and part of Somerton and Frome.
It is currently Liberal Democrat controlled, and has Beacon Council status.
Its main towns include:
County schools (those which are not independent) in the five non-metropolitan districts of the county are operated by Somerset County Council.
For a full list of schools see: List of schools in Somerset
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South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield. South Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972.
Lying on the east side of the Pennines, South Yorkshire is landlocked, and borders Derbyshire (to the south-west), West Yorkshire (to the northwest), North Yorkshire (to the north), the East Riding of Yorkshire (to the northeast), Lincolnshire (to the east) and Nottinghamshire (to the southeast). The Sheffield Urban Area is the ninth most populous conurbation in the UK, and dominates the western half of South Yorkshire with over half of the county's population living within it.
South Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authority areas; however, the metropolitan county, which is some 1,552 square kilometres (599 sq mi), continues to exist in law and as a geographic frame of reference. As a ceremonial county, South Yorkshire has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff.
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Southampton
Southamptoni/saʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-west of London and 30 kilometres (19 mi) north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest. It lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water at the confluence of the River Test and River Itchen, with the River Hamble joining to the south of the urban area. The local authority is Southampton City Council, which is a unitary authority.
The city represents the core of the Greater Southampton region, and the city itself has an estimated population of 239,700 Southampton combines with Portsmouth to form a single metropolitan area; with a population of over a million this makes the region one of the United Kingdom's most populous metropolitan areas. The city's name is sometimes abbreviated in writing to "So'ton" or "Soton", and a resident of Southampton is called a Sotonian.
Significant employers in Southampton include the University of Southampton, Southampton Airport, the Ford Transit factory, Ordnance Survey, BBC South, the NHS, ABP and Carnival. Southampton is noted for its association with the RMS Titanic, the Spitfire and more recently a number of the largest cruise ships in the world.
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Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport (IATA: SOU, ICAO: EGHI) is an airport in the UK, located 3.5 NM (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) north north-east of Southampton, in the Borough of Eastleigh within Hampshire, England.
The airport is owned and operated by BAA, which also owns and operates five other UK airports, and is itself owned by ADI Limited, an international consortium, which includes Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and GIC Special Investments, that is led by the Spanish Ferrovial Group.
The airport handled 1,762,076 passengers during 2011, a 1.6% increase compared with 2010, making it the 18th busiest airport in the UK. Southampton Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P690) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
The airport's runway is built over the remains of a Roman villa. It was excavated in May 1925 but the villa had been robbed of much of its material.
The site's connection with aviation can be traced back to 1910 when pioneer pilot Edwin Rowland Moon used the meadows belonging to North Stoneham Farm as a take-off and landing spot for his monoplane, Moonbeam Mk II. In 2010, the airport arranged a series of events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first flight at the airport.
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Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated within the Thames Gateway on the north side of the Thames estuary 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. It is home to the longest leisure pier in the world, The Southend Pier.London Southend Airport is located 2 Miles north of the town Center, and is one of London's 6 Major Airports.
Originally the "south end" of the village of Prittlewell, Southend became a seaside resort during the Georgian era, attracting many tourists in the summer months to its seven miles[citation needed] of beaches and bathing in the sea. Good rail connections and proximity to London mean that much of the economy has been based on tourism, and that Southend has been a dormitory town for city workers ever since. Southend Pier is the world's longest pleasure pier at 1.34 miles (2158m). It has suffered fires and ship collisions, most recently in October 2005, but the basic pier structure has been repaired each time. There has been significant loss of pier-head facilities since the major fire in 1976.
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Staffordshire
Staffordshire (/ˈstæfərdʃɪər/ or /ˈstæfərdʃaɪər/; abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders. It adjoins the ceremonial counties of Cheshire (to the north west), Derbyshire (to the east), Leicestershire (to the east), Warwickshire (to the south east), West Midlands (to the south), Worcestershire (to the south), and Shropshire (to the west).
The largest city in Staffordshire is Stoke-on-Trent, which is administered separately from the rest of the county as an independent unitary authority. Lichfield also has city status, although this is a considerably smaller cathedral city. Major towns include Stafford (the county town), Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Leek and Tamworth.
Wolverhampton, Walsall, West Bromwich and Smethwick were also in Staffordshire until local government reorganisation in 1974, but are now within the West Midlands County in the West Midlands Conurbation.
With the exception of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire is divided into the districts of Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, and Tamworth.
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Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 2.0 miles (3.2 km) west of Amesbury and 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.
Archaeologists believe the iconic stone monument was constructed anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC, as described in the chronology below. Radiocarbon dating in 2008 suggested that the first stones were erected in 2400–2200 BC, whilst another theory suggests that bluestones may have been erected at the site as early as 3000 BC (see phase 1 below).
The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury Henge monument. It is a national legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.
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Stourhead
Stourhead is a 1,072-hectare (2,650-acre) estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1946.
The Stourton family, the Barons of Stourton, had lived in the Stourhead estate for 500 years until they sold it to Sir Thomas Meres in 1714. His son, John Meres, sold it to Henry Hoare I, son of wealthy banker Sir Richard Hoare in 1717. The original manor house was demolished and a new house, one of the first of its kind, was designed by Colen Campbell and built by Nathaniel Ireson between 1721 and 1725. Over the next 200 years the Hoare family collected many heirlooms, including a large library and art collection. In 1902 the house was gutted by fire. However, many of the heirlooms were saved, and the house rebuilt in a near identical style. The last Hoare family member to own the property, Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare, gave the Stourhead house and gardens to the National Trust in 1946, one year before his death. His sole heir and son, Captain "Harry" Henry Colt Arthur Hoare, of the Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry, had died of wounds received at the Battle of Mughar Ridge on 13 November 1917 in World War I. Captain "Harry" Hoare is commemorated by a plaque on the Memorial Hall at Stourhead. The last Hoare family member to be born inside the house is Edward Hoare on 11 October 1949.
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Stroud District
Coordinates: 51°44′53″N 2°12′58″W / 51.748°N 2.216°W / 51.748; -2.216
Stroud is a local government district in Gloucestershire, England. It is named after its largest town, Stroud, and has its administrative headquarters in Ebley Mill, in the Ebley area on the outskirts of the town.
The district is mixed and consists of part of the Cotswolds and an area of the flat, fertile valley of the River Severn. The town of Stroud is by some way the largest in the area. The southern portion of the district is served mostly by its own market towns, chief among which are Dursley and Wotton-under-Edge. It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on April 1, 1974, by a merger of Nailsworth and Stroud urban districts, Dursley Rural District, Stroud Rural District, and parts of Gloucester Rural District, Sodbury Rural District and Thornbury Rural District.
The area is rich in Iron Age and Roman remnants and is of particular interest to archaeologists for its Neolithic burial grounds, of which there are over 100. Much of its wealth was built on the cloth industry during the Victorian era, and its many mills, most of which are now listed buildings, survive as testament to this.
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Surrey
Surrey /ˈsʌri/ is a county in the South East of England, and one of the home counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford.Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of Greater London since 1965. The London boroughs of Lambeth, Wandsworth and Southwark were considered part of Surrey until 1889; and Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Barnes and Richmond - all now reclassified as part of Greater London - were part of Surrey until 1965.
Surrey is divided into 11 boroughs and districts: Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley, Woking. After the elections of 1 May 2008, the Conservatives are in control of 10 out of 11 councils in Surrey, with Epsom and Ewell in Residents Association control. The Conservatives hold all 11 Parliamentary constituencies within the county borders.
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Swindon
Coordinates: 51°34′N 1°47′W / 51.56°N 1.78°W / 51.56; -1.78
Swindon ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a large town within the Borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is situated midway between Bristol, 40 miles (64 km) west and Reading, 40 miles (64 km) east. London is 81 miles (130 km) to the east. In the 2001 census, the population of the Swindon urban area was 155,432, while the wider borough of Swindon had a population of 184,000.
Swindon was named an Expanded Town under the Town Development Act 1952 and this led to a major increase in its population.Swindon railway station is on the line from London Paddington to Bristol. Swindon Borough Council, is a unitary authority independent of Wiltshire Council since 1997. Residents of Swindon are known as Swindonians. Swindon is home to the Bodleian Library's book depository, which contains 153 miles (246 km) of bookshelves.
The original Saxon settlement of Swindon sat in a defensible position atop a limestone hill. It is referred to in the Domesday Book as Suindune, believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "swine" and "dun" meaning pig hill or possibly, Sweyn's hill, where Sweyn would be the local landlord.
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Swindon College
Swindon College is a further education college in Swindon, England. Its campus is at North Star, just outside the town centre. The college has HNC/Ds and Foundation Degrees, through to BA (Hons) courses and a postgraduate programme.
It is also the provider of The Fitness Academy, based at Centre Fitness gym.
Coordinates: 51°34′5.68″N 1°47′14.89″W / 51.5682444°N 1.7874694°W / 51.5682444; -1.7874694
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Tan Hill, Wiltshire
Tan Hill (grid reference SU080640) is a hill which lies just to the north of the village of Allington in the parish of All Cannings, Wiltshire, England.
Its summit is 294 metres (965 ft) above sea level and is the second highest point of the North Wessex Downs AONB hill range (the adjacent Milk Hill is 295 m high) and of Wiltshire. It is also the third highest point between Bristol and London. To the south, its adjoins Clifford's Hill.
On 23 August 2009, the BBC programme Countryfile featured an item on analysis by Ordnance Survey to determine whether Milk or Tan Hill is the highest. It was confirmed that Milk Hill is 26 centimetres (10.2 in) higher than Tan Hill.
Along the north side of Tan Hill runs a section of The Wansdyke, an earth rampart which runs east to west across much of southern England.
Tan Hill formerly had a white horse.
In April 2003, a Dotterel was present on the summit of Tan Hill. This bird species does not usually migrate through Britain until May.
Coordinates: 51°22′30″N 1°53′11″W / 51.37500°N 1.88645°W / 51.37500; -1.88645
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Taunton Deane
Taunton Deane is a local government district with borough status in Somerset, England. Its council is based in Taunton.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the Municipal Borough of Taunton, Wellington Urban District, Taunton Rural District, and Wellington Rural District.
Taunton Deane was granted borough status in 1975, perpetuating the mayoralty of Taunton.
The district was given the name of an alternate form of the Taunton Deane Hundred.
Settlements in bold have a town charter or a population over 2,500.
Part of the former Taunton Municipal Borough is unparished.
The town of Taunton (which for population estimates includes the unparished area - or former municipal borough - plus the neighbouring parishes of Bishop's Hull, Comeytrowe, Norton Fitzwarren, Staplegrove, Trull and West Monkton) had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001.
Taunton forms part of the larger borough of Taunton Deane which also includes the town of Wellington and surrounding villages. Taunton Deane had an estimated population of 102,600 in 2001.
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Teignbridge
Coordinates: 50°34′55″N 3°37′41″W / 50.582°N 3.628°W / 50.582; -3.628
Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Newton Abbot.
Other towns in the district include Ashburton, Dawlish and Teignmouth. It is named for the old Teignbridge hundred.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Newton Abbot and Teignmouth urban districts along with Newton Abbot Rural District and part of St Thomas Rural District.
Teignbridge contains the following towns and villages:
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Thames Path
The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996, following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. It is about 184 miles (296 km) long.
The entire length of the path can be walked, and some parts cycled. Most of the path uses the original towpath but in some places this is not possible. The main reason for this is that towpath traffic used to cross the river at several points using ferries, but apart from Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry these no longer operate. This means that in several places such as Shiplake, Whitchurch-on-Thames and Moulsford, there are diversions away from the towpath. At other places, there are replacement connections. An example of this is at Hurley, where the Temple Footbridge was built in 1989.
Some parts of the Thames Path, particularly those west of Oxford, are subject to flooding during the winter months. The river is tidal downstream from Teddington Lock, and parts of the path may be underwater if there is a particularly high tide.
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The Courts Garden
The Courts Garden is an English country garden in Holt, near Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, England. The garden has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1943.
Coordinates: 51°21′18″N 2°12′03″W / 51.35488°N 2.20087°W / 51.35488; -2.20087
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The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway is a ridgeway or ancient trackway described as Britain's oldest road. The section clearly identified as an ancient trackway extends from Wiltshire along the chalk ridge of the Berkshire Downs to the River Thames at the Goring Gap, part of the Icknield Way which ran, not always on the ridge, from Salisbury Plain to East Anglia. The route was adapted and extended as a National Trail, created in 1972. The Ridgeway National Trail follows the ancient Ridgeway from Overton Hill, near Avebury, to Streatley, then follows footpaths and parts of the ancient Icknield Way through the Chiltern Hills to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. The National Trail is 87 miles (139km) long.
For at least 5000 years travellers have used the Ridgeway. Originally connected to the Dorset coast, the Ridgeway provided a reliable trading route to The Wash in Norfolk. The high dry ground made travel easy and provided a measure of protection by giving traders a commanding view, warning against potential attacks.
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Thurrock
Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council.
It lies on the River Thames just to the east of London. With over 18 miles (29 km) of riverfront it covers an area of 64 square miles (166 km²), with more than half defined as Green Belt. With Greater London to the west and the river to the south, the county of Essex abuts the Borough to the north and east, and across the river lies Kent.
The local authority is Thurrock Council. Elections are held 3 out of every 4 years. In the last election in 2012, Labour took control after a period in which no party had overall control.
Thurrock is covered by two parliamentary constituencies. Thurrock includes most of the borough while South Basildon and East Thurrock includes some wards in the east of the borough. Both seats were Conservative gains from Labour at the 2010 general election.
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Tidworth
Coordinates: 51°14′06″N 1°39′54″W / 51.2350°N 1.665°W / 51.2350; -1.665
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east of Amesbury. Its population is approximately 9,500.
Tidworth was listed in the Domesday Book as Todeorde, in the Andover Hundred, in "Hantscire". It was once the family home of the Studd family. On John Speed's maps (1611), the town is referred to as Tudworth, North Tudworth belonging to Amesbury hundred in "Wilshire", and South Tudworth to Andover hundred in "Hamshire". When the boundary between Wiltshire and Hampshire was redrawn in 1992, the old distinction between North Tidworth and South Tidworth vanished, and the entire town became part of Wiltshire. The separate parts remained as two separate civil parishes until 1 April 2004.
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Torridge
Coordinates: 50°53′35″N 4°15′54″W / 50.893°N 4.265°W / 50.893; -4.265
Torridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Bideford. Other towns and villages in the district include Holsworthy, Great Torrington, Hartland and Westward Ho!. The Island of Lundy is administratively part of the District. To the south of the district bordering Cornwall, near Welcombe, the rugged coastine has a wild untouched beauty, due to its accessibility, but the South West Coast Path is well defined.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by the merger of the boroughs of Bideford and Great Torrington, the Northam urban district, Bideford Rural District, Holsworthy Rural District and Torrington Rural District. It is named after the River Torridge.
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Vale of Pewsey
The Vale of Pewsey or Pewsey Vale is an area of Wiltshire, England to the east of Devizes and south of Marlborough, centred on the town of Pewsey.
The vale is an extent of lower lying ground separating the chalk downs of Salisbury Plain to the south from the Marlborough Downs to the north. It is around 30 kilometres (19 mi) long and around 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide. At the western end is the town of Devizes. Larger settlements in the vale include Pewsey and Burbage with many smaller villages, the larger ones including Bishops Cannings, Etchilhampton, Urchfont, Chirton, Alton Priors, Woodborough, Milton Lilbourne, Easton Royal and Wootton Rivers.
Although not itself part of the downs, the vale is included as part of the North Wessex Downs AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
The vale is a major east-west feature opening to the west towards the Bristol Channel, but is drained by the headwaters of the Salisbury Avon, rather than the westward-flowing Bristol Avon. The river cuts through the chalk scarp to the south at Upavon and crosses Salisbury Plain towards the south coast. The higher part of the eastern vale south of Burbage is drained by the River Bourne, which cuts the scarp at Collingbourne Kingston, joining the Avon at Salisbury. Since the area is not believed to have been glaciated, this probably indicates that the course of the rivers pre-dates the modern topography.
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Warminster
Coordinates: 51°12′32″N 2°10′47″W / 51.2090°N 2.1796°W / 51.2090; -2.1796
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36 (between Salisbury and Bath) and the partly concurrent A350 between Westbury and Blandford Forum. It has a population of about 19,000.[citation needed] The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were. The name Warminster first occurs in the early 10th century.
The town was first settled in the Anglo-Saxon period, though there are the remains of numerous earlier settlements nearby, including the Iron Age hill forts of Battlesbury Camp, Scratchbury Camp and Cley Hill, the latter a site operated by the National Trust.
There are indications that a Middle Iron Age settlement may also have been situated just west of the town.
The town's prosperity following the growth of the wool trade in the Late Middle Ages caused the erection of many magnificent structures, including the Minster Church of Saint Denys, in a yew grove sacred from pre-Christian times, and including an organ originally destined for the then under-construction Salisbury Cathedral.[citation needed]
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Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens. The population of the borough is 198,900. Its population has more than doubled since its designation as a New Town in 1968.
Historically a part of Lancashire, Warrington was founded by the Romans at an important crossing place on the River Mersey. A new settlement was established by the Saxons and by the Middle Ages, Warrington had emerged as a market town at a bridging point of the river. A local tradition of textile and tool production dates from this time.
The expansion and urbanisation of Warrington largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution, particularly after the Mersey was made navigable in the 18th century. The West Coast Mainline runs north to south through the town, and the Liverpool to Manchester railway (the Cheshire Lines route) west to east. The Manchester Ship Canal cuts through the south of the borough (west to east). The M6, M56 and M62 motorways form a partial box around the town.
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Warwickshire
Warwickshire (i/ˈwɒrɨkʃər/ or /ˈwɒrɨkʃɪər/) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare and George Elliot. Commonly used abbreviations for the county are Warks or Warwicks.
The five districts of North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Rugby, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon together form the Warwickshire County Council area, and are within the 1974 boundaries. The shape of the administrative area of Warwickshire differs considerably from that of the historic county, which also includes the now autonomous unitary authorities of Coventry and Solihull, as well as a small area around central and northeast Birmingham.
For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG13) and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region.
Warwickshire is bounded to the north-west by the West Midlands metropolitan county and Staffordshire, by Leicestershire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the east, Worcestershire to the west, Oxfordshire to the south and Gloucestershire to the south-west. The northern tip of the county is only 3 miles (5 km) from the Derbyshire border. An average-sized English county covering an area of almost 2,000 km2, it runs some 60 miles (97 km) north to south.
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Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex ( /ˈwɛsɨks/) or Kingdom of the West Saxons (Old English: Westseaxna rīce) was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons in South West England, from the 6th century until the emergence of a united English state under the Wessex dynasty in the 10th century. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest of 1016, from 1020 to 1066. After the Norman Conquest there was a dissolution of the English earldoms and Wessex was split among the followers of William the Conqueror.
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West Devon
West Devon is a local government district and borough in Devon, England. Towns in the district include Chagford, Okehampton, Princetown, and Tavistock, where the council is based.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the previous municipal borough of Okehampton, Okehampton Rural District, and Tavistock Rural District.
Coordinates: 50°38′N 4°06′W / 50.633°N 4.1°W / 50.633; -4.1
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West Dorset
Coordinates: 50°47′20″N 2°35′53″W / 50.7889°N 2.5980°W / 50.7889; -2.5980
West Dorset is a local government district and parliamentary constituency in Dorset, England. Its council is based in Dorchester. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger of the boroughs of Bridport, Dorchester and Lyme Regis, along with Sherborne urban district, and the rural districts of Beaminster, Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne.
In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a population of 92,350, estimated to be 94,000 as of 2004[update]. The population structure reflects the rural nature of the district. 52% of the population are female. The area is a popular retirement area which also exports young people due the low choice of career options. This is reflected in the age structure, with 12.3% of the population over 75, compared to 7.5% in England; 51.7% are between 15 and 59, compared to 59.1% in England. 34.4% of dwellings are pensioner households, compared to 23.8% in England.
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West Somerset
West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covers a largely rural area, with a population of 35,075 in an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi). According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52. The largest centres of population are the coastal towns of Minehead (population 10,000) and Watchet (4,400).
The council's administrative headquarters is located in the village of Williton, with an additional office in Minehead.
The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the previous urban districts of Minehead and Watchet, along with Dulverton Rural District and Williton Rural District.
There are 33 Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset, the oldest being Culbone Church, which is one of the smallest churches in England, and pre-Norman in origin and Tarr Steps which may originate in the Bronze Age, although others date them from around 1400.Dunster has the greatest concentration of Grade I listed buildings including Dunster Castle, the Yarn Market, Gallox Bridge and Priory Church of St George. Other sites include manor houses such as Nettlecombe Court and Orchard Wyndham. The most recent buildings included in the list are Crowcombe Court which was completed in 1739 and the Church of St John the Baptist in Carhampton which was rebuilt in 1863. There are numerous religious structures in Somerset, with the largest number being Anglican parish churches, dating from Norman or medieval eras. Some of the churches are included in the Somerset towers, a collection of distinctive, mostly spireless Gothic church towers.
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West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering East Sussex (with Brighton and Hove), Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming into force of the Local Government Act 1972. At the same time the Mid Sussex region (including Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and East Grinstead) was transferred from East Sussex.
West Sussex has a wide range of scenery, including Wealden, Downland and coastal. It has a number of stately homes including Goodwood, Petworth House and Uppark and also castles such as Arundel Castle and Bramber Castle. Over half the county is protected countryside, offering walking, cycling and other recreational opportunities for visitors and residents alike.
Chichester is the county town of West Sussex, and the highest point of the county is Black Down, at 280 metres (919 ft, grid reference SU919296).
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West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.
West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five metropolitan boroughs (City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, City of Leeds and City of Wakefield) and shares borders with the counties of Derbyshire (to the south), Greater Manchester (to the south-west), Lancashire (to the north-west), North Yorkshire (to the north and east) and South Yorkshire (to the south-east).
West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authorities. However, the metropolitan county, which covers an area of 2,029 square kilometres (783 sq mi), continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference.
West Yorkshire encompasses the West Yorkshire Urban Area, which is the most built-up and biggest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire.
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Westbury, Wiltshire
Coordinates: 51°15′32″N 2°11′26″W / 51.25891°N 2.19055°W / 51.25891; -2.19055
Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.
The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same since the Anglo-Saxon period.
The -bury part of the name is a form of borough, which has cognates in many languages, such as the German -burg and the Greek -pyrgos. It carries the idea of a hill or fortified town. For a fuller explanation, see borough. In Wiltshire, -bury often indicates an Iron Age or Bronze Age fortified hill fort, and such a site is to be found immediately above the Westbury White Horse.
Westbury is located 18 miles (29 km) south east of the city of Bath and about 5 miles (7.5 km) south of Trowbridge. Other nearby towns and cities include Bristol, Frome, Salisbury, Swindon and Warminster. Nearby villages include Bratton, Chapmanslade, Dilton Marsh, Edington, North Bradley, Rudge, Standerwick, Semington, West Ashton and Upton Scudamore.
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Westwood Manor
Westwood Manor is a 15th-century manor house with 16th century additions and 17th century plaster-work situated near Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, England. It contains fine furniture and tapestries collected by Edgar Lister between 1911 and 1956. It has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1956.
Westwood Manor is occupied by a tenant, who administers it on behalf of the National Trust.
Coordinates: 51°19′48″N 2°16′16″W / 51.3299°N 2.2712°W / 51.3299; -2.2712
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Wilton House
Coordinates: 51°04′41″N 1°51′22″W / 51.07808°N 1.85600°W / 51.07808; -1.85600 Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years.
The first recorded building on the site of Wilton House was a priory founded by King Egbert circa 871. Later, this priory, due to the munificence of King Alfred, was granted lands and manors until it became wealthy and powerful. However, by the time Wilton Abbey was dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII of England, its prosperity was already on the wane — following the seizure of the abbey, King Henry presented it and the estates to William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (in the 1551 creation) in c.1544.
William Herbert, the scion of a distinguished family in the Welsh marches, was a favourite of the King. Following a recommendation to King Henry by King Francis I of France, whom Herbert had served as a soldier of fortune, Herbert was granted arms after only two years. In 1538, Herbert married Anne Parr, daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendal and sister of King Henry VIII's last Queen, Catherine Parr and William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton. The granting of an estate such as the Abbey of Wilton to Herbert was an accolade and evidence of his position at court.
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Wilton Windmill
The Wilton Windmill is a five floor brick tower mill located on a chalk ridge between the villages of Wilton and Great Bedwyn in the southern English county of Wiltshire.
The mill was built in 1821 because the construction of the Kennet and Avon Canal had included the canalisation of the River Bedwyn which had previously powered several water mills in the area.
The windmill was in use for a century, continuing into the 1920s, but fell into disuse, probably as the result of competition from large steam roller mills. In the 1960s it was added to the list of buildings of architectural or historical merit as Grade II. In 1971 it was bought by Wiltshire County Council and leased to the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust, which early in 1972 began to restore it to working condition. By the end of the summer of 1976 the windmill was once again making flour. It is now owned by the new Wiltshire Council and managed by the Wilton Windmill Society, formed in 1976 and operated entirely by volunteers. In the 1980s the mill was in financial difficulties, which led to the Society forming a cricket XI, the Wilton Millers' Cricket Team, to raise funds by playing sponsored matches, and in 2011 this was still in existence, although no longer needed for fundraising.
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Wilton, Wiltshire
Coordinates: 51°04′48″N 1°51′50″W / 51.080°N 1.864°W / 51.080; -1.864
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire (of which it was once the county town), England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.
The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at Wilton.
The history of Wilton dates back to the Anglo-Saxons in the 8th century AD, and by the late 9th century it was the capital of Wiltunscire, a region of the Kingdom of Wessex. It remained the administrative centre of Wiltshire until the 11th century. Wilton was of significant importance to the church, with the founding of Wilton Abbey in AD 771 and a number of other establishments. In AD 871 Alfred the Great fought and lost an important battle there against the Danish armies, leaving him in retreat for several years.
Despite further attacks, Wilton remained a prosperous town, as recorded in the Domesday book. The building of Salisbury Cathedral nearby, however, caused Wilton's decline, as the new site of Salisbury, with a new bridge over the River Avon, provided a convenient bypass around Wilton on the trade routes.
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Wiltshire
Wiltshire ( /ˈwɪltʃər/ or /ˈwɪltʃɪər/, formerly /ˈwɪlʃər/; or the County of Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km2 (1,346 square miles). The ancient county town was Wilton, but since 1930 Wiltshire County Council and its successor Wiltshire Council (from 2009) have been based at Trowbridge.
Wiltshire is characterised by its high downland and wide valleys. Salisbury Plain is famous as the location of the Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles and other ancient landmarks and as the main training area in the UK of the British Army. The city of Salisbury is notable for its mediaeval cathedral. Important country houses open to the public include Longleat, near Warminster, and the National Trust's Stourhead, near Mere.
The county, in the 9th century written as Wiltunscir, later Wiltonshire, is named after the former county town of Wilton, itself named after the river Wylye, one of eight rivers which drain the county.
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Wiltshire College
Coordinates: 51°18′29″N 2°13′19″W / 51.308°N 2.222°W / 51.308; -2.222
Wiltshire College is a tertiary college of education founded in 2002 by the merger of Chippenham Technical College, Lackham College and Trowbridge College. Consolidation will be completed with the merger of Salisbury College, which commenced in January 2008. The college has over 3000 full-time students and 300 teaching staff.
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Win Green Down
Win Green Down (grid reference ST927209) is a 26.0 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire, notified in 1971.
Coordinates: 50°59′15″N 2°06′19″W / 50.98745°N 2.10538°W / 50.98745; -2.10538
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Woodhenge
Woodhenge is a Neolithic Class I henge and timber circle monument located in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site in Wiltshire, England. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) north-east of Stonehenge in the parish of Durrington, just north of Amesbury.
Woodhenge was identified in 1925 after an aerial archaeology survey by Alexander Keiller and OGS Crawford. Crawford credits the discovery to an aerial photograph taken by Squadron Leader Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall, VC, in 1925.Maud Cunnington excavated the site between 1926 and 1929.
Pottery from the excavation was identified as being consistent with the Grooved ware style of the middle Neolithic, although later Beaker sherds were also found. So, the structure was probably built during the period of cultural similarities commonly known as the Beaker. The Beaker culture spans both the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age and includes both the distinctive "bell-beaker" type ceramic vessels for which the cultural grouping is known as well as other local styles of pottery from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
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Worcestershire
Worcestershire (i/ˈwʊstərʃər/ WUUS-tər-shər or /ˈwʊstərʃɪər/ WUUS-tər-sheer ; abbreviated Worcs) is a non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands of England. In 1974, it merged with the neighbouring county of Herefordshire to form Hereford and Worcester. This was divided in 1998, re-establishing Worcestershire as a county. The Malvern Hills forms the east–west border between the two counties, with the exception of West Malvern in Worcestershire.
The county borders Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. To the west, the county is bordered by the Malvern Hills and the spa town of Malvern. The southern part of the county is bordered by Gloucestershire and the northern edge of the Cotswolds; to the east is Warwickshire. There are two major rivers flowing through the county, the Severn and the Avon.
The cathedral city of Worcester is the largest settlement and administrative seat of the county, which includes the principal settlements of Bromsgrove, Stourport-on-Severn, Droitwich, Evesham, Kidderminster, Malvern, and the largest town, Redditch, and a number of smaller towns such as Pershore, Tenbury Wells and Upton upon Severn. The north of the county includes part of the industrial West Midlands conurbation while the south of the county is largely rural. The average salary is £20,300.
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Wroughton
Coordinates: 51°31′30″N 1°47′31″W / 51.525°N 1.792°W / 51.525; -1.792
Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is 4 miles (6 km) south of Swindon.
The earliest evidence of human presence in the area is from the Mesolithic period, although this is fairly limited. More significant evidence of settlement and occupation in the area is available for the Neolithic period, most notably due to the extensive ritual complex at Avebury (6 miles to the south) and scattered finds in the locality. The earliest archaeological evidence from within Wroughton dates from the Roman period (AD 43-410), showing a period of intensive settlement and farming in the area. Occupation of the area continued into the early Middle Ages (AD 410-1066) when two battles are understood to have taken place in the area: Breahburh (AD 567), thought to have been fought by Ceawlin of Wessex on the slopes of Barbury Hill, and Ellandun (AD 825) at Elcombe Hall by Egbert of Wessex. However there is no agreement that the latter was here (it is known to have been south of Swindon). Burial sites in the vicinity are believed to be associated with these battles.
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York
York (locali/ˈjɔːk/) is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence. The city offers a wealth of historic attractions, of which York Minster is the most prominent, and a variety of cultural and sporting activities.
The city was founded by the Romans in 71 AD, under the name of Eboracum. It became in turn the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and of the kingdoms of Northumbria and Jorvik. In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained.
In the 19th century York became a hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre. In recent decades, the economy of York has moved from being dominated by its confectionery and railway-related industries to one that provides services. The University of York and health services have become major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy.
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Aescwine of Wessex
Æscwine was a King of Wessex from about 674 to 676, but was probably not the only king in Wessex at the time.
Bede writes that after the death of King Cenwalh in 672: "his under-rulers took upon them the kingdom of the people, and dividing it among themselves, held it ten years". According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Cenwalh was succeeded as ruler for about one year by his wife Seaxburh. Æscwine reigned from about 674 to 676. Another source claims that Æscwine's father, Cenfus (Old English: Cēnfūs), ruled for two years after Seaxburh.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle supplies a genealogy, making him a fifth-generation descendant of Cynric. Bede's dismissal of Æscwine as a mere sub-king may represent the views of the supporters of the King Ine, whose family ruled Wessex in Bede's time, as Ine's family were bona fide descendants of Cynric through Ceawlin's son Cuthwine.
In 675, Æscwine defeated an invasion of Wessex led by the Mercian King Wulfhere at Biedanheafde, a location which has not been certainly identified.
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Andrew Murrison
Dr Andrew William Murrison (born 24 April 1961, Colchester) is a doctor and Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. After serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Westbury from 2001 to 2010, at the 2010 general election he was elected for the new seat of South West Wiltshire, covering much of the same area, including the towns of Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury.
The son of William Gordon Murrison RD and Marion Murrison, he grew up in Harwich, Essex, and went to local schools there, Harwich High School, and the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.
With the benefit of a Royal Naval scholarship, Murrison qualified as a doctor from the Bristol University medical school in 1984 and holds the degrees of MD, MB ChB.
Until 2000, he served in the Royal Navy as a medical officer based at Fareham. He served in the Gulf War of 1990-1991 and retired with the rank of Surgeon-Commander. During his Naval career he served as an Honorary Research Registrar at Southampton General Hospital and spent one year as a postgraduate student at Hughes Hall, Cambridge University, obtaining a Diploma in Public Health. From 2000, he worked as a general practitioner locum in Wiltshire and as a Consultant at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
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Anglo-Saxons
The term Anglo-Saxon is used by some historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Britain beginning in the early 5th century and the period from their creation of the English nation up to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon era denotes the period of English history between about 550 and 1066. The term is also used for the language, now known as Old English, that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in England (and part of southeastern Scotland) between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century.
The Benedictine monk Bede, writing in the early 8th century, identified the English as the descendants of three Germanic tribes:
Their language, Old English, which derived from Ingvaeonic West Germanic dialects, transformed into Middle English from the 11th century. Old English was divided into four main dialects: West Saxon, Mercian, Northumbrian and Kentish.
The term Anglo-Saxon can be found in documents produced in the time of Alfred the Great, who seems to have frequently used the titles rex Anglorum Saxonum and rex Angul-Saxonum (king of the English Saxons). The Old English terms ænglisc ('Angle-kin') and Angelcynn ('gens Anglorum') had already lost their original sense of referring to the Angles, as distinct from the Saxons, when they are first attested. In their earliest sense they referred to the nation of Germanic peoples who settled eastern Britain from the 5th century.[citation needed] The indigenous Britons, who wrote in both Latin and Welsh, referred to these invaders as 'Saxones' or 'Saeson' – the word Saeson is the modern Welsh word for 'English people'; the equivalent word in Scottish Gaelic is Sasannach and in the Irish language, Sasanach.
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Claire Perry
Claire Louise Perry (born 3 April 1964) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Devizes since the 2010 general election.
The youngest of three children, Perry originates from North Somerset.
Perry was educated at Nailsea School, a state comprehensive school in her native North Somerset, followed by Brasenose College, Oxford, where she read Geography, graduating in 1985. She later earned an MBA at Harvard University in the United States.
Perry developed a career in banking and finance, working for Bank of America, McKinsey & Company, and Credit Suisse before setting up her own small company offering financial advice for women.
After joining the Conservative party in 2006, she went to work for the Shadow Chancellor George Osborne.
Perry was selected by local Conservatives in November 2009 to replace the outgoing Member for Devizes, Michael Ancram, in a safe seat for her party.
In 2010, Perry supported calls for an opt out filtering system for the Internet, where sites with 18+ material would be blocked unless the user opted out of the system. She also suggested that ISPs offer a range of age levels, with the default setting being that anything not suitable for under-14s be blocked.
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Duncan Hames
Duncan John Hames (born 16 June 1977) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Chippenham constituency in Wiltshire since the 2010 general election.
Hames was born in Hertfordshire and attended Watford Grammar School for Boys. He studied PPE at the University of Oxford, where he was an executive officer of the Oxford University Student Union and represented the Oxford Union in debating competitions.
After graduating from Oxford, Hames trained as an accountant with Deloitte. In June 2000, at the age of 23, he stood for the Liberal Democrats in the Tottenham by-election which was called after the death of Bernie Grant, coming second to Labour's David Lammy with 19 per cent of the vote. He was then the Liberal Democrat candidate in his home constituency of Watford at the 2001 general election. He moved to Holt in Wiltshire, and from 2003 to 2007 served as a member of West Wiltshire District Council. He joined the board of the South West of England Regional Development Agency in 2003, and was the Lib Dem candidate for the Westbury, Wiltshire, constituency at the 2005 general election. He thus achieved the remarkable feat of having stood for election to Parliament on behalf of a major political party on three separate occasions before his 28th birthday, at a time when the minimum age for candidates was 21.
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Justin Tomlinson
Justin Paul Tomlinson (born 5 November 1976) is Conservative MP for Swindon North. He was originally a Conservative Councillor for the Swindon Borough Council, becoming one in 2000.
Tomlinson was educated at the Harry Cheshire High School (since renamed Baxter College), a state comprehensive school in the town of Kidderminster in Worcestershire in western England, followed by Oxford Brookes University in the city of Oxford in Oxfordshire, where he became Chairman of its Conservative Student Branch from 1995-99, at the time the largest in the country.
Tomlinson stood in the 2005 general election, but lost to Labour MP Michael Wills by 2,571 votes. He won the seat from Labour in the 2010 general election, defeating Labour candidate Victor Agarwall by 7,060 votes. In total, Tomlinson received 22,408 votes (44.6% of the vote), with a swing of 10.1% from Labour to the conservatives.
Tomlinson announced his engagement to Jo Wheeler in August 2011, having proposed on The Peak, the highest point in Hong Kong. The couple plan to marry at the House of Commons in summer 2012.
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King Wulfhere
Wulfhere (died 675) was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere extended his influence over much of that region. His campaigns against the West Saxons led to Mercian control of much of the Thames valley. He conquered the Isle of Wight and the Meon valley and gave them to King Æthelwealh of the South Saxons. He also had influence in Surrey, Essex, and Kent. He married Eormenhild, the daughter of King Eorcenberht of Kent.
Wulfhere's father, Penda, was killed in 655 at the Battle of Winwaed, fighting against Oswiu of Northumbria. Penda's son Peada became king under Oswiu's overlordship but was murdered a year later. Wulfhere came to the throne when Mercian nobles organized a revolt against Northumbrian rule in 658 and drove out Oswiu's governors.
By 670, when Oswiu died, Wulfhere was the most powerful king in southern Britain. He was effectively the overlord of Britain south of the Humber from the early 660s, although not overlord of Northumbria as his father had been. In 674, he challenged Oswiu's son Ecgfrith of Northumbria, but was defeated. He died, probably of disease, in 675. Wulfhere was succeeded as King of Mercia by his brother, Æthelred. Stephen of Ripon's Life of Wilfrid describes Wulfhere as "a man of proud mind, and insatiable will".
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Mercia
Mercia ( /ˈmɜrsiə/, /ˈmɜrʃə/) was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands. The name is a Latinisation of the Old English Mierce or Myrce, meaning "border people".
Mercia's neighbours included Northumbria, Powys and the kingdoms of southern Wales, Wessex, Sussex, Essex and East Anglia.
The name Mercia is still in use today by a wide range of organisations, including military units, public, commercial and voluntary bodies; and occurs as a female given name.
Mercia's exact evolution from the Anglo-Saxon invasions is more obscure than that of Northumbria, Kent, or even Wessex. Also, Mercia developed an effective political structure and adopted Christianity later than the other kingdoms. Archaeological surveys show that Angles settled the lands north of the River Thames by the 6th century. The name Mercia is Old English for "boundary folk" (see Welsh Marches), and the traditional interpretation is that the kingdom originated along the frontier between the native Welsh and the Anglo-Saxon invaders. However, P. Hunter Blair argued an alternative interpretation: that they emerged along the frontier of Northumbria and the inhabitants of the Trent river valley.
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Moonrakers
Moonrakers is the colloquial name for people from Wiltshire, a county in the West Country of England.
This refers to a folk story set in the time when smuggling was a significant industry in rural England, with Wiltshire lying on the smugglers' secret routes between the south coast and customers in the centre of the country. The story goes that some local people had hidden contraband barrels of French brandy from customs officers in a village pond. While trying to retrieve it at night, they were caught by the revenue men, but explained themselves by pointing to the moon's reflection and saying they were trying to rake in a round cheese. The excise men, thinking they were simple yokels, laughed at them and went on their way. But, as the story goes, it was the moonrakers who had the last laugh. In the words of an anonymous Wiltshireman who recounted the story to writer Arthur Granville Bradley: “ Zo the excizeman ’as ax’d ’n the question ’ad his grin at ’n,…but they’d a good laugh at ’ee when ’em got whoame the stuff.”
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Richard Jefferies
John Richard Jefferies (6 November 1848 – 14 August 1887) was an English nature writer, noted for his depiction of English rural life in essays, books of natural history, and novels. His childhood on a small Wiltshire farm had a great influence on him and provides the background to all his major works of fiction. For all that, these show a remarkable diversity, including Bevis (1882), a classic children's book, and After London (1885), an early work of science fiction. For much of his adult life, he suffered from tuberculosis, and his struggles with the illness and with poverty also play a role in his writing. Jefferies valued and cultivated an intensity of feeling in his experience of the world around him, a cultivation that he describes in detail in The Story of My Heart (1883). This work, an introspective depiction of his thoughts and feelings on the world, gained him the reputation of a nature mystic at the time. But it is his success in conveying his awareness of nature and people within it, both in his fiction and in essay collections such as The Amateur Poacher (1879) and Round About a Great Estate (1880), that has drawn most admirers. Walter Besant wrote of his reaction on first reading Jefferies: "Why, we must have been blind all our lives; here were the most wonderful things possible going on under our very noses, but we saw them not."
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Robert Buckland
Robert James Buckland (born 22 September 1968) is a British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Swindon South, having won the seat from the Labour Party at the 2010 general election.
Buckland was born in Llanelli in 1968, and was educated at Hatfield College, Durham, where he became Secretary of the Junior Common Room and President of the Union Society. He graduated in Law in 1990. Buckland became the Conservative Candidate for South Swindon in 2004, but he lost to Anne Snelgrove in the 2005 General Election, who won by a narrow majority of 1,353 votes
Buckland stood for the Conservatives in this byelection, losing his deposit.
Buckland replaced Simon Coombs are Conservative candidate for Swindon South for the 2005 general election. Despite a decline of Labour support at the time, Buckland lost to the sitting Labour MP Anne Snelgrove, who achieved 17,534 votes to his 16,181, but with a swing of 6.9% from Labour to Conservative.
In the 2010 general election, Buckland won the South Swindon seat with a majority of 3,544 seats, a swing of 5.51% to the Conservatives, defeating the incumbent Anne Snelgrove. In total, he won 19,687 votes, (41.8% of the total). Snelgrove only acquired 16,143 votes, losing 5.9% of previous Labour support to the Conservatives. Buckland will join Justin Tomlinson, Conservative MP for Swindon North, in parliament.
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Seaxburh of Wessex
Seaxburh (died c. 674) was a queen of Wessex. She is also called queen of the Gewisse, an early name for the tribe which ruled Wessex. She is said to have ruled Wessex for about a year after the death of her husband, Cenwalh, in 672. It was extremely rare for a woman to rule in her own right in Anglo-Saxon England, and she was the only woman to appear in a regnal list. She may have ruled for over a year, as the next reign is entered in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 674.
However, Bede said that after death of Cenwalh "sub-kings took upon themselves the government of the kingdom", so the chroniclers may have tidied up a complicated situation.
She was succeeded in about 674 by Æscwine.
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Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex ( /ˈwɛsɨks/) or Kingdom of the West Saxons (Old English: Westseaxna rīce) was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons in South West England, from the 6th century until the emergence of a united English state under the Wessex dynasty in the 10th century. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest of 1016, from 1020 to 1066. After the Norman Conquest there was a dissolution of the English earldoms and Wessex was split among the followers of William the Conqueror.
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Wiltshire
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:39
- Updated: 16 Nov 2012
A quick tour of Wiltshire by www.wiltshire-web.co.uk Free music by DanoSongs.com
http://wn.com/Wiltshire
A quick tour of Wiltshire by www.wiltshire-web.co.uk Free music by DanoSongs.com
Stephen Wiltshire draws Tokyo from memory
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:20
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
One of Stephen's extraordinary abilities is to memorize landscapes up to the highest detail. During this flight he had a thorough look at the view of the Japanese capital from the helicopter including thousands of buildings, towers, high-ways, cars, buses, even down to intricate details of trees and windows. Following the 30 minutes ride Stephen seemed to be very excited and ready for the challenge.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_draws_Tokyo_from_memory
One of Stephen's extraordinary abilities is to memorize landscapes up to the highest detail. During this flight he had a thorough look at the view of the Japanese capital from the helicopter including thousands of buildings, towers, high-ways, cars, buses, even down to intricate details of trees and windows. Following the 30 minutes ride Stephen seemed to be very excited and ready for the challenge.
- published: 02 Oct 2006
- views: 1094539
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Stephen Wiltshire: The Human Camera
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:17
- Updated: 05 Dec 2012
Stephen Wiltshire has been called the "Human Camera." In this short excerpt from the film Beautiful Minds: A Voyage into the Brain, Wiltshire takes a helicopter journey over Rome and then draws a panoramic view of what he saw, entirely from memory.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_The_Human_Camera
Stephen Wiltshire has been called the "Human Camera." In this short excerpt from the film Beautiful Minds: A Voyage into the Brain, Wiltshire takes a helicopter journey over Rome and then draws a panoramic view of what he saw, entirely from memory.
- published: 05 May 2006
- views: 2269042
- author: erg0n
STONEHENGE -Wiltshire, England
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:31
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
Quick guide Age estimated at 3100 BC Location Wiltshire, UK OS Reference SU 122 422 Type of stone Bluestone, Sarsen, Welsh Sandstone Worship Lunar, Solar Access English Heritage - there is a charge to visit the stones Extra notes Except on special occasions, visitors are unable to walk amongst the stones This was created from Audio made for a British Airways audio cassette tour of the UK South of England. Written and narrated by Blain Fairman in 1990. Audio production by Robert Nichol AudioProductions London. pictures added to this version 2008 by Robert Nichol to create a Youtube video Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Archaeologists believe that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, however this was not the first stone structure on the site The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury henge monument, and it is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is ...
http://wn.com/STONEHENGE_-Wiltshire,_England
Quick guide Age estimated at 3100 BC Location Wiltshire, UK OS Reference SU 122 422 Type of stone Bluestone, Sarsen, Welsh Sandstone Worship Lunar, Solar Access English Heritage - there is a charge to visit the stones Extra notes Except on special occasions, visitors are unable to walk amongst the stones This was created from Audio made for a British Airways audio cassette tour of the UK South of England. Written and narrated by Blain Fairman in 1990. Audio production by Robert Nichol AudioProductions London. pictures added to this version 2008 by Robert Nichol to create a Youtube video Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Archaeologists believe that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, however this was not the first stone structure on the site The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury henge monument, and it is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is ...
- published: 12 Sep 2008
- views: 116220
- author: LearnFree2007
Wiltshire's NYC Matches Up
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:29
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Artist Stephen Wiltshire's detailed drawing of NYC from memory is compared with real images of the Big Apple. Michelle Gielan speaks to Stephen about his experience in New York.
http://wn.com/Wiltshire's_NYC_Matches_Up
Artist Stephen Wiltshire's detailed drawing of NYC from memory is compared with real images of the Big Apple. Michelle Gielan speaks to Stephen about his experience in New York.
- published: 29 Oct 2009
- views: 101076
- author: CBS
Stephen Wiltshire draws Manhattan from memory
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:23
- Updated: 30 Nov 2012
Stephen Wiltshire has an incredible gift. The London based artist is able to draw stunningly detailed landscapes all from memory. Sydney, London, Los Angeles, he has drawn them all. Now he is conquering his biggest city yet, New York.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_draws_Manhattan_from_memory
Stephen Wiltshire has an incredible gift. The London based artist is able to draw stunningly detailed landscapes all from memory. Sydney, London, Los Angeles, he has drawn them all. Now he is conquering his biggest city yet, New York.
- published: 27 Oct 2009
- views: 147724
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Latest 2012 crop circles: Manton Drove, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK 2nd June
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:44
- Updated: 30 Oct 2012
Read more here: www.ecropcircles.com New crop circle 2012 report from United Kingdom: Manton Drove, nr Marlborough, Wiltshire found on Saturday, 2nd June.
http://wn.com/Latest_2012_crop_circles_Manton_Drove,_Marlborough,_Wiltshire,_UK_2nd_June
Read more here: www.ecropcircles.com New crop circle 2012 report from United Kingdom: Manton Drove, nr Marlborough, Wiltshire found on Saturday, 2nd June.
- published: 03 Jun 2012
- views: 138391
- author: latestcropcircles
Beautiful Minds: Stephen Wiltshire
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:22
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Artist Stephen Wiltshire draws Rome. For more details, visit www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk.
http://wn.com/Beautiful_Minds_Stephen_Wiltshire
Artist Stephen Wiltshire draws Rome. For more details, visit www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk.
- published: 07 Apr 2007
- views: 3385080
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Strange Beam of Light Wiltshire
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:46
- Updated: 22 Nov 2012
This beam of unexplained light was captured on the night of the 2/3rd of May 2010, using nightvision goggles. Location East Field - Wiltshire.
http://wn.com/Strange_Beam_of_Light_Wiltshire
This beam of unexplained light was captured on the night of the 2/3rd of May 2010, using nightvision goggles. Location East Field - Wiltshire.
- published: 06 May 2010
- views: 69141
- author: UFODatabase
Stephen Wiltshire draws Hong Kong from memory
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:04
- Updated: 03 Nov 2012
Stephen Wiltshire is a British artist. He became famous as the best child artist in Britain and published his first bestseller book at the age of 12. In 2006 he was awarded an MBE and became the member of the British Empire. His artistic skills and extraordinary photographic memory has been challenged several times, at this time in Hong Kong. (www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk)
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_draws_Hong_Kong_from_memory
Stephen Wiltshire is a British artist. He became famous as the best child artist in Britain and published his first bestseller book at the age of 12. In 2006 he was awarded an MBE and became the member of the British Empire. His artistic skills and extraordinary photographic memory has been challenged several times, at this time in Hong Kong. (www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk)
- published: 20 Mar 2007
- views: 111508
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Stephen Wiltshire draws Rome from memory
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:17
- Updated: 05 Dec 2012
Stephen Wiltshire is a British man who was diagnosed as autistic when he was a child. He's also been noted for his exacting memory, which allows him to recreate [in drawings] vast scenes he sees only once. This video shows his 16-foot-panorama of Rome after taking one helicopter ride above the city.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_draws_Rome_from_memory
Stephen Wiltshire is a British man who was diagnosed as autistic when he was a child. He's also been noted for his exacting memory, which allows him to recreate [in drawings] vast scenes he sees only once. This video shows his 16-foot-panorama of Rome after taking one helicopter ride above the city.
- published: 25 Jun 2006
- views: 750336
- author: alnomad
Amazing Man Draws NYC From Memory
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:11
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
Amazing Man Draws NYC From Memory Meet Stephen Wiltshire, an autistic artist with a phenomenal photographic memory. Where else to find Diagonal View... FOLLOW us on Twitter: ow.ly or LIKE us on Facebook: ow.ly Strange talents, shocking stories, dangerous stunts...see it all here @ www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/Amazing_Man_Draws_NYC_From_Memory
Amazing Man Draws NYC From Memory Meet Stephen Wiltshire, an autistic artist with a phenomenal photographic memory. Where else to find Diagonal View... FOLLOW us on Twitter: ow.ly or LIKE us on Facebook: ow.ly Strange talents, shocking stories, dangerous stunts...see it all here @ www.youtube.com
- published: 06 Jan 2010
- views: 146455
- author: diagonaluk
Camera Man - The miracle of the brain!!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:17
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
Stephen Wiltshire has been called the "Human Camera." In this short excerpt from the film Beautiful Minds: A Voyage into the Brain, Wiltshire takes a helicopter journey over Rome and then draws a panoramic view of what he saw, entirely from memory.
http://wn.com/Camera_Man_The_miracle_of_the_brain!!
Stephen Wiltshire has been called the "Human Camera." In this short excerpt from the film Beautiful Minds: A Voyage into the Brain, Wiltshire takes a helicopter journey over Rome and then draws a panoramic view of what he saw, entirely from memory.
- published: 28 Feb 2007
- views: 269208
- author: Sergio Ricardo
Stephen Wiltshire in UBS campaign - "We will not rest"
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:50
- Updated: 04 Dec 2012
Stephen Wiltshire's most recent panorama drawing - created in New York in April 2011 - is now displayed at JFK airport on a giant 250ft billboard. It is a part of a global advertising campaign for the Swiss bank UBS that carries the theme "We will not rest", the New York Times reports.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_in_UBS_campaign_We_will_not_rest
Stephen Wiltshire's most recent panorama drawing - created in New York in April 2011 - is now displayed at JFK airport on a giant 250ft billboard. It is a part of a global advertising campaign for the Swiss bank UBS that carries the theme "We will not rest", the New York Times reports.
- published: 15 Jul 2011
- views: 111431
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Stephen Wiltshire: the human camera now is in japan!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:20
- Updated: 25 Nov 2012
This guy is just absolutely amazing. If you ever kill someone you better pray to god he is not around. He can probably describe you down to your DNA to the FBI.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_the_human_camera_now_is_in_japan!
This guy is just absolutely amazing. If you ever kill someone you better pray to god he is not around. He can probably describe you down to your DNA to the FBI.
- published: 25 Jan 2007
- views: 110832
- author: n2t
Stephen Wiltshire's Madrid Panorama
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:15
- Updated: 16 Oct 2012
Stephen Wiltshire draws Madrid on a five meter canvas from memory following a short helicopter ride over the city. www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire's_Madrid_Panorama
Stephen Wiltshire draws Madrid on a five meter canvas from memory following a short helicopter ride over the city. www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk
- published: 07 Feb 2008
- views: 32702
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
REAL UFOS Filmed Making CROP CIRCLES in Wiltshire, England 07/27/10
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 13:51
- Updated: 05 Dec 2012
Source: ddsdtv.blogspot.com
http://wn.com/REAL_UFOS_Filmed_Making_CROP_CIRCLES_in_Wiltshire,_England_07_27_10
Source: ddsdtv.blogspot.com
- published: 18 Oct 2012
- views: 118560
- author: UFOnewsUK
Wiltshire's New York Panorama
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:55
- Updated: 21 Nov 2012
Maggie Rodriguez spoke with talented Autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire about the progress of his panorama drawing of New York City from memory.
http://wn.com/Wiltshire's_New_York_Panorama
Maggie Rodriguez spoke with talented Autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire about the progress of his panorama drawing of New York City from memory.
- published: 27 Oct 2009
- views: 34633
- author: CBS
Stephen Wiltshire - Person of the week
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:43
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
Stephen appeared on ABC News Good Morning America on the 13th of February 2008. Stephen wowed the viewers with a quick sketch of Piccadilly Circus after a 10 minutes glimpse of the landmark. Stephen has also been named as Person of The Week on ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Nick Watt and Olivia Sterns reports.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_Person_of_the_week
Stephen appeared on ABC News Good Morning America on the 13th of February 2008. Stephen wowed the viewers with a quick sketch of Piccadilly Circus after a 10 minutes glimpse of the landmark. Stephen has also been named as Person of The Week on ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Nick Watt and Olivia Sterns reports.
- published: 26 Feb 2008
- views: 42587
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
Savant - Stephen Wiltshire
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:18
- Updated: 16 Oct 2012
From the English version of Expedition ins Gehirn. Name: Stephen Wiltshire Location: London, United Kingdom Savant skill: Photographic memory, drawing © 2006 colourFIELD tell-a-vision
http://wn.com/Savant_Stephen_Wiltshire
From the English version of Expedition ins Gehirn. Name: Stephen Wiltshire Location: London, United Kingdom Savant skill: Photographic memory, drawing © 2006 colourFIELD tell-a-vision
- published: 27 Jul 2008
- views: 20066
- author: Ekit357
Stephen Wiltshire draws Sydney - 3 days in 3 minutes
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:03
- Updated: 05 Sep 2012
Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world at Buckingham Palace in 2006. His work is popular all over the world, and is held in a number of important collections. This time he visits Sydney and memorizes the view from Sydney Tower. He then spends three days putting his view of the city on paper. View more at www.StephenWiltshire.co.uk
http://wn.com/Stephen_Wiltshire_draws_Sydney_3_days_in_3_minutes
Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world at Buckingham Palace in 2006. His work is popular all over the world, and is held in a number of important collections. This time he visits Sydney and memorizes the view from Sydney Tower. He then spends three days putting his view of the city on paper. View more at www.StephenWiltshire.co.uk
- published: 18 May 2010
- views: 24722
- author: Stephen Wiltshire
New Crop Circle 25th July at Etchilhampton, Wiltshire, UK!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:48
- Updated: 04 Nov 2012
New stunning Crop Circle reported 25th July at Etchilhampton, Wiltshire, UK! This one with intricate basket weave at the outer rim. 3D effects in the main construction.
http://wn.com/New_Crop_Circle_25th_July_at_Etchilhampton,_Wiltshire,_UK!
New stunning Crop Circle reported 25th July at Etchilhampton, Wiltshire, UK! This one with intricate basket weave at the outer rim. 3D effects in the main construction.
- published: 26 Jul 2011
- views: 33583
- author: BZCAPMOOR
amazing memory - Stephen Wiltshire
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:17
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
beautiful mind .... amazing ....
http://wn.com/amazing_memory_Stephen_Wiltshire
beautiful mind .... amazing ....
- published: 23 Jul 2007
- views: 17855
- author: aysheee
photo: AP / Karlos Manlupig
05 Dec 2012
The death toll from a powerful storm that hit the southern Philippines is continuing to rise, as rescue teams headed for affected areas. Typhoon Bopha struck Mindanao island on Tuesday, bringing rain and high winds. Tens of thousands were evacuated ahead of the storm, which is now passing over the western island of Palawan ... Water and mud rushed down mountainous slopes to engulf a school and a village hall serving as evacuation centres ... ....(size: 2.4Kb)
photo: AP / Bassem Tellawi
04 Dec 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) â President Barack Obama warned Syria on Monday that the use of chemical weapons would be "totally unacceptable" and that the country's leaders would be held accountable ... Obama stopped short of detailing those consequences....(size: 6.7Kb)
photo: AP / Nasser Nasser
05 Dec 2012
Police in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, have clashed with protesters angry at what they say is the rushed drafting of a new constitution and by President Morsi's recent extension of his powers. Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the presidential palace. The police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, some of whom managed to cut through barbed wire around the palace ... Press action ... ....(size: 2.6Kb)
photo: US Navy / Matthew Stroup
05 Dec 2012
ISAF today issued an operational update on combat operations in Afghanistan. It noted, among other things, that Afghan and coalition security forces conducted an operation in Watahpur district yesterday that resulted in the “death of insurgent leader Mohammad Yar Gul.” ... Mohammed Yar Gul coordinated the movement of insurgent fighters throughout Kunar province ... ....(size: 1.7Kb)
photo: NATO
05 Dec 2012
BRUSSELS. NATO on Tuesday approved member state Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to defend its border against Syria following a series of blunt warnings to Damascus not to use chemical weapons ... "We say to anyone who would want to attack Turkey -- don't even think about it," he remarked, announcing the decision after the first day of a two-day meeting in Brussels ... ....(size: 4.9Kb)
Irish Times
06 Dec 2012
GREG WOOD. RACING ... Privileged position ... Racing has been good to Frankie and he knows that his privileged position brings with it responsibility ... “What’s happened has happened and it’s not my place to comment, but he’s been so good for me in the past that I can’t wait for him to get back,” Brian Meehan, who trains at Manton in Wiltshire, one of racing’s most historic yards, said ... ... ....(size: 3.3Kb)
The Independent
06 Dec 2012
The biggest cheer from Tory backbenchers (and motorists) to George Osborne’s otherwise austerity-heavy Autumn Statement was his announcement to scrap the 3p-a-litre fuel duty increase planned for next month ... But instead he said he was not merely postponing the 3p rise until April 2013, but axeing it altogether ... Edmund King, president of the AA said ... Case study ... Adrian Dummott, 38, is a paramedic from Corsham in Wiltshire....(size: 3.2Kb)
BBC News
05 Dec 2012
A decision on whether a chicken farm can open in Wiltshire with more than 200,000 birds is due later. The application at Deverill Road in Sutton Veny has been recommended for approval by Wiltshire council ... But Mike Carroll, from Sutton Veny Parish Council, said ... ....(size: 1.3Kb)
York Press
05 Dec 2012
HUNDREDS of soldiers who have returned home from Afghanistan have paraded through York today ... 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment is currently based in Warminster, Wiltshire, but recruits throughout Yorkshire. ....(size: 1.6Kb)
BBC News
05 Dec 2012
A museum has been awarded £10,000 in lottery funding to carry out an aerial laser survey of a Wiltshire town. Bradford on Avon Museum is hoping to reveal the hidden history of the area using a survey technique called LiDAR (light detection and ranging) ... A spokesman for the museum said ... 'Unrecorded settlements' ... ....(size: 1.8Kb)
Belfast Telegraph
05 Dec 2012
X Factor finalist Jahmene Douglas was mobbed as he met fans ahead of a homecoming gig with his mentor Nicole Scherzinger. The 21-year-old was met by his family, cheering fans and former colleagues at the Asda superstore where he used to work in Swindon, Wiltshire ... "I'm extremely, extremely proud," she said. "I knew it was going to happen, but not this fast ... "On our waaayy ... ....(size: 1.7Kb)
The Guardian
05 Dec 2012
The arts are not just Covent Garden, the National theatre and the British Museum ('The arts are on a knife's edge', 1 December). The arts include all those wonderful projects led by artists in communities, ie the projects which most local authorities have stopped funding. The arts have already suffered outside London – the term arts development officer is no longer heard in the shires ... Maldon, Essex ... Corsham, Wiltshire ... ....(size: 3.3Kb)
The Guardian
05 Dec 2012
• Trainers rally round jockey who will return in May. • Italian will be back in time for Epsom Derby ... Photograph. Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images ... "Frankie could make excuses ... "What's happened has happened and it's not my place to comment, but he's been so good for me in the past that I can't wait for him to get back," Brian Meehan, who trains at Manton in Wiltshire, one of racing's most historic yards, said ... ....(size: 4.4Kb)
The Guardian
05 Dec 2012
Chancellor says Brighton and Hove, Coventry, Salford and Aberdeen are among 12 cities to share £50m investment pot. Cambridge, Newport and York will also be among the first to benefit from ultrafast broadband and public Wi-Fi. Photograph. Alamy ... Areas expected to have completed procurement by December are Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Wiltshire, and Devon and Somerset ... ....(size: 4.6Kb)
The Independent
05 Dec 2012
The biggest cheer from Tory backbenchers (and motorists) to George Osborne’s otherwise austerity-heavy Autumn Statement was his announcement to scrap the 3p-a-litre fuel duty increase planned for next month ... But instead he said he was not merely postponing the 3p rise until April 2013, but axeing it altogether ... Edmund King, president of the AA said ... Case study ... Adrian Dummott, 38, is a paramedic from Corsham in Wiltshire....(size: 3.2Kb)
New York Post Online
05 Dec 2012
Cindy Adams. LONDON — Cold and rainy. As opposed to yesterday when it was cold but less rainy. My last vision of America as I flew out was Donny Deutsch taking a private plane at Teterboro. “I have a girlfriend in Minneapolis,” he said. Donny’s successful. Fair looking. Has a few bucks. He can’t find one other girl in all of New York?! ... Julian ... Downton was my great grandfather’s house in Wiltshire ... Gareth ... ... ....(size: 6.7Kb)
Independent online (SA)
05 Dec 2012
. By any standards of love and marriage, the progression has been leisurely ... Kate, the girl from Bucklebury in Berkshire, will have her first baby at 31 ... Indeed, it is well known in palace circles that the reason Camilla spends so much time at Raymill House — her own Wiltshire home, 17 miles from Highgrove, which she kept on after marrying Charles in 2005 — is so that she can see lots of her grandchildren there ... ....(size: 9.5Kb)
BBC News
04 Dec 2012
Proposals to expand the use of Wiltshire's biggest waste processing plant will increase traffic and pollution, a town councillor has said. Calne Conservative Alan Hill is also worried the plans from Hills Group would allow waste from outside Wiltshire to be sorted at the site ... Wiltshire's ability to recycle its waste." 'Real concern'....(size: 2.1Kb)
Not to be confused with Wilshire (disambiguation).
For the former European Parliament constituency, see Wiltshire (European Parliament constituency).
| Wiltshire | |
|---|---|
 Flag |
|
 |
|
| Geography | |
| Status | Ceremonial county and (smaller) unitary district |
| Origin | Historic |
| Region | South West England |
| Area - Total - Admin. council - Admin. area |
Ranked 14th 3,485 km2 (1,346 sq mi) Ranked 3rd 3,255 km2 (1,257 sq mi) |
| Admin HQ | Trowbridge |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-WIL |
| ONS code | 00HY |
| NUTS 3 | UKK15 |
| Demography | |
| Population - Total (2010 est.[1]) - Density - Admin. council |
Ranked 34th 459,800 (administrative), 639,500 (ceremonial) 141 /km2 (370 /sq mi) Ranked 8th |
| Ethnicity | 97.5% White (administrative county) |
| Politics | |
| 299px Wiltshire Council http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk |
|
| Executive | Conservative |
| Members of Parliament | |
| Districts | |
|
|
Wiltshire ( /ˈwɪltʃər/ or /ˈwɪltʃɪər/, formerly /ˈwɪlʃər/; or the County of Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km2 (1,346 square miles).[2] The ancient county town was Wilton, but since 1930 Wiltshire County Council and its successor Wiltshire Council (from 2009) have been based at Trowbridge.
Wiltshire is characterised by its high downland and wide valleys. Salisbury Plain is famous as the location of the Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles and other ancient landmarks and as the main training area in the UK of the British Army. The city of Salisbury is notable for its mediaeval cathedral. Important country houses open to the public include Longleat, near Warminster, and the National Trust's Stourhead, near Mere.
Contents |
Toponymy[link]
The county, in the 9th century written as Wiltunscir, later Wiltonshire, is named after the former county town of Wilton,[3] itself named after the river Wylye, one of eight rivers which drain the county.
History[link]
Main article: History of Wiltshire
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 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.[4] In 878 the Danes invaded the county. Following the Norman Conquest, large areas of the country came into 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 monasteries of Kingswood and Stanley exported wool to the Florentine and Flemish markets in the 13th and 14th centuries.
In the 17th century English Civil War Wiltshire was largely Parliamentarian. The Battle of Roundway Down, a decisive Royalist victory, was fought near Devizes.
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 the 261 civil parishes of Wiltshire is available on the Wiltshire Community History website, run by the Libraries and Heritage services of Wiltshire County Council. This site includes maps, demographic data, historic and modern pictures and short histories.
The Moonrakers[link]
Main article: Moonrakers
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 a village pond. When confronted by the excise men they raked the surface in order 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 the story is most commonly linked with The Crammer in Devizes.[5][6]
Geology, landscape and ecology[link]
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 the Dorset Downs in the west to Dover in the east. The largest area of chalk in Wiltshire is Salisbury Plain, a semi-wilderness 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 northeast into West Berkshire in the Marlborough Downs ridge, and southwest 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 km2 (670-square-mile) conservation area.
In the northwest of the county, on the border with South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset, the underlying rock is the resistant oolite limestone of the Cotswolds. Part of the Cotswolds AONB is also in Wiltshire, in the county's northwestern 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 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 southeast 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 the chalk of Salisbury Plain and marshy flood plains.
Climate[link]
Along with the rest of South West England, Wiltshire has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country.[7] The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (33.8 °F) or 2 °C (35.6 °F) are common.[7] In the summer the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of 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.[7] In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton. Most the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). 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.[7]
Economy[link]
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added (GVA) of Wiltshire at current basic prices[8] with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
| Year | Regional gross value added[9] | Agriculture[10] | Industry[11] | Services[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 4,354 | 217 | 1,393 | 2,743 |
| 2000 | 5,362 | 148 | 1,566 | 3,647 |
| 2003 | 6,463 | 164 | 1,548 | 4,751 |
The Wiltshire economy benefits from 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 Honda, Intel, Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent, 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 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 the county, particularly around Amesbury and Corsham. There are sizeable British Army barracks at Tidworth, Bulford and Warminster. Further north RAF Lyneham was home to the RAF's Hercules C130 fleet until 2011, though RAF operations are due to cease by late-2012, to be partially replaced by a defence training centre. Wiltshire is also distinctive in having a 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 the UK average in 1998, and was only marginally above the rate for South West England.[13]
Education[link]
Wiltshire has twenty-nine county secondary schools, publicly funded, of which the largest is Warminster Kingdown, and another thirteen independent secondaries, including Marlborough College, St Mary's Calne, and Dauntsey's, near Devizes. 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 for Girls and Bishop Wordsworth's School) and three secondary moderns. All but two of the county secondary schools in the former districts of West Wiltshire and North Wiltshire have Sixth forms, but only half of those in the rest of the county.
Wiltshire Council operates Urchfont Manor College, which is a residential adult education college. There are also three further education colleges, New College, Swindon, Wiltshire College and Swindon College, providing some higher education.
As yet there are no universities within Wiltshire, except that Bath Spa University has a centre at Corsham Court in Corsham, and Oxford Brookes University maintains a minor campus in Swindon (almost 50 km from Oxford). Outline plans for a projected University of Swindon or University of Wiltshire were announced by the Borough of Swindon in November 2008, but the scheme remains uncommitted. Swindon is the UK's largest centre of population without its own university. The closest university to Wiltshire's county town of Trowbridge is the University of Bath. Wiltshire is therefore one of the few remaining English counties without a university or university college.
Demographics[link]
The county registered a population of 613,024 in the Census 2001. The population density is low at 178 inhabitants per square kilometre (460 /sq mi). In 1991 there were 230,109 dwellings in the county. In 1991 98.3% of the population was indigenous and 17.9% of the population were over 65.[14]
Population of Wiltshire:
- 1801: 185,107
- 1851: 254,221
- 1901: 271,394
- 1951: 386,692
- 2001: 613,024
Politics and administration[link]
Main articles: Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire local elections
The ceremonial county of Wiltshire consists of two unitary authority areas, Wiltshire and Swindon, governed respectively by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council.
Until the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, 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 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 city-wide functions and to hold the City's charter.
As a result of elections held in 2009, Wiltshire Council comprises 61 Conservatives, 24 Liberal Democrats, eight Independents, three Devizes Guardians and two Labour members. The council is led by Jane Scott (Conservative), who had previously led the former Wiltshire County Council since 2003.
At the parliamentary level, rural Wiltshire is represented by four Conservative and one Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament, while the predominantly urban area of Swindon is represented by two Conservative Members.
Sport[link]
The county 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 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.
Salisbury City played in the Conference Premier League however they entered administration in the Summer of 2009 and now play in the Southern League Premier Division as of Summer 2010 due to a breach of Conference rules. They are currently two leagues under Conference National Level.
Swindon Robins Speedway team, who compete in the Sky Elite League, have been at their track at the Blunsdon Abbey Stadium since 1949.
Rich Benke, the international snowboarder, hails from Chippenham in Wiltshire. He currently resides in Whistler, Canada.
Principal settlements[link]
Wiltshire has twenty-one towns and one city:
A list of settlements is at List of places in Wiltshire.
Places of interest[link]
| Key | |
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Abbey/Priory/Cathedral |
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Accessible open space |
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Amusement/Theme Park |
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Castle |
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English Heritage |
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Heritage railway |
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National Trust |
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- Places of interest in Wiltshire include
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- Areas of countryside in Wiltshire include
Transport[link]
Road[link]
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:
- A4 road
- M4 motorway / M4 Corridor
- A303 trunk road
- A350 road
- A417 road
Canal[link]
Rail[link]
Three main railway routes, all of which carry passenger traffic, cross Wiltshire.
- Great Western Main Line (Swindon & Chippenham)
- Wessex Main Line (Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster, Salisbury & Connects to Chippenham)
- West of England Main Line (Salisbury)
Other routes include:
- Reading to Taunton Line
- Heart of Wessex Line
- Golden Valley Line
- South Wales Main Line (Swindon & connects to Chippenham)
The major junction stations are Salisbury and Westbury, and important junctions are also found at Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge.
Air[link]
Airfields in Wiltshire include Old Sarum Airfield, Clench Common Airfield and Redlands Airfield. RAF Lyneham is an air transport hub for British forces. Airports for scheduled airlines near Wiltshire include Bristol International Airport, Bristol Filton Airport, Gloucestershire Airport, London Oxford Airport, London Heathrow Airport and Southampton Airport.
See also[link]
- Outline of England
- Flag of Wiltshire
- List of civil parishes in Wiltshire
- List of places in Wiltshire
- Category:Grade I listed buildings in Wiltshire
- Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust
- List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire
- Wiltshire local elections
- Swindon local elections
- List of Lords Lieutenant of Wiltshire
- List of Deputy Lieutenants of Wiltshire
- List of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire
- Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire – Keepers of the Rolls
- List of Parliamentary constituencies in Wiltshire
- List of MPs for the former Wiltshire constituency
- List of Chairmen of Wiltshire County Council
- Wiltshire Horn breed of sheep
- "The Vly be on the Turmut"
References and footnotes[link]
- ^ "Table 8a Mid-2010 Population Estimates: Selected age groups for local authorities in the United Kingdom; estimated resident population.". Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Mid-2010. Office for National Statistics. 3 June 2011. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-231847. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/lca-5 December-chapter-7.pdf
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History: Wilton". Wiltshire Council. http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom.php?id=246. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ^ Pearson, Michael (2003). Kennet & Avon Middle Thames: Pearson's Canal Companion. Rugby: Central Waterways Supplies. ISBN 0-907864-97-X.
- ^ The Green and Crammer Pond, Devizes at devizesheritage.org.uk
- ^ Staff. "Moonraking: The Folklore". Where I live: Wiltshire. BBC Wiltshire. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/moonraking/folklore_moonraking.shtml. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d "South West England: climate". Met Office. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "Regional Gross Value Added (pp.240–253)". Office for National Statistics. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf. Retrieved 21 October 2006.
- ^ Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
- ^ includes hunting and forestry
- ^ includes energy and construction
- ^ includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured
- ^ "Wiltshire Strategic Analysis (2002)". Wiltshire CPRE. http://www.cprewiltshire.org.uk/tpp/Wiltshire%20Strategic%20Analysis%20-%20LSP.pdf. Retrieved 21 October 2006.
- ^ Census Data "1991 Wiltshire Census Data". Office for National Statistics. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=Wiltshire Census Data. Retrieved 21 October 2006.
- ^ "£2.5 to revamp town college as vocational hub". This is Bath (Western Daily Press). 24 February 2012. http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/2-5-revamp-town-college-vocational-hub/story-15308656-detail/story.html. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
External links[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wiltshire |
- Wiltshire Council
- Merlin local information (Wiltshire council)
- Wiltshire Community History (Wiltshire council)
- Geology map of Wiltshire (PDF) (Wiltshire council)
- Wiltshire Tourist Office
- Wiltshire Intelligence Network
- Wiltshire at the Open Directory Project
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Coordinates: 51°19′11″N 2°12′32″W / 51.31972°N 2.20889°W / 51.31972; -2.20889
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiltshire
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
Stephen Wiltshire MBE, (born 24 April 1974) is a British architectural artist of West Indian ancestry who has been diagnosed with autism.[1][2] He is known for his ability to draw from memory a landscape after seeing it just once. His work has received worldwide popularity.
In 2006, Wiltshire was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to art.[1] In the same year, he opened a permanent gallery on the Royal Opera Arcade in London.[3]
Contents |
Early life and education[link]
Wiltshire was born in London, England, in 1974 to West Indian parents.[1] Wiltshire was mute when young. At age three, he was diagnosed as autistic. The same year, his father died in a motorcycle accident.[1][2]
File:Flat Iron Building in New York by Stephen Wiltshire MBE.jpg
Flat Iron Building New York by Stephen Wiltshire (2006)
At age five, Stephen was sent to Queensmill School in London where he expressed interest in drawing. He began to communicate through his art. His teachers encouraged his drawing, and with their aid Wiltshire learned to speak at the age of five.[2] At the age of eight, he started drawing imaginary post-earthquake cityscapes and cars. When he was ten, Wiltshire drew a sequence of drawings of London landmarks, one for each letter, that he called a "London Alphabet".[3]
In 1987, Wiltshire was part of the BBC programme The Foolish Wise Ones.[3] Drawings, a collection of his works, was published that same year.[3]
Between 1995 and his graduation in 1998, Wiltshire attended the City and Guilds of London Art School[4] in Kennington, Lambeth, South London.
Career[link]
Wiltshire can look at a target once and then draw an accurate and detailed picture of it. He once drew the whole of central London after a helicopter trip above it.[5] He also draws imaginary scenes, for example, St. Paul's Cathedral surrounded by flames.
File:Venice by Stephen Wiltshire MBE.jpg
Venice by Stephen Wiltshire (2008)
Wiltshire's early books include Drawings (1987), Cities (1989), Floating Cities (1991), and Stephen Wiltshire's American Dream (1993). His third book, Floating Cities (Michael Joseph, 1991), was number one on the Sunday Times bestseller list.
In 2003, a retrospective of his work was held in the Orleans House gallery in Twickenham, London.
In May 2005 Stephen produced his longest ever panoramic memory drawing of Tokyo on a 32.8-foot-long (10.0 m) canvas within seven days following a helicopter ride over the city. Since then he has drawn Rome, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Madrid,[6] Dubai,[7][8] Jerusalem[9][10] and London[11][12] on giant canvasses. When Wiltshire took the helicopter ride over Rome, he drew it in such great detail that he drew the exact number of columns in the Pantheon.[13]
In October 2009 Stephen completed the last work in the series of panoramas, an 18-foot (5.5 m) memory drawing of his "spiritual home", New York City.[14][15] Following a 20-minute helicopter ride over the city he sketched the view of New Jersey, Manhattan, the Financial District, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn over five days at the Pratt Institute college of art and design in New York City.
In 2010, he made a series of drawings of Sydney,[16][17] and visited Bermuda National Gallery where the sale of his drawing of Hamilton[18] broke auction records. In June 2010, Christie's auctioned off[19] an iconic oil painting of his "Times Square at Night".
Wiltshire started a tour of China in September 2010, with a first project taking him to Shanghai.[20]
A 2011 project in New York City involved Wiltshire's creation of a 250 feet (76 m) long panoramic memory drawing of New York which is now displayed on a giant billboard at JFK Airport. It is a part of a global advertising campaign[21] for the Swiss bank UBS that carries the theme "We will not rest", The New York Times reported.[22]
Recognition[link]
Stephen's work has been the subject of many TV documentaries. Renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks writes about him in the chapter "Prodigies" in his book An Anthropologist on Mars.
In 2006, Stephen Wiltshire was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to art.[1] In September 2006 Stephen opened his permanent gallery in the Royal Opera Arcade, Pall Mall, London.[3]
On 15 February 2008, ABC News named him Person of the Week.[23] In his first intimate interview with The Independent[24] in 2009 he revealed his dreams, aspirations, idols and biggest regrets.
In July 2009 he acted as ambassador of the Children's Art Day in the United Kingdom.
In 2011, Stephen Wiltshire has been made an honorary Fellow of the Society of Architectural Illustration (SAI).
See also[link]
- Beautiful Minds: A Voyage Into the Brain, a documentary on a number of similarly gifted people, including Wiltshire
- Richard Wawro
References[link]
- ^ a b c d e Kirby, Terry (4 January 2006). "Honour for autistic man who speaks through art". The Independent (London). http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article336417.ece. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
- ^ a b c "Biography". The Stephen Wiltshire Gallery. http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/biography.aspx. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
- ^ a b c d e Treffert, Darold. "Stephen Wiltshire - Prodigious Drawing Ability and Visual Memory". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/stephen_wiltshire. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ Education details at www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk
- ^ "Unlocking the brain's potential". BBC News. 10 March 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1211299.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ ADN - La memoria fotocopiadora de Stephen Wiltshire
- ^ "Inkredible man", Khaleej Times, 15 April 2008.
- ^ "UK Artist Stephen Wiltshire’s Giant Canvas on Display at DIFC", ePathram.com, April 2008.
- ^ A picture's worth at ynet.com
- ^ Painting a picture of Jerusalem, Haaretz
- ^ Wansell, Geoffery (2008-04-08). "Revealed: How autistic genius Stephen Wiltshire drew his amazing picture of London's skyline". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=557942&in_page_id=1770.
- ^ Adams, Stephen (2 April 2008). "Stephen Wiltshire, the human camera who drew London from memory". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/02/ncamera102.xml.
- ^ "Stephen el memorioso", El Pais, 5 February 2008. (in Spanish)
- ^ Dwyer, Jim (28 October 2009). "Like a Skyline Is Etched in His Head". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/nyregion/28about.html?_r=1.
- ^ "Autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire draws spellbinding 18ft picture of New York from memory... after a 20-minute helicopter ride over city". Daily Mail (London). 2009-10-29. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223790/Autistic-artist-draws-18ft-picture-New-York-skyline-memory.html.
- ^ Stephen Wiltshire's Sydney project at his official website
- ^ Artist with a difference - Stephen Wiltshire in Sydney, Australian Broadcasting Company, 29 April 2010.
- ^ Article, The Royal Gazette
- ^ A Star is Born
- ^ Article image, Shanghai Times (archived at his official website), 29 September 2010.
- ^ Television ad for UBS featuring Stephen Wiltshire
- ^ Elliott, Stuart (2011-05-12). "This Billboard Could Draw Attention". The New York Times. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/this-billboard-could-draw-attention/.
- ^ "Stephen Wiltshire Person of the Week" ABC World News, 2008-02-15
- ^ The Independent - My secret life
External links[link]
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stephen Wiltshire |
- Official website
- "We will not rest" advertising campaign
- Stephen Wiltshire at the Internet Movie Database
- Stephen Wiltshire on Facebook
- Stephen Wiltshire on Twitter
- Stephen Wiltshire on YouTube
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wiltshire, Stephen |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Architectural artist |
| Date of birth | 1974-04-21 |
| Place of birth | London, UK |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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"HK" redirects here. For other uses, see HK (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 22°16′42″N 114°09′32″E / 22.27833°N 114.15889°E / 22.27833; 114.15889
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China[note 1]
中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
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| Anthem: March of the Volunteers 《義勇軍進行曲》 |
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 View at night from Victoria Peak
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| Official language(s) | Chinese, English[note 2] | |||||
| Spoken languages | Cantonese, English | |||||
| Writing systems | Traditional Chinese, English alphabet | |||||
| Demonym | Hong Konger | |||||
| Government | Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | |||||
| - | Chief Executive | Donald Tsang | ||||
| - | Chief Executive-elect | CY Leung | ||||
| - | Chief Justice | Geoffrey Ma | ||||
| - | President of the Legislative Council |
Jasper Tsang | ||||
| Legislature | Legislative Council | |||||
| Establishment | ||||||
| - | Treaty of Nanking | 29 August 1842 | ||||
| - | Japanese occupation | 25 December 1941 – 15 August 1945 |
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| - | Conveyance from British sovereignty to Chinese sovereignty | 1 July 1997 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 1,104 km2 (179th) 426 sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 4.58 (50 km²; 19 mi²)[3] | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2010 census | 7,061,200[4] | ||||
| - | Density | 6,480[5]/km2 (4th) 16,576/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $351.119 billion[6] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $49,137[6] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $243.302 billion[6] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $34,049[6] | ||||
| Gini (2007) | 43.4[7] | |||||
| HDI (2011) |  0.898[8] (very high) (13th) |
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| Currency | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) |
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| Time zone | HKT (UTC+8) | |||||
| Date formats | yyyy年m月d日 (Chinese) dd-mm-yyyy (English) |
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| Drives on the | left | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | HK | |||||
| Internet TLD | .hk and .香港 | |||||
| Calling code | +852 | |||||
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| Chinese | 香港 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cantonese Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Hēunggóng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Xiānggǎng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Fragrant harbour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 香港特別行政區 (or 香港特區) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 香港特别行政区 (or 香港特区) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. |
Hong Kong[note 3] (Chinese: 香港) is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. A city-state[9] situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea,[10] it is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.[11] Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups.[12] Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.[13]
Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty.[14][15] The region espoused minimum government intervention under the ethos of positive non-interventionism during the colonial era.[16] The time period greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong, often described as "East meets West",[17] and the educational system, which used to loosely follow the system in England[18] until reforms implemented in 2009.[19]
Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China.[20] Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under the common law framework.[21][22] Hong Kong Basic Law, its constitutional document, stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign relations and military defence, governs its political system.[23][24] Although it has a burgeoning multi-party system, a small-circle electorate[clarification needed] controls half of its legislature. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the head of government, is selected by a Selection Committee / Election Committee with 400 to 1200 members, during the first 20 years.[25] [26][27] [28]
As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.[29] The lack of space caused demand for denser constructions, which developed the city to a centre for modern architecture and the world's most vertical city.[30][31] Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita income in the world.[6] The dense space also led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport travelling rate exceeding 90 percent,[32] the highest in the world.[33] Hong Kong has numerous high international rankings in various aspects. For instance, its economic freedom, financial and economic competitiveness, quality of life, corruption perception, Human Development Index, etc., are all ranked highly.[34][35][36][37][38][39][40] According to both UN and WHO estimates, Hong Kong has the second longest life expectancy of any country in the world. [41][42]
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Etymology[link]
The name "Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka name "香港", meaning "fragrant harbour".[43] Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet – now Aberdeen Harbour or 香港仔 hoeng1 gong2 zai2 "Little Hong Kong" – between the Aberdeen Island and the south side of Hong Kong Island, which was one of the first points of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.[44]
The reference to fragrance may refer to the harbour waters sweetened by the fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River, or to the incense from factories lining the coast to the north of Kowloon, which was stored around Aberdeen Harbour for export before the development of Victoria Harbour.[43] In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking was signed, and the name Hong Kong was first recorded on official documents to encompass the entirety of the island.[45]
History[link]
Main article: History of Hong Kong
Pre-colonial[link]
Main articles: Prehistoric Hong Kong and History of Hong Kong under Imperial China
Archaeological studies support a human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago, and in Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.[46][47][48] Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the two earliest sites of human habitation in the Paleolithic period. It is believed the Three Fathom Cove was a river valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts suggest cultural differences from the Longshan culture in northern China and settlement by the Che people prior to the migration of the Baiyue.[49][50] Eight petroglyphs were discovered on surrounding islands, which dated to the Shang Dynasty in China.[51]
In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern Liangguang region) and incorporated the territory into imperial China for the first time. Modern Hong Kong is located in Nanhai commandery (modern Nanhai District) and near the ancient capital city Pun Yue.[52][53][54] The area was consolidated under the kingdom of Nanyue, founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC after the Qin Dynasty collapsed.[55] When the kingdom was conquered by Emperor Wu of Han in 111 BC, the land was assigned to the Jiaozhi commandery under the Han Dynasty. Archaeological evidence indicates the population increased and early salt production flourished in this time period. Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb in the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built during the Han Dynasty.[56]
During the Tang Dynasty period, the Guangdong region flourished as a regional trading center. In 736, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established a military town in Tuen Mun to defend the coastal area in the region.[57] The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 in the New Territories under the Northern Song Dynasty.[58] During the Mongol invasion in 1276, the Southern Song Dynasty court moved to Fujian, then to Lantau Island and later to Sung Wong Toi (modern Kowloon City), but the child Emperor Bing of Song committed suicide by drowning with his officials after being defeated in the Battle of Yamen. Hau Wong, an official of the emperor is still worshipped in Hong Kong today.[59]
The earliest recorded European visitor was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer who arrived in 1513.[60][61] After establishing settlements in the region, Portuguese merchants began trading in southern China. At the same time, they invaded and built up military fortifications in Tuen Mun. Military clashes between China and Portugal led to the expulsion of the Portuguese. In the mid-16th century, the Haijin order banned maritime activities and prevented contact with foreigners; it also restricted local sea activity.[59] In 1661–69, the territory was affected by the Great Clearance ordered by Kangxi Emperor, which required the evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong. It is recorded that about 16,000 persons from Xin'an County were driven inland, and 1,648 of those who left are said to have returned when the evacuation was rescinded in 1669.[62] What is now the territory of Hong Kong became largely wasteland during the ban.[63] In 1685, Kangxi became the first emperor to open limited trading with foreigners, which started with the Canton territory. He also imposed strict terms for trades such as requiring foreign traders to live in restricted areas, staying only for the trading seasons, banning firearms, and trading with silver only.[64] The East India Company made the first sea venture to China in 1699, and the region's trade with British merchants developed rapidly soon after. In 1711, the company established its first trading post in Canton. By 1773, the British reached a landmark 1,000 chests of opium in Canton with China consuming 2,000 chests annually by 1799.[64]
British colonial era[link]
Main articles: British Hong Kong, History of Hong Kong (1800s–1930s)
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Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong(used in between 1870-1876)
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Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong(used in between 1876-1910)
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Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong(used in between 1910-1959)
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Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong (Unofficial Red ensign for Hong Kong used in between 1959 to prior the Handover of Hong Kong to the PRC in 1997)
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In 1839, the refusal by Qing Dynasty authorities to import opium resulted in the First Opium War between China and Britain. Hong Kong Island was occupied by British forces on 20 January 1841 and was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpee as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan, but the agreement was never ratified due to a dispute between high ranking officials in both governments.[65] It was not until 29 August 1842 that the island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom under the Treaty of Nanking. The British established a crown colony with the founding of Victoria City the following year.[66]
Under British rule, the population of Hong Kong island had increased from 7,450 Chinese residents, mostly fishermen, in 1841 to over 115,000 Chinese and 8,754 Europeans in Hong Kong (including Kowloon) in 1870.[67]
In 1860, after China's defeat in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutter's Island were ceded in perpetuity to Britain under the Convention of Peking.
In 1894, the deadly Third Pandemic of bubonic plague spread from China to Hong Kong, causing 50,000–100,000 deaths.[68]
In 1898, under the terms of the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the New Territories.[69] Hong Kong's territory has remained unchanged to the present.[70][71]
During the first half of the 20th century, Hong Kong was a free port, serving as an entrepôt of the British Empire. The British introduced an education system based on their own model, while the local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy tai-pans settled near Victoria Peak.[69]
Japanese invasion[link]
In conjunction with its military campaign, the Empire of Japan invaded Hong Kong on 8 December 1941.[72] The Battle of Hong Kong ended with British and Canadian defenders surrendering control of the colony to Japan on 25 December.[73] During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, civilians suffered widespread food shortages, rationing, and hyper-inflation due to forced exchange of currency for military notes. Through a policy of enforced repatriation of the unemployed to the mainland throughout the period, because of the scarcity of food, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony.[74]
Cold war era[link]
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Granted by the College of Arms on 21 January 1959, the Blue Ensign colonial flag and coat of arms of Hong Kong were used by British Hong Kong during 1959–1997.
File:Flag of Immigration Department, 1988-1997.gif
Flag of British Hong Kong Immigration Department,1988-1997
Hong Kong's population recovered quickly as a wave of migrants from China arrived for refuge from the ongoing Chinese Civil War. When the PRC was proclaimed in 1949, more migrants fled to Hong Kong for fear of persecution by the Communist Party.[69] Many corporations in Shanghai and Guangzhou shifted their operations to Hong Kong.[69]
In the 1950s, Hong Kong's rapid industrialization was driven by textile exports and other expanded manufacturing industries. As the population grew and labour costs remained low, living standards rose steadily. [75] The construction of Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 followed a massive slum fire, and marked the beginning of the public housing estate programme designed to cope with the huge influx of immigrants. Trade in Hong Kong accelerated even further when Shenzhen, immediately north of Hong Kong, became a special economic zone of the PRC, and Hong Kong was established as the main source of foreign investment in China.[76] The manufacturing competitiveness gradually declined in Hong Kong due to the development of the manufacturing industry in southern China beginning in the early 1980s. By contrast, the service industry in Hong Kong experienced high rates of growth in the 1980s and 1990s after absorbing workers released from the manufacturing industry.[77]
Throughout the British colonial era, Hong Kong was industrialized and improved in all aspects from its economy to its health care system. Many health facilities were built for its citizens, for example the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, the Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, the Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong and the Prince of Wales Hospital. Many changes happened during this era shaped the future of Hong Kong. In the year 1983, when the United Kingdom reclassified Hong Kong from a British crown colony to a dependent territory, the governments of the United Kingdom and China were already discussing the issue of Hong Kong's sovereignty due to the impending expiry (within two decades) of the lease of the New Territories. In 1984, the Sino-British Joint Declaration – an agreement to transfer sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997 – was signed.[69] It stipulated that Hong Kong would be governed as a special administrative region, retaining its laws and a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the transfer. The Hong Kong Basic Law, which is based on the English law would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer, was ratified in 1990.[69]
Since 1997[link]
Main articles: Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and 2000s in Hong Kong
Left:Old British passports issued to Hong Kong citizens. Right:The British National (Overseas) passport issued to residents of Hong Kong prior 1997, holders are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British Citizens.
On 1 July 1997, the transfer of sovereignty from United Kingdom to the PRC occurred, officially ending 156 years of British colonial rule. Hong Kong became China's first special administrative region, and Tung Chee Hwa took office as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong. That same year, Hong Kong suffered an economic double blow from the Asian financial crisis and the H5N1 avian influenza.[69] In 2003, Hong Kong was gravely affected by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).[78][79] The World Health Organization reported 1,755 infected and 299 deaths in Hong Kong.[80] An estimated 380 million Hong Kong dollars (US$48.9 million) in contracts were lost as a result of the epidemic.[81]
On 10 March 2005, Tung Chee Hwa announced his resignation as Chief Executive due to "health problems".[82] Donald Tsang, the Chief Secretary for Administration at the time, entered the 2005 election unopposed and became the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong on 21 June 2005.[83] In 2007, Tsang won the Chief Executive election and continued his second term in office.[84]
In 2009, Hong Kong hosted the fifth East Asian Games, in which nine national teams competed. It was the first and largest international multi-sport event ever held in the territory.[85] Today, Hong Kong continues to serve as an important global financial centre, but faces uncertainty over its future due to the growing mainland China economy, and its relationship with the PRC government in areas such as democratic reform and universal suffrage.[86]
Governance[link]
In accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and the underlying principle of one country, two systems, Hong Kong has a "high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region in all areas except defence and foreign affairs."[note 4] The declaration stipulates that the region maintain its capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of its people for at least 50 years beyond the 1997 handover.[note 5] The guarantees over the territory's autonomy and the individual rights and freedoms are enshrined in a constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law(formed based on the Common law of England), which outlines the system of governance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, but which is subject to the interpretation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).[87][88]
The primary pillars of government are the Executive Council, the civil service, the Legislative Council, and the Judiciary. The Executive Council is headed by the Chief Executive who is elected by the Election Committee and then appointed by the Central People's Government.[89][90] The civil service is a politically neutral body that implements policies and provides government services, where public servants are appointed based on meritocracy.[26][91] The Legislative Council has 60 members, half of whom are directly elected by universal suffrage by permanent residents of Hong Kong according to five geographical constituencies. The other half, known as functional constituencies, are directly elected by a smaller electorate, which consists of corporate bodies and persons from various stipulated functional sectors. The entire council is headed by the President of the Legislative Council who serves as the speaker.[92][93] Judges are appointed by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of an independent commission.[21][94]
The implementation of the Basic Law, including how and when the universal suffrage promised therein is to be achieved, has been a major issue of political debate since the transfer of sovereignty. In 2002, the government's proposed anti-subversion bill pursuant to Article 23 of the Basic Law, which required the enactment of laws prohibiting acts of treason and subversion against the Chinese government, was met with fierce opposition, and eventually shelved.[23][95][96] Debate between pro-Beijing groups, which tend to support the Executive branch, and the Pan-democracy camp characterises Hong Kong's political scene, with the latter supporting a faster pace of democratisation, and the principle of one man, one vote.[97]
In 2004, the government failed to gain pan-democrat support to pass its so-called "district council model" for political reform.[98] In 2009, the government reissued the proposals as the "Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012". The document proposed the enlargement of the Election Committee, Hong Kong's electoral college, from 800 members to 1,200 in 2012 and expansion of the legislature from 60 to 70 seats. The 10 new legislative seats would consist of five geographical constituency seats and five functional constituency seats, to be voted in by elected district council members from among themselves.[99] The proposals were destined for rejection by pan-democrats once again, but a significant breakthrough occurred after the Central People's Government accepted a counter-proposal by the Democratic Party. In particular, the Pan-democracy camp was split when the proposal to directly elect five newly created functional seats was not acceptable to two constituent parties. The Democratic Party sided with the government for the first time since the handover and passed the proposals with a vote of 46–12.[100]
Legal system and judiciary[link]
Main articles: Law of Hong Kong and Judiciary of Hong Kong
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Statue of Themis on the Legislative Council Building.
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The Court of Final Appeal in Central is the supreme court of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's legal system is completely independent from the legal system of Mainland China. In contrast to mainland China's civil law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the English Common Law tradition established under British rule.[101] Hong Kong's courts may refer to decisions rendered by courts of other common law jurisdictions as precedents,[21][102] and judges from other common law jurisdictions are allowed to sit as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal.[21][102]
Structurally, the court system consists of the Court of Final Appeal, the High Court, which is made up of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance, and the District Court, which includes the Family Court.[103] Other adjudicative bodies include the Lands Tribunal, the Magistrates' Courts, the Juvenile Court, the Coroner's Court, the Labour Tribunal, the Small Claims Tribunal, and the Obscene Articles Tribunal.[103] Justices of the Court of Final Appeal are appointed by Hong Kong's Chief Executive.[21][102]
The Department of Justice is responsible for handling legal matters for the government. Its responsibilities include providing legal advice, criminal prosecution, civil representation, legal and policy drafting and reform, and international legal cooperation between different jurisdictions.[101] Apart from prosecuting criminal cases, lawyers of the Department of Justice act on behalf of the government in all civil and administrative lawsuits against the government.[101] As protector of the public interest, the department may apply for judicial reviews and may intervene in any cases involving the greater public interest.[104] The Basic Law protects the Department of Justice from any interference by the government when exercising its control over criminal prosecution.[105][106]
Human rights[link]
Main article: Human rights in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's Basic law is based on the English law and so in general, Hong Kong is perceived to enjoy a high level of civil liberties.[107] The Hong Kong government generally respect the human rights of the citizens, although core issues remain.[108] There are concerns over the freedom of assembly which is restricted by the Public Order Ordinance. The police has been occasionally accused of using heavy-handed tactics towards protestors[109] and questions are asked towards the extensive powers of the police.[110] As to the right of privacy, covert surveillance remains the major concern.[111] There is a lack of protection for gay men and lesbians due to the absence of a sexual orientation discrimination law, though there are currently no laws that criminalize homosexuality per se.[112] There are also comments regarding a lack of protection for labour rights.[108]
Internet censorship in Hong Kong operates under different principles and regulations than under the rest of China.[113]
Administrative districts[link]
Statistics
| New Territories | |||
| No. | District | Population[114] | Area[115] |
| 1. | Islands | 138,900 | 175.03 km2 (67.58 sq mi) |
| 2. | Kwai Tsing | 510,300 | 21.82 km2 (8.42 sq mi) |
| 3. | North | 287,700 | 137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi) |
| 4. | Sai Kung | 407,300 | 136.39 km2 (52.66 sq mi) |
| 5. | Sha Tin | 606,700 | 69.46 km2 (26.82 sq mi) |
| 6. | Tai Po | 292,700 | 147.42 km2 (56.92 sq mi) |
| 7. | Tsuen Wan | 292,300 | 60.7 km2 (23.44 sq mi) |
| 8. | Tuen Mun | 493,800 | 84.45 km2 (32.61 sq mi) |
| 9. | Yuen Long | 533,300 | 138.43 km2 (53.45 sq mi) |
| Kowloon | |||
| No. | District | Population | Area |
| 10. | Kowloon City | 359,400 | 9.97 km2 (3.85 sq mi) |
| 11. | Kwun Tong | 579,400 | 11.05 km2 (4.27 sq mi) |
| 12. | Sham Shui Po | 365,600 | 9.48 km2 (3.66 sq mi) |
| 13. | Wong Tai Sin | 421,900 | 9.36 km2 (3.61 sq mi) |
| 14. | Yau Tsim Mong | 285,300 | 6.85 km2 (2.64 sq mi) |
| Hong Kong Island | |||
| No. | District | Population | Area |
| 15. | Central and Western | 253,100 | 12.52 km2 (4.83 sq mi) |
| 16. | Eastern | 588,700 | 18.81 km2 (7.26 sq mi) |
| 17. | Southern | 275,700 | 38.95 km2 (15.04 sq mi) |
| 18. | Wan Chai | 155,700 | 10.02 km2 (3.87 sq mi) |
Main article: Districts of Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a unitary system of government; no local government has existed since the two municipal councils were abolished in 2000. As such there is no formal definition for its cities and towns. Administratively, Hong Kong is subdivided into 18 geographic districts, each represented by a district council which advises the government on local matters such as public facilities, community programmes, cultural activities, and environmental improvements.[116]
There are a total of 534 district council seats, 405 of which are elected; the rest are appointed by the Chief Executive and 27 ex officio chairmen of rural committees.[116] The Home Affairs Department communicates government policies and plans to the public through the district offices.[117]
Military[link]
Main articles: Royal Hong Kong Regiment, Hong Kong Military Service Corps, and British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
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Coat of Arms of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment(UK)
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Badge of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.gif
Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force(UK)
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HKMSC.jpg
Hong Kong Military Service Corps(UK)
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The Cenotaph of Hong Kong.Constructed in 1923 and located between Statue Square and the City Hall in Central, Hong Kong,[1] commemorates the dead in the First and Second World War[2] that served in Hong Kong in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
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When Hong Kong was a British colony and later, a dependent territory, defence was provided by the British military under the command of the Governor of Hong Kong who was ex officio Commander-in-chief.[118] Most of the members of the British Forces in Hong Kong were from Britain but there were locally enlisted personnel (LEP) who served as regular British Forces members in the Hong Kong Squadron of the Royal Navy as well as the Hong Kong Military Service Corps. The Royal Hong Kong Regiment a military unit part of the Hong Kong Government, trained and organised along timelines of British Territorial Army and supported by British Army personnel holding key positions. These British Army personnel, for their duration of service to the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, are seconded to the Hong Kong Government. In the post-WWII era, the majority of the regiment's members have been local citizens of Chinese descent. The Hong Kong Military Service Corps maintained its reputation for loyalty and military skill at the highest level, often outshining British and Gurkha troops based in Hong Kong. The HKMSC Shooting Team won the Team and Individual champion pistol shot a number of times at RASAAM (the Regular Army Skill at Arms Meeting) at Bisley, in the UK, and in 1992 a Training Company team representing the HQ and Depot HKMSC won the Dragon Cup for military skills (outperforming the Queen's Gurkha Signals in signalling and the British Military Hospital team in first aid); the competition was not held again.
The HKMSC reached a peak strength of 1,200 men, providing the British garrison in Hong Kong with supporting personnel. All HKMSC soldiers were basically trained in Hong Kong and from time to time attended upgrading and trade courses in the United Kingdom. HKMSC soldiers who were posted to and served with other non-HKMSC units, wore the other units' cap badge. Unit personnel were enlisted as officers and drivers in 29 Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) based in Gun Club Hill Barracks. It provided crews for 415 Maritime Troop based on Stonecutters' Island, dog handlers in the Defence Animal Support Unit (DASU) of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) based in Sek Kong, officer instructors in the Royal Army Educational Corps (RAEC), officers and clerks in the Royal Army Pay Corps (RAPC), technicians in the Royal Signals (R Sigs) of the Queen's Gurkha Signals (QGS) and engineers and armourers in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). The HKMC trained physical training instructors (PTI) in the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC), medics in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) based in the British Military Hospital (BMH), military police in the Royal Military Police (RMP), helicopter support crews in 660 Squadron Army Air Corps (AAC) based at Sek Kong Airfield, cooks in the Army Catering Corps (ACC), Weapons and Supplies Storekeepers in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) and intelligence staff in the Intelligence Corps. They also provided interpreters, clerks, Regimental Police and light-infantry personnel in Dragon Company of the General Service Corps (GSC) headquartered in Osborn Baracks, Kowloon Tong. The HKMSC offered Hong Kong Chinese soldiers the opportunity to pursue a full career in the British Regular Army up to and including a Queen's Commissioned officer rank of the General List (HKMSC). As all members of the HKMSC were British Regular Army soldiers, they received a Regular Army Service Record Book when they left the army. Many of them had also been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (LS&GC) after 15 years of good and loyal service. British gallantry awards, Orders, Decorations and Medal Ribbons had also been presented to some HKMSC soldiers; such as the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM), the British Empire Medal (BEM), Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and the Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
When the PRC assumed sovereignty in 1997, the British barracks were replaced by a garrison of the People's Liberation Army, comprising ground, naval, and air forces, and under the command of the Chinese Central Military Commission.
The Hong Kong Basic Law is formed based on the Common law of England and it protects local civil affairs against interference by the garrison, and members of the garrison are subject to Hong Kong laws. The Hong Kong Government remains responsible for the maintenance of public order; however, it may ask the PRC government for help from the garrison in maintaining public order and in disaster relief. The PRC government is responsible for the costs of maintaining the garrison.[23][119]
Geography and climate[link]
Hong Kong is located on China's south coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on the east, south, and west, and borders the Guangdong city of Shenzhen to the north over the Shenzhen River. The territory's 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) area consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 200 offshore islands, of which the largest is Lantau Island. Of the total area, 1,054 km2 (407 sq mi) is land and 50 km2 (19 sq mi) is inland water. Hong Kong claims territorial waters to a distance of 3 nautical miles (5.6 km). Its land area makes Hong Kong the 179th largest inhabited territory in the world.[3][10]
As much of Hong Kong's terrain is hilly to mountainous with steep slopes, less than 25% of the territory's landmass is developed, and about 40% of the remaining land area is reserved as country parks and nature reserves.[120] Most of the territory's urban development exists on Kowloon peninsula, along the northern edge of Hong Kong Island, and in scattered settlements throughout the New Territories.[121] The highest elevation in the territory is at Tai Mo Shan, 957 metres (3,140 ft) above sea level.[122] Hong Kong's long and irregular coast provides it with many bays, rivers and beaches.[123] On September 18, 2011, UNESCO listed the Hong Kong National Geopark as part of its Global Geoparks Network. Hong Kong Geopark is made up of eight Geo-Areas distributed across the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region.[124]
Despite Hong Kong's reputation of being intensely urbanised, the territory has tried to promote a green environment,[125] and recent growing public concern has prompted the severe restriction of further land reclamation from Victoria Harbour.[126] Awareness of the environment is growing as Hong Kong suffers from increasing pollution compounded by its geography and tall buildings. Approximately 80% of the city's smog originates from other parts of the Pearl River Delta.[127]
Though it is situated just south of the Tropic of Cancer, Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms, and warm air coming from the southwest. Summer is when typhoons are most likely, sometimes resulting in flooding or landslides. Winters are mild and usually start sunny, becoming cloudier towards February; the occasional cold front brings strong, cooling winds from the north. The most temperate seasons are spring, which can be changeable, and autumn, which is generally sunny and dry.[128] Hong Kong averages 1,948 hours of sunshine per year,[129] while the highest and lowest ever recorded temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory are 36.1 °C (97.0 °F) and 0.0 °C (32.0 °F), respectively.[130]
| Climate data for Hong Kong (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.4 (70.5) |
25.0 (77.0) |
28.4 (83.1) |
30.2 (86.4) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.1 (86.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
24.1 (75.4) |
20.2 (68.4) |
25.6 (78.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) |
16.8 (62.2) |
19.1 (66.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.9 (78.6) |
27.9 (82.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.6 (83.5) |
27.7 (81.9) |
25.5 (77.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
17.9 (64.2) |
23.24 (73.84) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
20.8 (69.4) |
24.1 (75.4) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
25.8 (78.4) |
23.7 (74.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 24.7 (0.972) |
54.4 (2.142) |
82.2 (3.236) |
174.7 (6.878) |
304.7 (11.996) |
456.1 (17.957) |
376.5 (14.823) |
432.2 (17.016) |
327.6 (12.898) |
100.9 (3.972) |
37.6 (1.48) |
26.8 (1.055) |
2,398.4 (94.425) |
| % humidity | 74 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 73 | 71 | 69 | 78.0 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5.37 | 9.07 | 10.90 | 12.00 | 14.67 | 19.07 | 17.60 | 16.93 | 14.67 | 7.43 | 5.47 | 4.47 | 137.65 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 143.0 | 94.2 | 90.8 | 101.7 | 140.4 | 146.1 | 212.0 | 188.9 | 172.3 | 193.9 | 180.1 | 172.2 | 1,835.6 |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory [131] | |||||||||||||
Economy[link]
Main article: Economy of Hong Kong
As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade. The currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world as of 2010.[29] Hong Kong was once described by Milton Friedman as the world’s greatest experiment in laissez-faire capitalism.[132] It maintains a highly developed capitalist economy, ranked the freest in the world by the Index of Economic Freedom every year since 1995.[133][134][135] It is an important centre for international finance and trade, with one of the greatest concentrations of corporate headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region,[136] and is known as one of the Four Asian Tigers for its high growth rates and rapid development from the 1960s to the 1990s. Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross domestic product grew 180 times while per-capita GDP increased 87 times over.[137][138][139]
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the seventh largest in the world, with a market capitalisation of US$2.3 trillion as of December 2009.[140] In that year, Hong Kong raised 22 percent of worldwide initial public offering (IPO) capital, making it the largest centre of IPOs in the world [141] and the easiest place to raise capital.[142] Hong Kong's currency is the Hong Kong dollar, which has been pegged to the U.S. dollar since 1983.[143]
The Hong Kong Government has traditionally played a mostly passive role in the economy, with little by way of industrial policy and almost no import or export controls. Market forces and the private sector were allowed to determine practical development. Under the official policy of "positive non-interventionism", Hong Kong is often cited as an example of laissez-faire capitalism. Following the Second World War, Hong Kong industrialised rapidly as a manufacturing centre driven by exports, and then underwent a rapid transition to a service-based economy in the 1980s.[144] Since then, it has grown to become a leading center for management, financial, IT, business consultation and professional services.[142]
Hong Kong matured to become a financial centre in the 1990s, but was greatly affected by the Asian financial crisis in 1998, and again in 2003 by the SARS outbreak. A revival of external and domestic demand has led to a strong recovery, as cost decreases strengthened the competitiveness of Hong Kong exports and a long deflationary period ended.[145][146] Government intervention, initiated by the later colonial governments and continued since 1997, has steadily increased, with the introduction of export credit guarantees, a compulsory pension scheme, a minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws, and a state mortgage backer.[132]
The territory has little arable land and few natural resources, so it imports most of its food and raw materials. Agricultural activity—relatively unimportant to Hong Kong’s economy and contributing just 0.1% of its GDP—primarily consists of growing premium food and flower varieties.[142] Hong Kong is the world's eleventh largest trading entity,[147] with the total value of imports and exports exceeding its gross domestic product. It is the world's largest re-export centre.[148] Much of Hong Kong's exports consist of re-exports,[149] which are products made outside of the territory, especially in mainland China, and distributed via Hong Kong. Its physical location has allowed the city to establish a transportation and logistics infrastructure that includes the world’s second busiest container port and the world’s busiest airport for international cargo.[142] Even before the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong had established extensive trade and investment ties with the mainland, which now enable it to serve as a point of entry for investment flowing into the mainland. At the end of 2007, there were 3.46 million people employed full-time, with the unemployment rate averaging 4.1% for the fourth straight year of decline.[150] Hong Kong's economy is dominated by the service sector, which accounts for over 90% of its GDP, while industry constitutes 9%. Inflation was at 2.5% in 2007.[151] Hong Kong's largest export markets are mainland China, the United States, and Japan.[3]
As of 2010, Hong Kong is the eighth most expensive city for expatriates, falling from fifth position in the previous year.[152] Hong Kong is ranked fourth in terms of the highest percentage of millionaire households, behind Switzerland, Qatar, and Singapore with 8.5 percent of all households owning at least one million US dollars.[153] In 2011, Hong Kong was ranked second in the Ease of Doing Business Index, behind Singapore.[154] General principle No. 5 of the Basic Law of the SAR suggests that the CPC expects that it shall have brought the economic system of the Mainland and Hong Kong into harmony by 2047, by which time the Chinese economy is predicted by Businessweek to have been the largest by any measure of GDP for decades.[155]
Demographics[link]
The territory's population is 7.03 million. In 2009, Hong Kong had a birth rate of 11.7 per 1,000 population and a fertility rate of 1,032 children per 1,000 women.[156] Residents from mainland China do not have the right of abode in Hong Kong, nor are they allowed to enter the territory freely.[95] However, the influx of immigrants from mainland China, approximating 45,000 per year, is a significant contributor to its population growth – a daily quota of 150 Mainland Chinese with family ties in Hong Kong are granted a "one way permit".[157] Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 79.16 years for males and 84.79 years for females as of 2009, making it one of the highest life expectancies in the world.[3]
About 95% of the people of Hong Kong are of Chinese descent,[12] the majority of whom are Taishanese, Chiu Chow, other Cantonese people, and Hakka. Hong Kong's Han majority originate mainly from the Guangzhou and Taishan regions in Guangdong province.[13] The remaining 5% of the population is composed of non-ethnic Chinese.[12] There is a South Asian population of Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese; some Vietnamese refugees have become permanent residents of Hong Kong. There are also Europeans (mostly British), Americans, Canadians, Japanese, and Koreans working in the city's commercial and financial sector.[note 6] In 2008, there were an estimate of 252,500 foreign domestic helpers from Indonesia and the Philippines working in Hong Kong.[159]
Hong Kong's de facto official language is Cantonese, a Chinese language originating from Guangdong province to the north of Hong Kong.[160] English is also an official language, and according to a 1996 by-census is spoken by 3.1 percent of the population as an everyday language and by 34.9 percent of the population as a second language.[161] Signs displaying both Chinese and English are common throughout the territory. Since the 1997 handover, an increase in immigrants from mainland China and greater integration with the mainland economy have brought an increasing number of Mandarin speakers to Hong Kong.[162]
A majority of residents of Hong Kong would claim no religious affiliation, professing a form of agnosticism or atheism.[163] According to the U.S Department of State only 43 percent of the population practices some form of religion.[164] Some figures put it higher, according to a Gallup poll, 64% of Hong Kong residents do not believe in any religion,[165][166] and possibly 80% of Hong Kong claim no religion.[167] In Hong Kong teaching evolution won out in curriculum dispute about whether to teach other explanations, and that creationism and intelligent design will form no part of the senior secondary biology curriculum[168] [169]
Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of religious freedom, guaranteed by the Basic Law. Hong Kong's main religions are Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism; a local religious scholar in contact with major denominations estimates there are approximately 1.5 million Buddhists and Taoists.[164] A Christian community of around 600,000 forms about 8% of the total population;[170][171] it is nearly equally divided between Catholics and Protestants, although smaller Christian communities exist, including the Latter-Day Saints[172] and Jehovah's Witnesses.[173] The Anglican and Roman Catholic churches each freely appoint their own bishops, unlike in mainland China. There are also Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahá'í communities.[170] The practice of Falun Gong is tolerated.[174]
Statistically Hong Kong's income gap is the greatest in Asia Pacific. According to a report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2008, Hong Kong's Gini coefficient, at 0.53, was the highest in Asia and "relatively high by international standards".[175][176] However, the government has stressed that income disparity does not equate to worsening of the poverty situation, and that the Gini coefficient is not strictly comparable between regions. The government has named economic restructuring, changes in household sizes, and the increase of high-income jobs as factors that have skewed the Gini coefficient.[177][178][179]
Education[link]
Main article: Education in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's education system used to roughly follow the system in England,[18] although international systems exist. The government maintains a policy of "mother tongue instruction" (Chinese: 母語教學) in which the medium of instruction is Cantonese,[180] with written Chinese and English. In secondary schools, 'biliterate and trilingual' proficiency is emphasised, and Mandarin-language education has been increasing.[181] The Programme for International Student Assessment ranked Hong Kong's education system as the second best in the world.[182] Hong Kong's public schools are operated by the Education Bureau. The system features a non-compulsory three-year kindergarten, followed by a compulsory six-year primary education, a compulsory three-year junior secondary education, a non-compulsory two-year senior secondary education leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations and a two-year matriculation course leading to the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examinations.[183] The New Senior Secondary academic structure and curriculum was implemented in September 2009, which provides for all students to receive three years of compulsory junior and three years of compulsory senior secondary education.[19][184] Under the new curriculum, there is only one public examination, namely the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education.[185]
Most comprehensive schools in Hong Kong fall under three categories: the rarer public schools; the more common subsidised schools, including government aids-and-grant schools; and private schools, often run by Christian organisations and having admissions based on academic merit rather than on financial resources. Outside this system are the schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme and private international schools.[184]
There are nine public universities in Hong Kong, and a number of private higher institutions, offering various bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas, and associate degree courses.The University of Hong Kong, the oldest institution of tertiary education in the territory, was described by Quacquarelli Symonds as a "world-class comprehensive research university"[186] and was ranked 24th on the 2009 THES - QS World University Rankings,[187] making it first in Asia.[188] The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology was ranked 35th in the world in 2009 and ranked second in Asia for 2010. The Chinese University of Hong Kong was ranked 46th in the world in 2009 and ranked fourth in Asia for 2010.[188] Based on the 2011 rankings published by career and education network QS, three of the top five Asian universities are in Hong Kong. They are the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong kong as first, second and fifth rank, respectively.[189]
Healthcare[link]
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There are 13 private hospitals and more than 50 public hospitals in Hong Kong. Among the widest range of healthcare services throughout the globe are on offer, and some of the SAR's private hospitals are rightly considered to be among the very best of their type in the world.
There are two medical schools in the SAR, one based at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the other at Hong Kong University. Both have strong links with public sector hospitals.
With respect to postgraduate education, traditionally many doctors in Hong Kong have looked overseas for further training, and many took British Royal College exams such as the MRCP(UK) and the MRCS(UK). However, Hong Kong has been developing its own postgraduate medical institutions, in particular the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and this is gradually taking over the responsibility for all postgraduate medical training in the SAR.
There are also strong public health systems in Hong Kong, and the Centre for Health Protection, founded after the SARS outbreak of 2003, is particularly worthy of mention.
By 2011, however, there have been growing concerns that mothers-to-be from Mainland China, in a bid to obtain the right of abode in Hong Kong and the benefits that come with it, have saturated the neonatal wards of the city's hospitals, both public and private sectors, which has led to outcries and protests from local pregnant women for the government to remedy the issue, as they have found difficulty securing a bed space for giving birth and arrange routine check-ups. Other concerns in the decade of 2001-2010 relate to the workload medical staff experience; and medical errors and mishaps, which are frequently highlighted in local news.
Culture[link]
Main article: Culture of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where "East meets West", reflecting the culture's mix of the territory's Chinese roots with influences from its time as a British colony.[17] Hong Kong balances a modernised way of life with traditional Chinese practices. Concepts like feng shui are taken very seriously, with expensive construction projects often hiring expert consultants, and are often believed to make or break a business.[190] Other objects like Ba gua mirrors are still regularly used to deflect evil spirits,[191] and buildings often lack any floor number that has a 4 in it,[192] due to its similarity to the word for "die" in Cantonese.[193] The fusion of east and west also characterises Hong Kong's cuisine, where dim sum, hot pot, and fast food restaurants coexist with haute cuisine.[194]
Hong Kong is a recognised global centre of trade, and calls itself an "entertainment hub".[195] Its martial arts film genre gained a high level of popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s. Several Hollywood performers, notable actors and martial artists have originated from Hong Kong cinema, notably Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and Jet Li. A number of Hong Kong film-makers have achieved widespread fame in Hollywood, such as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, and Stephen Chow.[195] Homegrown films such as Chungking Express, Infernal Affairs, Shaolin Soccer, Rumble in the Bronx, In the Mood for Love and Echoes of the Rainbow have gained international recognition. Hong Kong is the centre for Cantopop music, which draws its influence from other forms of Chinese music and Western genres, and has a multinational fanbase.[196]
The Hong Kong government supports cultural institutions such as the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department subsidises and sponsors international performers brought to Hong Kong. Many international cultural activities are organised by the government, consulates, and privately.[197][198]
Hong Kong has two licensed terrestrial broadcasters – ATV and TVB. There are three local and a number of foreign suppliers of cable and satellite services.[199] The production of Hong Kong's soap dramas, comedy series, and variety shows reach audiences throughout the Chinese-speaking world. Magazine and newspaper publishers in Hong Kong distribute and print in both Chinese and English, with a focus on sensationalism and celebrity gossip.[200] The media in Hong Kong is relatively free from official interference compared to mainland China, although the Far Eastern Economic Review points to signs of self-censorship by journals whose owners have close ties to or business interests in the People's Republic of China and states that even Western media outlets are not immune to growing Chinese economic power.[201]
Hong Kong offers wide recreational and competitive sport opportunities despite its limited land area. It sends delegates to international competitions such as the Olympic Games and Asian Games, and played host to the equestrian events during the 2008 Summer Olympics.[202] There are major multipurpose venues like Hong Kong Coliseum and MacPherson Stadium. Hong Kong's steep terrain and extensive trail network with expansive views attracts hikers, and its rugged coastline provides many beaches for swimming.[203]
Cityscape[link]
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Architecture[link]
Main article: Architecture of Hong Kong
See also: List of tallest buildings in Hong Kong
According to Emporis, there are 7,650 skyscrapers in Hong Kong, which puts the city at the top of world rankings.[204] It has more buildings higher than 500ft (or 150m) than any other city. The high density and tall skyline of Hong Kong's urban area is due to a lack of available sprawl space, with the average distance from the harbour front to the steep hills of Hong Kong Island at 1.3 km (0.81 mi),[205] much of it reclaimed land. This lack of space causes demand for dense, high-rise offices and housing. Thirty-six of the world's 100 tallest residential buildings are in Hong Kong.[206] More people in Hong Kong live or work above the 14th floor than anywhere else on Earth, making it the world's most vertical city.[30][31]
As a result of the lack of space and demand for construction, few older buildings remain, and the city is becoming a centre for modern architecture. The International Commerce Centre (ICC), at 484 m (1,588 ft) high, is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the third tallest in the world, by height to roof measurement.[207] The tallest building prior to the ICC is Two International Finance Centre, at 415 m (1,362 ft) high.[208] Other recognisable skyline features include the HSBC Headquarters Building, the triangular-topped Central Plaza with its pyramid-shaped spire, The Center with its night-time multi-coloured neon light show; A Symphony of Lights and I. M. Pei's Bank of China Tower with its sharp, angular façade. According to the Emporis website, the city skyline has the biggest visual impact of all world cities.[209] Also, Hong Kong's skyline is often regarded to be the best in the world,[210] with the surrounding mountains and Victoria Harbour complementing the skyscrapers.[211][212] Most of the oldest remaining historic structures, including the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, the Central Police Station, and the remains of Kowloon Walled City were constructed during the 19th and early 20th centuries.[213][214][215]
There are many development plans in place, including the construction of new government buildings,[216] waterfront redevelopment in Central,[217] and a series of projects in West Kowloon.[218] More high-rise development is set to take place on the other side of Victoria Harbour in Kowloon, as the 1998 closure of the nearby Kai Tak Airport lifted strict height restrictions.[219]
Transport[link]
Main article: Transport in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's transportation network is highly developed. Over 90% of daily travels (11 million) are on public transport,[32] the highest such percentage in the world.[33] Payment can be made using the Octopus card, a stored value system introduced by the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), which is widely accepted on railways, buses and ferries, and accepted like cash at other outlets.[220][221]
The city's main railway company (KCRC) was merged with the urban mass transit operator (MTR) in 2007, creating a comprehensive rail network for the whole territory (also called MTR).[222] This MTR rapid transit system has 152 stations, which serve 3.4 million people a day.[223] Hong Kong Tramways, which has served the territory since 1904, covers the northern parts of Hong Kong Island.[224]
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Hong Kong's bus service is franchised and run by private operators. Five privately owned companies provide franchised bus service across the territory, together operating more than 700 routes. The two largest, Kowloon Motor Bus provides 402 routes in Kowloon and New Territories; Citybus operates 154 routes on Hong Kong Island; both run cross-harbour services. Double-decker buses were introduced to Hong Kong in 1949, and are now almost exclusively used; single-decker buses remain in use for routes with lower demand or roads with lower load capacity. Public light buses serve most parts of Hong Kong, particularly areas where standard bus lines cannot reach or do not reach as frequently, quickly, or directly.[225]
The Star Ferry service, founded in 1888, operates four lines across Victoria Harbour and provides scenic views of Hong Kong's skyline for its 53,000 daily passengers.[226] It acquired iconic status following its use as a setting on The World of Suzie Wong. Travel writer Ryan Levitt considered the main Tsim Sha Tsui to Central crossing one of the most picturesque in the world.[227] Other ferry services are provided by operators serving outlying islands, new towns, Macau, and cities in mainland China. Hong Kong is famous for its junks traversing the harbour, and small kai-to ferries that serve remote coastal settlements.[228][229] The Port of Hong Kong is a busy deepwater port, specialising in container shipping.[230]
Hong Kong Island's steep, hilly terrain was initially served by sedan chairs.[231] The Peak Tram, the first public transport system in Hong Kong, has provided vertical rail transport between Central and Victoria Peak since 1888.[232] In Central and Western district, there is an extensive system of escalators and moving pavements, including the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, the Mid-Levels escalator.[233]
Hong Kong International Airport is a leading air passenger gateway and logistics hub in Asia and one of the world's busiest airports in terms of international passenger and cargo movement, serving more than 47 million passengers and handling 3.74 million tonnes (4.12 million tons) of cargo in 2007.[234] It replaced the overcrowded Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon in 1998, and has been rated as the world's best airport in a number of surveys.[235] Over 85 airlines operate at the two-terminal airport and it is the primary hub of Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Air Hong Kong, Hong Kong Airlines, and Hong Kong Express.[234][236]
See also[link]
- Outline of Hong Kong
- Index of Hong Kong-related articles
- List of cities with most skyscrapers
- Public holidays in Hong Kong
Footnotes[link]
- ^ This is the official convention employed on the Chinese text of the Hong Kong regional emblem, the text of the Hong Kong Basic Law, and the Hong Kong Government website,[1] although "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are also accepted.
- ^ The Hong Kong Basic Law states that the official languages are "Chinese and English".[2] It does not explicitly specify the standard for "Chinese". While Mandarin written in Simplified Chinese characters are the standards in mainland China, Cantonese and Traditional Chinese characters are the de facto standards in Hong Kong. See also: Bilingualism in Hong Kong.
- ^ The name was often written as Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926 (Hongkong Government Gazette, Notification 479, 3 September 1926). Nevertheless, some century-old organisations still use the name, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. While the names of most Chinese place names are romanised into English using Pinyin, the official English name is Hong Kong rather than the pinyin Xianggang.
- ^ Section 3(2) of the Sino-British Joint Declaration states in part, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which, are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government."
- ^ Section 3(5) of the Sino-British Joint Declaration states that the social and economic systems and lifestyle in Hong Kong will remain unchanged, and mentions rights and freedoms ensured by law. Section 3(12) states in part, "The above-stated basic policies of the People's Republic of China ... will remain unchanged for 50 years."
- ^ The results of the 2006 census showed that the "white" population had declined from 46,584 in 2001 to 36,384, a decline of 22 percent.[158]
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- ^ a b c d "Hong Kong". The World Factbook. CIA. 23 August 2010. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hk.html. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
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- ^ "Decision of the National People's Congress on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and the First Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". http://www.basiclaw.gov.hk/en/basiclawtext/attached_4.html. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
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- ^ "Amendment to Annex I to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". http://www.basiclaw.gov.hk/en/basiclawtext/images/Amendment_to_AnnexI.pdf.
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Further reading[link]
- Endacott, G. B (1964). An Eastern Entrepot;: A Collection of Documents Illustrating the History of Hong Kong. Her Majesty's Stationary Office. p. 293. ASIN B0007J07G6.
- Fu, Poshek; Deser, David (2002). The Cinema of Hong Kong: History, Arts, Identity. Cambridge University Press. p. 346. ISBN 978-0-521-77602-8.
- Lui, Adam Yuen-chung (1990). Forts and Pirates – A History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong History Society. p. 114. ISBN 962-7489-01-8.
- Liu, Shuyong; Wang, Wenjiong; Chang, Mingyu (1997). An Outline History of Hong Kong. Foreign Languages Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-7-119-01946-8.
- Ngo, Tak-Wing (1 August 1999). Hong Kong's History: State and Society Under Colonial Rule. Routledge. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-415-20868-0.
- Tsang, Steve (1995). Government and Politics: A Documentary History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. p. 312. ISBN 962-209-392-2.
- Tsang, Steve (4 September 2007). A Modern History of Hong Kong. I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-419-0.
- Welsh, Frank (1993). A Borrowed place: the history of Hong Kong. Kodansha International. p. 624. ISBN 978-1-56836-002-7.
External links[link]
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