Chippenham
Chippenham shown within Wiltshire
Population	28,065[1]
OS grid reference	ST919733
District	North Wiltshire
Shire county	Wiltshire
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CHIPPENHAM
Postcode district	SN14,SN15
Dialling code	01249
Police	Wiltshire
Fire	Wiltshire
Ambulance	Great Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	North Wiltshire, Chippenham
List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire

Coordinates: 51°27′31″N 2°06′57″W / 51.4585, -2.1158

Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located at grid reference ST919733, some 21 km (13 miles) east of Bath and 163 km (96 miles) west of London. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Swindon postcode area, is a group of postal districts around The Swindon Urban Area The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Wiltshire Police is the Home Office police force responsible for policing Wiltshire and Swindon in south-west England. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is the county-wide statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the Ceremonial county of Wiltshire The Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS is UK National Health Service (NHS trust providing emergency and non emergency South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election North Wiltshire is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Chippenham will be a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities towns and villages in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065. ^[1]

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. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC For a time Alfred the Great had a hunting lodge there. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c 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. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential from which most of the Workforce commute out to earn their livelihood

Cultural festivals such as the Chippenham Folk Festival are hosted by the Chippenham Folk Festival Association & Organised by the Festival Team who are all volunteers.

Chippenham is twinned with La Fleche in France and Friedberg in Germany. La Flèche is a commune of the Sarthe département in France, on the banks of the Loir river The town motto is "Unity and Loyalty".

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Situation 1.2 Transport 1.3 Suburbs 2 Demographics 3 History 3.1 Name 3.2 Early History 4 Landmarks 4.1 Buttercross 4.2 Yelde Hall 5 Politics 5.1 The Mayor 5.2 Town Councillors and wards 6 Culture 6.1 Chippenham Folk Festival 6.2 Chippenham Cantata 6.3 Eddie Cochran Festival 6.4 Museum 6.5 Media 7 Bird's Marsh 8 Sport and leisure 9 Economy 9.1 Shopping 9.2 Market 10 Tourism 10.1 Twinned towns 11 Religion 11.1 Churches 12 Education 12.1 Primary 12.2 Secondary 12.3 Tertiary 13 Notable inhabitants 14 References 15 External links

Geography

Situation

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. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is located in the English counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire See also Cotswold The Cotswolds is a range of Hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England" Salisbury Plain is a Chalk Plateau in central southern England covering. Three miles to the north of Chippenham is Kington St Michael. Kington St Michael is a small Village 3 miles north of Chippenham Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, with approximately 700 inhabitants

The town is surrounded by sparse countryside and there are several woodlands in or in close proximity to the town, for example, Bird's Marsh, Vincients Wood and Briars Wood. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. Chippenham is a Market town in Wiltshire, England, located at, some 21 km (13 miles east of Bath and 163 km (96 miles west of London Vincients Wood is a small Nature reserve, an area of semi-natural broadleaved Woodland located on the far west of the town of Chippenham Wiltshire.

Transport

The town is 7 km (4 miles) south of the M4 motorway, giving easy access to Bristol, Swindon, South Wales and London. The M4 motorway is a Motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Swindon ( is a large town in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in the South West of England, midway between Bristol (64 km / 40 miles London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The A4 coach road from London provides an alternative route to Bristol via Bath, and the A420 and B4069 bring you to Bristol and Oxford. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. The A420 is a road between Bristol and Oxford in England. Between Swindon and Oxford it is a Primary route. B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire,

Chippenham railway station is on the main line rail route from London Paddington to the West Country and is famous for its railway arches and other buildings created by Isambard Kingdom Brunel when he built the Great Western Railway. Chippenham railway station is the railway station serving Chippenham in Wiltshire. London Paddington station, also known as London Paddington, or just simply Paddington, is a major National Rail and London Underground station The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 &ndash 15 September 1859 (ˈɪzəmbɑrd ˈkɪŋdəm brʊˈnɛl was a British Engineer. The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West Bus services to Bath, Calne, Devizes, Trowbridge and Swindon are available. Calne is a Town in central Wiltshire, England. It is situated at the southern extreme of the county's North Wiltshire * local government district Devizes is a small Market town and Civil parish in the heart of the English county of Wiltshire, in the southern United Kingdom Trowbridge is the County town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county approximately 12 miles (19 km southeast Swindon ( is a large town in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in the South West of England, midway between Bristol (64 km / 40 miles

There is a periphery road (the A4 national route) outlining the southern half of the town. However, it is thought that an eastern bypass linking the A4 at Pewsham and the A350 north of Cepen Park is now necessary to avoid ever-increasing congestion and to cut 5 km (3 miles) off journeys for those travelling to the M4 motorway at junction 17 from the south and east of the town and from nearby Calne. Pewsham is a housing development located southeast of Chippenham town centre in the county of Wiltshire in England. Calne is a Town in central Wiltshire, England. It is situated at the southern extreme of the county's North Wiltshire * local government district

The town is bypassed to the west by the A350, which links the M4 motorway with Chippenham and nearby towns to the south, such as Melksham and Trowbridge. The A350 is a north-south Primary route in southern England, that runs from the M4 motorway in Wiltshire to Poole in Dorset Melksham is a medium-sized English town lying on the River Avon. Trowbridge is the County town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county approximately 12 miles (19 km southeast Again, this road had become increasingly congested over recent years, and there have been calls to expand the road to a dual-carriageway (as originally intended). There have also been calls to provide a southern bypass for the town linking the Pewsham roundabout on the A4 to the Lackham junction on the A350, so all non-Chippenham traffic travelling from the east on the A4 will avoid the increasingly congested town centre.

National Coach services connect at Chippenham to London, Wales, the South West, the Midlands and East Anglia. This article is mainly about the English Midlands For other uses see Midlands (disambiguation. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. Cross town minibus services plus additional local services linking neighbouring villages to the town are provided by a number of private operators. "Microbus" redirects here For the Volkswagen Microbus see Volkswagen Type 2.

Suburbs

Cepen Park (North & South), Pew Hill, Monkton Park, Pewsham, Frogwell, Hardenhuish, Rowden Hill, Derriads, Lowden, The Folly, Redlands, Queen's Crescent, Lackham, Fenway Park.

Demographics

Chippenham's population has grown rapidly in recent years to 28,065 (2001 census), an increase of 11% from the 1991 figure of 25,376. This rapid expansion can be attributed to the development of large housing estates (indeed, entirely new suburbs) such as the vast Cepen Park district to the west of the town, and the Pewsham development to the east (Pewsham is also the name of a small village just to the east of Chippenham). Further housing developments are also currently progressing, though on a smaller scale. Chippenham's population in 2007 was estimated at about 35,000 inhabitants. ^[2] This makes Chippenham Wiltshire's third largest town.

History

There are believed to have been settlements in the Chippenham region since before Roman times. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Remains of Romano-British settlements are visible in the wall behind the former magistrates court and recent redevelopments of the town have shown up other evidence of the earliest settlements. Romano-British culture is that of the Romanized Britons under the Roman Empire and later the Western Roman Empire, and of those exposed to Roman culture in the years A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and ^[3]

Name

The town proper was believed to have been founded by Saxons around 600. The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the town as Cippanhamme and this could refer to Cippa who had his Hamm, an enclosure in a river meadow. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. An alternative theory suggests that the name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Ceap, meaning market. ^[4][5] The name is recorded variously as Cippanhamm (878), Cepen (1042), Cheppeham (1155), Chippenham (1227), Shippenham (1319) and Chippyngham (1541). ^[6]

Early History

In AD 853, Ethelswitha (sister to Alfred the Great) married the King of Mercia in Chippenham. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c The Kingdom of Mercia was an important state in the English Midlands from the 6th century to the 10th. Alfred was then a boy of four and the wedding is believed to have been held on the site of St. Andrew's Church. Alfred spent much time at Chippenham, and later had a hunting lodge there. Alfred's daughter was also married in Chippenham. ^[7]

Chippenham was successfully besieged by Danish Vikings in 878, though Alfred escaped. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Later that year Alfred decisively defeated the Danes at the Battle of Edington, whose forces then surrendered to Alfred at Chippenham (ushering in the establishment of the Danelaw). The Battle of Edington (May 878) was a Battle which took place near Edington (then known as "Ethandun" in the county of Wiltshire The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (also known as the Danelagh; Old English: Dena lagu; Danish: ^[5]

In 1042 the Royal holding in Chippenham makes mention of a church. ^[5] The Domesday Book listed Chippenham as Cepen, with a population of 600-700 people. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey

The A4 that runs through Chippenham (from London to Bristol) incorporates parts of the 14th century road network that linked London to Bristol through Chippenham. This was an important road for the cloth trade and its upkeep was funded in part by cloth merchants from Bristol due to its importance to the trade. ^[7]

In Norman times the Royal properties were separated into the manors of Cheldon, Rowden and Lowden. Records show that the town expanded into Langstret (now the Causeway) from 1245 onwards and in 1406 onwards the town pushed into Le Newstret (now the New Road) area of town. Throughout this period Chippenham continued to have a thriving market in the town centre.

Chippenham was represented in Parliament from 1295 onwards and Queen Mary granted the town a Charter of Incorporation in 1554. The Parliament of England was the Legislature of the Kingdom of England.

Analysis of the wood used to build the Yelde Hall indicates that the market hall was built after 1458. The Shambles and Buttercross were built after 1570. ^[3] The Shambles were destroyed in a fire in 1856, the Yelde Hall survived. ^[8]

Chippenham encompasses the deserted medieval village of Sheldon, devastated by plague. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia All that remains today is Sheldon Manor, Wiltshire's oldest inhabited manor house (dating from 1282).

The wool industry took off in the 16th century due, in part, to the river. The plague hit the town hard in 1611 and 1636. This, a recession in the woollen industry, and a drop in corn production in 1622 and 1623, caused massive hardship for the town's population. The trade in cloth faced further problems during the civil war due to a Royalist proclamation that prohibited the sale of cloth to the parliamentarian controlled London.

In 1747 a bribery and corruption scandal (involving two members of parliament for Chippenham) led to the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole's government.

A spur off the Wiltshire and Berkshire canal was built to Chippenham in 1798 with a wharf at the current site of the bus station (Timber Street) with the main commodity traded being coal. Ordnance Survey (OS is an Executive agency of the United Kingdom government The Great Western Railway arrived in Chippenham in 1841 which in turn attracted many new businesses to Chippenham. The arrival of these businesses required new housing which led to the expansion of Chippenham into the land North of the railway line, which in turn led to the growth of further industries to support the building work.

The arrival of the railway promoted the growth of industrial agricultural businesses. In the middle of the 19th century Chippenham was a major centre for the production of dairy and ham products this led, later, to Nestle and Mattheson's to have factories in the town centre. Nestlé is a multinational packaged food company founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland The railway also led to the growth of railway engineering works in Chippenham. The first of these was the Rowland Brothers in 1842. A variety of companies then took over part or all of the business on the site until in 1935 Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company Ltd took over the business site fully. The Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company Ltd was created in 1935 when the Westinghouse Brake & Saxby Signal Company Ltd dropped the 'Saxby' from their title Until recently Westinghouse remained a major employer in the town. ^[3]

The singer Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent were involved in a car crash in Chippenham on 17 April 1960 on Rowden Hill. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Raymond Edward "Eddie" Cochran ( October 3, 1938 He took music lessons in school but quit the band to play drums Gene Vincent, real name Vincent Eugene Craddock, ( February 11, 1935 - October 12, 1971) was an American Rock'n'roll pioneer Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cochran died as a result of the crash. ^[8] A memorial sits near the crash site and Chippenham hosts an Eddie Cochran festival annually (see below).

On Friday the 13^th February 1998 two unexploded German bombs from World War II were discovered in the field behind Hardens Mead during preparations for the building of Abbeyfield School. Friday the 13th is superstitiously considered a day of bad Luck in English - French - and German -speaking countries as well as in other Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A bomb is any of a range of devices that typically rely on the Exothermic Chemical reaction of an Explosive material to produce an extremely World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including About 1,100 residents living in the east of Chippenham had to be evacuated for two nights to friends and relatives or emergency accommodation until the Army carried out a controlled explosion. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST internal designation HT-7U is an experimental Superconducting Tokamak Magnetic fusion energy An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces A controlled explosion is a method for detonating or disabling a suspected Explosive device. ^[8] The Army initially attempted to defuse the larger 750 kg device but it was decided that owing to the bomb's orientation in the ground it would be too dangerous. ^[9]

Landmarks

Buttercross

The original Buttercross, a stone structure, was erected in c. 1570 and stood in the current location of Barclays Bank, where it served as the centre of the Shambles. The Shambles (official name Shambles) is an old street in York, England, with overhanging timber-framed buildings some dating back as far as The Buttercross was used for the sale of meat and dairy products.

In 1889 Mr. E. C. Lowndes bought the Buttercross for £6. He re-erected it as a gazebo in the kitchen garden of the Castle Combe Manor House, where it subsequently fell into disrepair. A gazebo is a pavilion structure, often octagonal commonly found in Parks Gardens and spacious Public areas Gazebos are freestanding or Castle Combe is a small village in Wiltshire, England, with a population of about 350

The Buttercross was re-erected in its current location in 1995 by the Chippenham Civic Society with funding provided by a wide range of local individuals and organisations. It currently stands as the centre-piece of the pedestrianised area of the town centre, where a market is held each Friday and Saturday. ^[10]

Yelde Hall

The Yelde Hall is currently the site of the Tourist Information Centre in Chippenham. It is run jointly by Chippenham Town and North Wiltshire District Councils and is the largest Tourist Information Centre in North Wiltshire.

The hall is one of very few remaining medieval timber framed buildings in the town. It was originally divided up internally for use as a market hall. Both the hall and its meeting room upstairs were used by the Burgess and Bailiff for a variety of meetings and trials as well as being used for Council meetings. The space under the Council Chamber was used as the town gaol. The hall was also used in this time for fund raising events for the local church.

After the Council and Burgess (now Mayor) moved to the Town Hall (High Street, Chippenham) in 1841 the hall had many different uses:

• Chippenham Savings Bank
• Chippenham Volunteer Rifle Corps (stationed in Chippenham from 1846 to 1911)
• Chippenham Fire Station (from around 1910 until 1945 when they moved to their current location in Dallas Road) this led to substantial changes to the interior structure to accommodate the engines and the addition of two large doors to the end gable
• Chippenham Museum (the Borough Council started work on this in the 1950s but the museum didn't open until the 25 October 1963. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The museum outgrew the site and closed in this location in 1999)
• North Wiltshire Tourist Information Centre (since March 2003 following substantial restorations)^[11]

Politics

Chippenham is in the parliamentary constituency of North Wiltshire, though at the end of the 2005 parliament (around 2009) it will be in the new Chippenham constituency. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories North Wiltshire is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Chippenham will be a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The current Member of Parliament is James Gray, Conservative. James Whiteside Gray (born November 7, 1954) is a British Politician. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. In 1812 Sir Robert Peel became the Member of Parliament for Chippenham. Sir Robert Peel 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 &ndash 2 July 1850 was the Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.

The Town Council is currently controlled by the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the

The offices of North Wiltshire District Council are based in the town.

The Mayor

The Town Mayor is an ancient office, its incumbent being elected annually by the Town Council; the position is currently held by Cllr. Sandra Oakes. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or Parishes A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch A councillor or councilor ( Cllr, Coun, Clr or Cr for short is a member of a Local government council such as a

The Mayor is generally appointed to office in May of each year (at the "Mayor Making" ceremony) and acts as the first citizen of the town acting in a promotional way representing Chippenham. At the beginning of a Mayor's term of office he/she names a charity that they will support throughout the year. The Mayor also undertakes many specific tasks throughout the year such as presiding over Town council meetings and acting as the President of a variety of local organisations such as the Twinning Association and the Sea Cadets. Sea Cadets are generally members of a Sea Cadet Corps a formal cadet organisation of young people with an interest in their national navy ^[11]

Town Councillors and wards

ALLINGTON - Sylvia Gibson (Lib D) & Robert Jones (Lib D)

AUDLEY - David Powell (Lib D) & Wendy Underwood (Lib D)

AVON - Andrew Noblet (Lib D) & John Scragg (Lib D) & David Powell (Lib D)

HILL RISE - Marian Stickland (Lib D) & Paul Darby (Lib D)

LONDON ROAD - Bill Wood (Lib D) & June Wood (Lib D)

MONKTON PARK - Sheila Veitch (Green)& Frankie Wilson (Lib D)

PARK - William Douglas (Lib D) & Elizabeth Kennedy(Con) & Jules Whincup (Lib D)

PEWSHAM - Sylvia Doubell (Lib D), Mark Packard (Lib D) & Richard Purdon (Con)

REDLAND - Maureen Lloyd (Lab) & Nina Phillips (Con) & Andy Phillips (Con)

WESTCROFT - Desna Allen (Lib D) & Sandra Oakes (Lib D)^[12]

Culture

Chippenham Folk Festival

The Chippenham Folk Festival takes place every year, usually from the 26–30 May. Although it has seen many changes since its beginnings in Lacock all those years ago, it still retains its 'village' atmosphere, providing three and a half days packed with song, dance, workshops and dance displays. Over 200 events take place within the town centre, turning the whole town into a giant party. The main ceilidh and concert events take place in the beautiful park alongside the river, while practically every pub and venue in the town is used for a vast range of sessions, workshops and smaller concerts and dances. A céilidh ( (in modern usage is a traditional Gaelic social Dance originating in Ireland and Scotland, but now common throughout the There is also a full program of children's events, a large craft marquee, catering facilities and an open air arena in the park. The High Street and historic Market Square are both pedestrianised, and are used throughout the weekend for busking, street theatre and processions. Busking is the practice of performing in Public places for Tips and Gratuities. Street theatre is a form of theatrical Performance and presentation in outdoor Public spaces without a specific paying Audience. A procession (via Middle English processioun, French procession, derived from Latin processio, itself from procedere, to go forth advance A huge street fair also takes place on the Monday. The event is featured on programming on the town's own Chippenham Hospital Radio. Chippenham Hospital Radio is a Volunteer Radio station in Chippenham, England.

Chippenham Cantata

Chippenham Cantata [1] is a community choir that practices every Thursday during term time in St Andrew's Parish Church Hall. They put on three concerts a year and new members are always welcome.

Eddie Cochran Festival

The town holds an annual festival to mark the death of singer Eddie Cochran, who died on 17 April 1960 following a car crash in Chippenham. Raymond Edward "Eddie" Cochran ( October 3, 1938 He took music lessons in school but quit the band to play drums Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Museum

From the 25 October 1963 until 1999 the Town Museum was housed in the Yelde Hall. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The museum had, by this time, outgrown the site and moved to the former Magistrates' Court in the Market Place (opening on the 23 March 2000). Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.

The museum charts the history of the town from Neolithic times until today. By 2005 the museum had attracted over 90,000 visitors. ^[11]

Media

Chippenham is served by the following media providers -

• Gazette and Herald - Weekly newspaper
• Wiltshire Times - Weekly newspaper
• Wiltshire's GWR FM - Local radio
• BBC Radio Wiltshire - Local radio
• Chippenham Hospital Radio - Local Hospital/Internet Based Radio

Bird's Marsh

Bird's Marsh is a large woodland, approximately 24 hectares in size, to the north of the town. The Gazette and Herald is a local weekly paid-for newspaper established in 1816 The Wiltshire Times is a weekly Newspaper published in Trowbridge, Wiltshire in South West England. For a list of all "GWR FM" stations see GWR FM (disambiguation. Chippenham Hospital Radio is a Volunteer Radio station in Chippenham, England. Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, It is home to many kinds of wildlife, and a popular place for walkers, due to its fairly large size and surrounding countryside. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time One entrance into Bird's Marsh can be found through a field close to the Morrisons supermarket, just south of the roundabout on the A350 Malmesbury Road. Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC ( is the fourth largest chain of Supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good

Sport and leisure

Chippenham is well served with sports clubs and leisure facilities. The Olympiad Centre caters for a wide range of interests and has a variety of swimming pools and full gym facilities. ^[13] It also plays host to many events including the popular annual CAMRA beer festival. The Campaign for Real Ale ( CAMRA) is an independent voluntary, Consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aim ^[14]

Chippenham Sports Club comprises cricket^[15], bowls^[16], tennis and hockey sections and is situated on the Bristol Road adjacent to Chippenham Town F.C.. Chippenham Town is an English football club based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, currently playing in the British Gas Business Southern League ^[17] Chippenham Rugby Club is on the western outskirts next to the A350 bypass. ^[18]. Chippenham Golf Club ^[19] is situated on the Northern edge of the town very close the the A350. It is perhaps the oldest established sports club in the area having been founded in 1896. The club is looking forward to a bright future with plans for a new clubhouse and redeveloped course well underway.

There is also a small cinema on the western edge of the town centre. Cinemaaustraliajpg|thumb|A movie theater in Australia ]]A movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre or cinema is a venue However, Chippenham has been identified as a perfect location for a future major multiplex complex as it is central to an area covering the towns of Trowbridge, Calne, Melksham, Corsham and Malmesbury which are all devoid of cinemas, the alternative being to travel to congested Bath or further-afield Swindon.

The Severn and Thames cycle route (part of Route 4) of the Sustrans National Cycle Network passes through the town. Sustrans is a British charity which promotes Sustainable transport. The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.

There is also a night-life scene, with the New Inn, The Rose and Crown and Buds 2000 being late-night venues, although many people travel to Bath, 21 km (13 miles) to the west. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol.

Economy

Historically a market town, Chippenham's economy has since changed to that of a commuter town with residents travelling to workplaces in Bath, Bristol, Swindon and London. Wilkinson (or Wilko, some times Wilks as it is often known is a British high-street discount chain with 311 stores selling everything from washing Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential from which most of the Workforce commute out to earn their livelihood

Several large businesses have been located in the region, with the biggest former employer being Westinghouse, now owned by Invensys, whose factory complex lies next to the railway station. Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd (formerly Westinghouse Signals Ltd is a British supplier of Railway signalling and control equipment to the rail industry Invensys plc is a British Engineering company headquartered in London, England. The company undertakes railway signalling contracts for Network Rail. A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a Railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train drivers/engineers. Network Rail is a British "not for dividend" Company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited a company limited Parts of the Westinghouse site are occupied by a range of companies. There are a number of other industrial sites around the town, Bumpers Farm being the largest. It is home to many businesses of all sizes, including IT Solutions Ltd(ITS), Bechtle Direct Ltd, The Land Rover Orphanage, Multiquip, Blade, Chippenham Accident Repairs, Bathwick Tyres, LF Windows, Avon Rubber, "Home James" taxis and Norman E Webb.

In 2005, Europe's second largest logistics organisation, Wincanton PLC, consolidated its head office operations and moved to the newly developed Methuen Park office development in west Chippenham, where it employs around 350 people. Wincanton plc ( is a British logistics company that specializes in Supply chain management for businesses

Shopping

Chippenham's major retail area surrounds the pedestrianised High Street and Market Place, which consists of numerous shops of various categories. Two shopping centres lie on either side of the High Street; the enclosed Emery Gate Shopping Centre and the open air Borough Parade Shopping Centre [2]. Of all the shops in the High Street and nearby alleys there are very few independent stores as franchises dominate, however some independent stores (Jewellers, Florists, Bridal Gowns, China & Glass) are located along The Causeway, New Road, Station Hill and the Upper Market Place.

Retail parks, such as the Hathaway Retail Park, are located on the edge of town containing larger superstores and fast-food outlets.

Local shoppers founded Chippenham Co-operative Society in 1890, and for most of the twentieth century, its department store dominated the lower end of the High Street. A consumers' cooperative is a Cooperative business owned by its customers for their mutual benefit. In the 1960s, it united with other co-operatives in the district to merge with a national co-operative, that later formed The Co-operative Group. Co-operative Group Limited, trading as The Co-operative Group, is a United Kingdom Consumers' co-operative, and one of the world's largest consumer-owned As of 2008, the co-operative operates a convenience store in the Broomfield district. A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. ^[20][21]

Market

Chippenham is a market town, with street markets taking place most Fridays and Saturdays around Market Place. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets A Farmers' Market for the sale of fresh, locally produced foodstuffs is also held here once a fortnight. ^[22] The original Cattle Market, which closed in 2004, is now being redeveloped by Linden Homes Western Limited as one of the UK's largest eco-housing projects.

Tourism

Surrounding the town are a number of stone-built villages, including Lacock (National Trust), Biddestone, Bremhill and Castle Combe. Lacock is a village in Wiltshire, England, 3 miles (5 km from the town of Chippenham. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales Biddestone is a small rural and rather picturesque Cotswold Village in north west Wiltshire, England, with a population of 457 in 2001 Bremhill is a village located between Calne and Chippenham, Wiltshire. Castle Combe is a small village in Wiltshire, England, with a population of about 350 The great house and art treasures of Longleat, Bowood House, Lacock Abbey, Sheldon Manor and Corsham Court are within easy reach. This article is about the stately home and related attractions Bowood is a Grade I listed Georgian Country house with a garden designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. Lacock Abbey in the village of Lacock, Wiltshire, England, was founded in the early Corsham Court is an English country house in a park designed by Capability Brown.

Twinned towns

Chippenham is twinned with La Fleche in France and Friedberg in Germany. La Flèche is a commune of the Sarthe département in France, on the banks of the Loir river This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

La Fleche lies on the banks of the Loir, 42 km (26 miles) from Le Mans and 72 km (45 miles) from Tours. La Flèche is a commune of the Sarthe département in France, on the banks of the Loir river The Loir is a River in western France. It is a left tributary of the Sarthe River. Le Mans (ləmɑ̃ in French) is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Tours is a city in France the Préfecture (capital city of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Set amongst woods and farmland, La Fleche offers a wealth of recreational facilities including a Zoological Park. "Le Prytane Militaire" public school dates back to the time of the French King Henri IV and consequently La Fleche enjoys the status of a University Town. In 1630 people from La Fleche founded Montreal in Canada. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Friedberg is 64 km (40 miles) from Munich and the Bavarian Alps. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. The Northern Limestone Alps ( German: Nördliche Kalkalpen) are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located Herzog Ludwig the First and his nephew Konradin founded the town in 1264. The magnificent Town Hall follows the architectural style of Elias Holl's Town Hall, built in 1674, in neighbouring Augsburg. Friedberg is a walled town, renowned for its many sporting and cultural events such as the 17th century Street Festival.

Religion

In the 2001 census 76 percent of the population in North Wiltshire defined themselves as Christian, 16 percent said they were of no religion and 7 percent did not state a religion. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[23] As a result most of the town's places of worship are Christian.

Churches

Chippenham contains a number of churches,^[11] a brief list of which follows -

Church of England

• Saint Andrew's

Saint Andrew's church is believed to have been built on the site of a Saxon church. Many features of the present church are Norman (with the chancel arch being completed in c. 1120). There are a wide variety of features on the different facets of the church. The church spire was completed in 1633 although the 8 bells currently present were not added until 1734 and the back-lit clock and chimes in 1858. The church registers date from 1578. There was a restoration of the interior of the church in 1875 - 1878 and again in the 1990s.

• Saint Nicolas'

St. Nicholas church was built in 1779 and replaced an older medieval church that had previously stood on the same site. The church was designed by John Wood the Elder of Bath. The church registers date from 1730.

• Saint Paul's

St. Paul's church was built in 1854/5 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and was consecrated on 18 April 1855 and has registers dating from then. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year

• Saint Peter's

St. Peter's original build started in 1885 and opened on 19 November 1886 as a stone and red brick building. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The church was replaced by the current church in 1968. The newer St Peter's is a modern design six sided design with a copper roof and a fibre glass spire and no internal supports.

Roman Catholic

• The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Saint Mary's

Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church was originally situated in Saint Mary's Place and was built in 1855. A new church was built on Station Hill in 1935 which replaced the original on 29 February 1936. Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Non-Conformist

• Bethel Pentecostal Church
• Central Methodist

Central Methodist Church was built in 1909 to mark the centenary of Methodism in Chippenham. It was originally called Monkton Hill Methodist Church but was renamed after it joined parishes with that of The Causeway Methodist Church that closed in the late 1980s.

• Chippenham Christian Fellowship
• Dayspring Church for North Wiltshire
• Elim Pentecostal Church
• Emmanuel Evangelical Church Chippenham

Founded in April 2005, EECC is affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches and currently has a Sunday congregation of 80-100. The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC is an organisation linking independent evangelical churches in the United Kingdom.

• Ladyfield Evangelical Church
• New Testament Church of God
• Oasis Church
• The Old Baptist Chapel

Old Baptist Chapel opened on 10 June 1804 but was not registered until 1810. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The internal baptistry was added in 1818.

• Religious Society of Friends
• Salvation Army

Salvation Army Citadel was originally opened in 1903 in Bath road but was later sold to Pictons. The Salvation Army moved into the Co-op hall in Foghamshire.

• Sheldon Road Methodist

Sheldon Road Methodist Church was originally built in 1901 but was changed in 1932.

• Station Hill Baptist

Station Hill Baptist Chapel was built in 1855

• United Reformed

Tabernacle United Reformed Church was first built in 1770 but was replaced in 1826 and refitted in 1889. The church had substantial internal renovations in the 1990s. ^[24]

Closed churches

• Cepen Park Methodist church closed in 2005 it held services in two local schools.
• Causeway Methodist Chapel opened in 1896 replacing an older chapel on the same site. The older chapel is believed to have been built in around 1835 and still stands to the rear of the newer building (and served as a school room for it). Causeway Methodist Chapel closed in the late 1980s although the buildings remain.

Education

Primary

There are ten primary schools in the town:^[25]

• Charter - Woodlane
• Frogwell - Frogwell
• Ivy Lane - Ivy Lane
• King's Lodge - Pewsham estate
• St Mary's R.C. - Rowden Hill
• Monkton Park - Sadlers Mead
• St Paul's - The Oaks
• St Peter's CofE - Lord's Mead
• Redland - Brook Street
• Queen's Crescent - Queen's Crescent

The oldest is Ivy Lane. Westmead Junior School held this record until it closed in 1989. It originally opened in 1858 whilst the infants school opened 50 years later.
In his will of 1661 Richard Scott directed that his house in Cooke's Street should be used as a school, and William Woodruffe gave an annuity of £5 in 1664 for the teaching of ten poor boys. In 1713 it was re-opened with a benefaction of £10 per annum for 24 boys. ^[26]

Secondary

Three secondary schools all cater for sixth form students.

• Abbeyfield - Stanley Lane
• Hardenhuish - Hardenhuish Lane
• Sheldon - Hardenhuish Lane

There is also a special educational needs unit in Chippenham based on the Hardenhuish campus. Sheldon School is a large mixed Comprehensive school in Chippenham Wiltshire, UK for children aged 11-18 and is the largest school in Wiltshire

The newest of these schools is Abbeyfield, which opened in 2000 in the East of the town. ^[27]

In 1956 a girl's grammar school opened at the present site of Hardenhuish school. In 1959 the boy's school opened on the current site of Sheldon School. The schools later integrated with one another to become two mixed comprehensive schools. ^[28] Sheldon School opened as a Secondary Modern Comprehensive in 1975. ^[29]

Tertiary

The former Chippenham Technical College is now part of the Wiltshire College initiative. Wiltshire College is a tertiary college of education founded in 2002 by the merger of Chippenham Technical College Lackham College and Trowbridge College

Notable inhabitants

• Alfred The Great - King of Wessex
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel - built the Great Western Railway through Chippenham
• Robert Peel - Prime Minister and police reformer was MP for a short time
• Francis Kilvert - the diarist, was born in Hardenhuish and lived in nearby Langley Burrell
• Wil Hodgson - Comedian (Winner Perrier Best Newcomer 2004)^[30][31][32]

References

External links

• Live Chippenham Webcam
• Chippenham Town Council
• Chippenham Hospital Radio
• Chippenham Churches Together
• Eddie Cochrane Festival details
• Chippenham Folk Festival
• Village Community Blog
• Lions Club of Chippenham
• Historic Chippenham photos at BBC Wiltshire
• Wiltshire Community History

---

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic