Wiltshire
Wiltshire | |
---|---|
34th of 48 | |
Density | 207/km2 (540/sq mi) |
Unitary authority | |
Council | Wiltshire Council |
Executive | Conservative |
Admin HQ | County Hall, Trowbridge |
Area | 3,255 km2 (1,257 sq mi) |
• Ranked | 6th of 296 |
Population | 513,411 |
• Ranked | 11th of 296 |
Density | 158/km2 (410/sq mi) |
ISO 3166-2 | GB-WIL |
ONS code | 00HY |
GSS code | E06000054 |
ITL | UKK15 |
Website | wiltshire swindon |
Districts | |
Districts of Wiltshire Unitary | |
Districts |
Wiltshire (/ˈwɪlt.ʃər, -ʃɪər/;[1] abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to the west. The largest settlement is Swindon, and Trowbridge is the county town.
The county has an area of 3,485 km2 (1,346 square miles) and a population of 720,060. The county is mostly rural, and the centre and south-west are sparsely populated. After Swindon (183,638), the largest settlements are the city of Salisbury (41,820) and the towns of Chippenham (37,548) and Trowbridge (37,169). For local government purposes the county comprises two unitary authority areas, Swindon and Wiltshire.
Undulating chalk
Salisbury Plain is noted for the Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles, which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and other ancient landmarks. Much of the plain is a training area for the British Army. The city of Salisbury is notable for its medieval cathedral. Large country houses open to the public include Longleat, where there is also a safari park, and the National Trust's Stourhead.
Toponymy
The county, in the 9th century written as Wiltunscir, later Wiltonshire,[citation needed] is named after the former county town of Wilton.[2]
History
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
At the time of the
In the 17th century, English Civil War Wiltshire was largely Parliamentarian. The Battle of Roundway Down, a Royalist victory, was fought near Devizes.
In 1794, it was decided at a meeting at the Bear Inn in Devizes to raise a body of ten independent troops of
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 at Wiltshire Council's Wiltshire Community History website which has maps, demographic data, historic and modern pictures and short histories.[5]
The local nickname for Wiltshire natives is "
Geology, landscape and ecology
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, which is used mainly for arable agriculture and by the British Army as training ranges. The highest point in the county is the Tan Hill–Milk Hill ridge in the Pewsey Vale, just to the north of Salisbury Plain, at 295 m (968 ft) above sea level.[8]
The chalk uplands run north-east into
In the north-west 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 north-western corner.
Between the areas of chalk and limestone downland are
Chalk is a
Green belt
The county has a green belt mainly along its western fringes as a part of the extensive Avon Green Belt. It reaches as far as the outskirts of Rudloe/Corsham and Trowbridge, preventing urban sprawl particularly from the latter in the direction of Bradford-on-Avon, and affording further protection to surrounding villages and towns from Bath in Somerset.
Climate
Along with the rest of
In December 1998, there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton (Somerset). Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection, though a proportion is caused orographically (uplift over hills). A greater proportion of rainfall is in autumn and winter, caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. Even so, any month can be the wettest or driest in a given year but the wettest is much more likely to be in the winter half-year (Oct-Mar) and the driest in the summer half-year (Apr-Sept). In summer, a greater proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms, though it is often the northern half of the county that sees most of the showers with south-westerly winds, in summer, whereas in the south of the county, the proximity of a relatively cold English Channel, often inhibits the development of showers. In autumn and winter, however, the sea is often relatively warm, compared with the air passing over it and can often lead to a higher rainfall in the south of the county e.g. Salisbury recorded over 200mm of rain in Nov 2009 and January 2014. Average rainfall for the county is around 800 mm (31 in), drier parts averaging 700mm (28ins)and the wettest 900mm (around 35ins). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.[9]
Economy
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added (GVA) of Wiltshire at current basic prices[10] with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
Year | Regional gross value added[11] | Agriculture[12] | Industry[13] | Services[14] |
---|---|---|---|---|
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 "
In addition, there is higher-than-average employment in
Education
Wiltshire has 30 county secondary schools, publicly funded, of which the largest is
There are four
Wiltshire is one of the few remaining English counties without a university or university college; the closest university to the county town of Trowbridge is the University of Bath. However, Bath Spa University has a centre at Corsham Court in Corsham, and Oxford Brookes University maintains a minor campus in Swindon (almost 50 km from Oxford). Swindon is the UK's second largest centre of population (after Milton Keynes) without its own university.[citation needed]
Demographics
The county registered a population of 680,137 in the
Wiltshire | Swindon | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Usual resident population | 470,981 | 209,156 | 680,137 |
Age 65 or over | 18.1% | 13.7% | 16.8% |
Density (persons per hectare) | 1.4 | 9.1 | 2.0 |
Households | 194,194 | 88,360 | 282,554 |
Historical population of Wiltshire county:[20]
1801 | 1851 | 1901 | 1951 | 2001 |
---|---|---|---|---|
185,107 | 254,221 | 271,394 | 386,692 | 613,024 |
Politics and administration
Europe
At the 2016 European Union membership referendum, Wiltshire voted in favour of Brexit.[21]
Westminster Parliamentary
At the
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies' initial proposals recommended wide-ranging changes to Wiltshire's electoral boundaries which would see the North Wiltshire seat extended across the county border into Gloucestershire.[22]
Councils
The ceremonial county of Wiltshire consists of two unitary authority areas, Wiltshire and Swindon, governed respectively by
Until the
Sport
The county is represented in the
Chippenham Town is the area's highest-ranked non-league football club; they currently play in the National League South after winning the Southern Premier League in 2016/17, with a league record points tally of 103. After Salisbury City went into liquidation in 2014, a new club, Salisbury, was formed and plays in the Southern Premier League.
Swindon Robins Speedway team, who competed in the top national division, the SGB Premiership, had been at their track at the Blunsdon Abbey Stadium near Swindon since 1949. In 2020 they stopped racing due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and subsequently announced in 2022 that they would not be returning. Swindon Wildcats compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League, the second tier of British ice hockey, and play their home games at Swindon's Link Centre.
Principal settlements
Wiltshire has twenty-one towns and one city:
- Amesbury
- Bradford-on-Avon
- Calne
- Chippenham
- Corsham
- Cricklade
- Devizes
- Highworth (Borough of Swindon)
- Larkhill
- Ludgershall
- Malmesbury
- Marlborough
- Melksham
- Mere
- Royal Wootton Bassett
- Salisbury (city)
- Swindon (Borough of Swindon)
- Tidworth
- Trowbridge
- Warminster
- Westbury
- Wilton
A list of settlements is at List of places in Wiltshire.
Media
Local TV coverage is covered by BBC West and ITV West Country;[23] however, Swindon[24] and Salisbury[25] receive BBC South and ITV Meridian. [26]
The county's local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire, Heart West, Greatest Hits Radio South West and Greatest Hits Radio South (covering Salisbury and surrounding areas).
County-wide local newspapers are the Gazette and Herald and Wiltshire Times.
Places of interest
Key | |
Abbey/Priory/Cathedral | |
Accessible open space | |
Amusement/Theme Park | |
Castle | |
Country Park | |
English Heritage | |
Forestry Commission | |
Heritage railway | |
Historic House
| |
Places of Worship | |
Museum (free/not free) | |
National Trust
| |
Theatre | |
Zoo |
Places of interest in Wiltshire include:
- Arc Theatre, at the Trowbridge campus of Wiltshire College[27]
- Ashcombe House
- Avebury, Neolithic stone circle
- Avebury Manor and Garden
- Avon Valley Path
- Barbury Castle
- Bentley Wood
- Bowood House
- Caen Hill Locks, Devizes
- Castle Combe village
- Castle Hill, Mere
- Central Government War Headquarters, Corsham, underground nuclear bunker with accommodation for 4000
- Cherhill White Horse
- Coate Water, East Swindon
- Corsham Court
- Cotswold Water Park
- The Courts Garden, Holt
- Crofton Pumping Station
- Edington Priory
- Fonthill Abbey
- Great Chalfield Manor
- Iford Manor and gardens
- Kennet and Avon Canal Museum, Devizes
- Kennet Avenue, Avebury
- King Alfred's Tower, Stourhead
- Lacock Abbey
- Lacock village, largely owned by the National Trust
- Littlecote House
- Longleat Safari Park
- Ludgershall Castle
- Lydiard Park & House, West Swindon
- Malmesbury Abbey
- Maud Heath's Causeway, near Chippenham
- Mompesson House, Salisbury
- Old Sarum, the site of the former cathedral
- Philipps House & Dinton Park
- Richard Jefferies Birthplace and Museum, near Swindon
- REME Museum
- River Thames
- Salisbury Cathedral
- The Salisbury Museum
- Science Museum library and archives, Wroughton
- Shearwater Lake
- Silbury Hill
- Stonehenge
- Stourhead
- Swindon and Cricklade Railway
- Trafalgar House
- Wardour Castle
- West Kennet Long Barrow
- Westbury White Horse
- Westwood Manor
- Woodhenge
- Wilton House
- Wilton Windmill
- Wilts & Berks Canal
- Wiltshire Museum, Devizes
- Win Green Down
Areas of countryside in Wiltshire include:
Transport
Road
Roads running through Wiltshire include
Routes through Wiltshire include:
Canals subject to restoration
- Thames and Severn Canal
- North Wilts Canal
- Wilts & Berks Canal
Rail
Three main railway routes, all of which carry passenger traffic, cross Wiltshire.
- Great Western Main Line (Swindon and Chippenham)
- Wessex Main Line (Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster, Salisbury; connects to Chippenham)
- West of England line (Salisbury and Tisbury)
Other routes include:
- Reading to Taunton Line
- Heart of Wessex Line
- Golden Valley Line
- South Wales Main Line
The major junction stations are Salisbury and Westbury, and important junctions are also found at Swindon, Chippenham and Trowbridge.
There is also the Swindon and Cricklade Railway in the Thames Valley.
In general, Wiltshire is well served by rail, with 14 stations within its boundaries, although towns not served include Calne, Marlborough and Devizes. Several destinations on bus routes, including the aforementioned three towns, have integrated through ticketing where one ticket may be bought to cover both the bus and rail journey.
Air
See also
- Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire – Keepers of the Rolls
- Flag of Wiltshire
- Grade I listed buildings in Wiltshire
- Great West Way
- Healthcare in Wiltshire
- High Sheriff of Wiltshire
- List of civil parishes in Wiltshire
- List of Deputy Lieutenants of Wiltshire
- List of hills of Wiltshire
- List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire
- Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
- The Vly be on the Turmut – unofficial song of the county
- Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
- Wiltshire Horn, a breed of sheep
References
- ^ "Wiltshire". Collins Dictionary. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History: Wilton". Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ISBN 0-907864-97-X.
- ^ British Army Website. "Royal Wessex Yeomanry". Regimental Page. British Army. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ "Community History". Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "The Green and Crammer Pond, Devizes". Devizesheritage.org.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Moonraking: The Folklore". Where I live: Wiltshire. BBC Wiltshire. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
- ISBN 978-1-84-953239-6.
- ^ a b c "South West England: climate". Met Office. Archived from the original on 25 February 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ 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)" (PDF). Wiltshire CPRE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2006.
- ^ "Service Children's Education Annual Report and Accounts 2012–2013" (Archive). Service Children's Education. PDF p. 3/62. Retrieved on 28 February 2015. "Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at Headquarters Service Children's Education, Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Wiltshire"
- Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Wiltshire Local Authority (1946157357)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – England Country (2092957699)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History – Census". Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "BREXIT: How Wiltshire voted". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ "Plans to move Cirencester out of Cotswold constituency slammed". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. 19 March 2022. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/Mendip
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Salisbury (Wiltshire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. May 2004. Archived from the original on 19 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "BBC nations and regions - overview map". UK Free TV. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "£2.5m to revamp town college as vocational hub". This is Bath. Western Daily Press. 24 February 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
External links
- Wiltshire Council
- Wiltshire Tourist Office
- Images of Wiltshire at the English Heritage Archive, archived in 2012
- Wiltshire at Curlie