Batheaston
Encyclopedia
Batheaston is a village and civil parish
2 miles (3.2 km) east of Bath, England (which is believed to be the origin of the name), on the north bank of the River Avon
. The parish has a population of 2,625. The northern area of the parish on the road to St Catherine
is an area known as Northend.
Batheaston has been twinned with Oudon
in France since 2005.
.
Batheaston was part of the hundred of Bath Forum
.
In the 16th century the Lord of the Manor
was John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
.
In the 18th century, Sir John Riggs Miller, 1st Baronet and Anna Miller
held a much-mocked fortnightly literary
salon
along with competitions and prizes at their house in the village. The couple there held a fortnightly literary
salon
along with competitions and prizes. Distinguished contributions were received from the like of David Garrick
, Christopher Anstey
and the poet Anna Seward
.
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall
or community centre
, playing field
s and playground
s, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.
The parish falls within the unitary authority
of Bath and North East Somerset
which was created in 1996, as established by the Local Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier of local government
with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area including local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
, market
s and fairs, refuse collection, recycling
, cemeteries, crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
. It is also responsible for education
, social services, libraries
, main roads, public transport
, trading standards
, waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Avon Fire and Rescue Service
, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
and the Great Western Ambulance Service
.
Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of the ceremonial county
of Somerset
but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters are in Bath. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was the Wansdyke
district and the City of Bath of the county of Avon. Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Bathavon Rural District
.
The parish is represented in the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
as part of North East Somerset
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
by the first past the post system of election. It is also part of the South West England constituency
of the European Parliament
which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
.
which is within the Cotswolds
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
and was an Iron Age
hill fort
occupied between 300 BC and 100 BC. It is also linked to Bathampton
on the south bank of the river via a toll bridge, and also borders Bathford
.
The Bybrook River
which springs up near Marshfield
in Gloucestershire
, flows through village
s such as Castle Combe
and Box
in Wiltshire
before finally merging with the River Avon
in Batheaston.
The Roman road of the Fosseway descends into Batheaston via the Bannerdown hill, before joining the London Road (A4) also a former Roman road. The hill rises to 189 metres (620.1 ft) above sea level, and on the top of the hill rest the Three Shire Stones (three vertical blocks of limestone with a large cap) which mark the historical boundaries between, Gloucestershire
, Wiltshire
, and Somersetshire. The stones are formed in the style of a burial chamber, there are three small dressed stones (the original stones) inside, each dated 1736 and with the initial of one of the three counties. Sometime in 1859 a Cromlech
was erected over the top of the original stones which possibly were part of a burial chamber, local newspapers and national journals of the time report that three skeletons were found in the hole along with a James II
coin whilst the work was being completed, each stone is approx 9–12 feet in height and weigh four to five tons a piece, the cap is of a similar size and weight, the work at the time in 1859 was costed as £34 5s 8d, dinner to the workmen was also included.
The Northern end of the Bannerdown ridge is home to Colerne Airfield
, a Second World War RAF Fighter Command
and Bomber Command
airfield. The hill is littered with former quarries of Bath Stone
.
dual-carriageway Batheaston/Swainswick
bypass opened in summer 1996. It joins the main A4 road which used to follow the Fosse Way
which runs through the village. It is also on the route of the Limestone Link
a 36 miles (58 km) long-distance footpath
from the Mendip Hills
in Somerset
to Cold Aston
in the Cotswolds
in Gloucestershire
.
, setback buttress
es, projecting octagonal stairs, and a turret
at the south-east corner which terminates in spirelet, was rebuilt in 1834 by John Pinch
, the Younger of Bath. It has pointed perpendicular two-light windows with cusped heads and the east side has a canopied niche containing a figure, probably St John.
by Robert Plant
.
Batheaston House was built in 1712 for Henry Walters (1667–1753) a wealthy clothiers who succeeded to the property of Batheaston through his grandfather, Henry Blanchard.
Pine House dates from 1672 having been built for Richard and Mary Panton. It was extended to the north in early 18th century.
Eagle House was built in the late 17th/early 18th century and then remodelled in 1724 and again in 1729 by John Wood, the Elder
as his own house. The house has also been an important refuge for suffragettes who had been released from prison after hunger strikes, with trees being planted to commemorate each woman — at least 47 trees were planted between April 1909 and July 1911, including Emmeline Pankhurst
, Christabel Pankhurst
, Charlotte Despard
, Millicent Fawcett
and Lady Lytton.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
2 miles (3.2 km) east of Bath, England (which is believed to be the origin of the name), on the north bank of the River Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
. The parish has a population of 2,625. The northern area of the parish on the road to St Catherine
St Catherine, Somerset
St Catherine is a small village and civil parish in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 69.-History:St Catherine was part of the hundred of Bath Forum.-Governance:...
is an area known as Northend.
Batheaston has been twinned with Oudon
Oudon
Oudon is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France....
in France since 2005.
History
Batheaston was named Estone in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
.
Batheaston was part of the hundred of Bath Forum
Bath Forum (hundred)
The Hundred of Bath Forum is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was...
.
In the 16th century the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
was John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford was Chief Butler of England from 1521 until his death...
.
In the 18th century, Sir John Riggs Miller, 1st Baronet and Anna Miller
Anna Miller
Anna, Lady Miller was an English poet and salon hostess, widely ridiculed in fashionable society for what were seen as pretensions to good taste.-Life:...
held a much-mocked fortnightly literary
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
salon
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
along with competitions and prizes at their house in the village. The couple there held a fortnightly literary
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
salon
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
along with competitions and prizes. Distinguished contributions were received from the like of David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, Christopher Anstey
Christopher Anstey
Christopher Anstey was an English writer and poet.Anstey was the son of Dr. Anstey, a wealthy clergyman, the rector of Brinkley where he was born. He was educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself for his Latin verses. He became a fellow of his college...
and the poet Anna Seward
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
.
Governance
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watchNeighbourhood Watch (UK)
The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their...
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
or community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
, playing field
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
s and playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.
The parish falls within the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial county of Somerset...
which was created in 1996, as established by the Local Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier of local government
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area including local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
, market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s and fairs, refuse collection, recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, cemeteries, crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. It is also responsible for education
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
, social services, libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, main roads, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, trading standards
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.-History:...
, waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Avon Fire and Rescue Service
Avon Fire and Rescue Service
Avon Fire & Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service covering the unitary authorities of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire in South West England.-History:...
, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the territorial police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset, the city & county of Bristol and the unitary authorities of South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset; before 1996 these districts...
and the Great Western Ambulance Service
Great Western Ambulance Service
The Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust is a UK National Health Service trust providing emergency and non emergency patient transport services to Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire in the South West England region...
.
Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset 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...
but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters are in Bath. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was the Wansdyke
Wansdyke (district)
Wansdyke was a non-metropolitan district within the County of Avon, in the west of England from 1974 to 1996.The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974 as part of a reform of local authorities throughout England and Wales...
district and the City of Bath of the county of Avon. Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Bathavon Rural District
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
.
The parish is represented in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
as part of North East Somerset
North East Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
North East Somerset is a county constituency created by the Boundary Commission for England as the successor seat to the Wansdyke Parliamentary Seat. It came into being at the 2010 general election.- Boundaries :...
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
by the first past the post system of election. It is also part of the South West England constituency
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
.
Geography
The village is overlooked by Solsbury HillSolsbury Hill
Little Solsbury Hill is a small flat-topped hill and the site of an Iron Age hill fort. It is located above the village of Batheaston in Somerset, England. The hill rises to above the River Avon which is just over to the south. It is within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
which is within the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
and was an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
occupied between 300 BC and 100 BC. It is also linked to Bathampton
Bathampton
Bathampton is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England on the south bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 1,504.The Kennet and Avon Canal passes through the village and a toll bridge links Bathampton to Batheaston on the north bank of the canal.-History:Bathampton Camp is...
on the south bank of the river via a toll bridge, and also borders Bathford
Bathford
Bathford is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England. The parish, which includes Warleigh has a population of 1,753, and extends over .-History:...
.
The Bybrook River
Bybrook River
The Bybrook, also known as the By Brook is a tributary of the Bristol Avon, some long. The sources are the Burton Brook and the Broadmead Brook, which rise in South Gloucestershire at Tormarton and Cold Ashton respectively. They join just north of Castle Combe in Wiltshire. The river has a mean...
which springs up near Marshfield
Marshfield, Gloucestershire
Marshfield is a village in the local government area of South Gloucestershire, England, on the borders of the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset.- Location :...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire 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....
, flows through village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s such as Castle Combe
Castle Combe
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...
and Box
Box, Wiltshire
Box is a village located in Wiltshire, England, about east of Bath and west of Chippenham. It is quite a large parish with several settlements, apart from the village of Box, within its boundaries....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire 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...
before finally merging with the River Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
in Batheaston.
The Roman road of the Fosseway descends into Batheaston via the Bannerdown hill, before joining the London Road (A4) also a former Roman road. The hill rises to 189 metres (620.1 ft) above sea level, and on the top of the hill rest the Three Shire Stones (three vertical blocks of limestone with a large cap) which mark the historical boundaries between, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire 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....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire 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...
, and Somersetshire. The stones are formed in the style of a burial chamber, there are three small dressed stones (the original stones) inside, each dated 1736 and with the initial of one of the three counties. Sometime in 1859 a Cromlech
Cromlech
Cromlech is a Brythonic word used to describe prehistoric megalithic structures, where crom means "bent" and llech means "flagstone". The term is now virtually obsolete in archaeology, but remains in use as a colloquial term for two different types of megalithic monument.In English it usually...
was erected over the top of the original stones which possibly were part of a burial chamber, local newspapers and national journals of the time report that three skeletons were found in the hole along with a James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
coin whilst the work was being completed, each stone is approx 9–12 feet in height and weigh four to five tons a piece, the cap is of a similar size and weight, the work at the time in 1859 was costed as £34 5s 8d, dinner to the workmen was also included.
The Northern end of the Bannerdown ridge is home to Colerne Airfield
Colerne Airfield
Colerne Airfield , formerly known as RAF Colerne, is located at Colerne, Wiltshire, England.By October 1940 RAF Colerne was still partly in the course of construction being a fighter station for the defence of Bristol. At that date the contractors were still building and the ground was a quagmire...
, a Second World War RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
and Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
airfield. The hill is littered with former quarries of Bath Stone
Bath Stone
Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
.
Transport
The 3 miles (5 km) £45 million A46A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
dual-carriageway Batheaston/Swainswick
Swainswick
Swainswick is a small village and civil parish, north east of Bath, on the A46 in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 284...
bypass opened in summer 1996. It joins the main A4 road which used to follow the Fosse Way
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester , Bath , Cirencester and Leicester .It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at Venonis south...
which runs through the village. It is also on the route of the Limestone Link
Limestone Link
The Limestone Link is a long-distance footpath from the Mendip Hills in Somerset to Cold Ashton in Gloucestershire. It is marked by an Ammonite waymarker....
a 36 miles (58 km) long-distance footpath
Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
-England and Wales: National Trails:National Trails are distinguished by being maintained by the National Trails organization . , there are fifteen such trails, one of which is not yet complete....
from the Mendip Hills
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset 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...
to Cold Aston
Cold Aston
Cold Aston is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, approximately to the east of Gloucester. It lies in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Toponymy:...
in the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire 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....
.
Religious sites
The parish church of Batheaston is St John the Baptist with St Catherine. It was built in the 12th century, and remodelled in the late 15th century. The west tower which has four stages with a pierced embattled parapetParapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
, setback buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, projecting octagonal stairs, and a turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
at the south-east corner which terminates in spirelet, was rebuilt in 1834 by John Pinch
John Pinch the younger
John Pinch the younger was an architect, working mainly in the city of Bath, England, and surveyor to the Pulteney and Darlington estate...
, the Younger of Bath. It has pointed perpendicular two-light windows with cusped heads and the east side has a canopied niche containing a figure, probably St John.
Landmarks
The Riverside studios in Batheaston have been used by several musicians to record their albums including; Mighty ReArrangerMighty ReArranger
Mighty ReArranger is a studio album by British rock singer Robert Plant and his band the Strange Sensation. It was released internationally on 25 April 2005, on 9 May in the United Kingdom and 10 May in the United States...
by Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
.
Batheaston House was built in 1712 for Henry Walters (1667–1753) a wealthy clothiers who succeeded to the property of Batheaston through his grandfather, Henry Blanchard.
Pine House dates from 1672 having been built for Richard and Mary Panton. It was extended to the north in early 18th century.
Eagle House was built in the late 17th/early 18th century and then remodelled in 1724 and again in 1729 by John Wood, the Elder
John Wood, the Elder
John Wood, the Elder, , was an English architect. Born in Twerton England, a village near Bath, now a suburb, he went to school in Bath. He came back to Bath after working in Yorkshire, and it is believed, in London, in his early 20s...
as his own house. The house has also been an important refuge for suffragettes who had been released from prison after hunger strikes, with trees being planted to commemorate each woman — at least 47 trees were planted between April 1909 and July 1911, including Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst was a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement which helped women win the right to vote...
, Christabel Pankhurst
Christabel Pankhurst
Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst, DBE , was a suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union , she directed its militant actions from exile in France from 1912 to 1913. In 1914 she became a fervent supporter of the war against Germany...
, Charlotte Despard
Charlotte Despard
Charlotte Despard was a British-born, later Irish-based suffragist, novelist and Sinn Féin activist....
, Millicent Fawcett
Millicent Fawcett
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, GBE was an English suffragist and an early feminist....
and Lady Lytton.
Notable people
- John Josias ConybeareJohn Josias ConybeareJohn Josias Conybeare , elder brother of William Daniel Conybeare, was also educated at Christ Church, Oxford.He was an accomplished scholar, became vicar of Batheaston, and was Professor of Anglo-Saxon , and afterwards Professor of Poetry , at Oxford...
(1779 – 1824), became vicar of Batheaston, and was Professor of Anglo-Saxon (1808–1812), and afterwards Professor of Poetry (1812–1821), at OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He published a translation of BeowulfBeowulfBeowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
in English and Latin verse (1814). - Edmund Fallowfield LongriggBunty LongriggEdmund Fallowfield Longrigg, usually known as "Bunty", born at Batheaston, Somerset on 16 April 1906 and died at Bath, Somerset on 23 July 1974, played cricket for Somerset and Cambridge University...
, (usually known as "Bunty"), (1906–1974), played cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for SomersetSomerset County Cricket ClubSomerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
and Cambridge UniversityCambridge University Cricket ClubCambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
. - William LonsdaleWilliam LonsdaleWilliam Lonsdale , English geologist and palaeontologist, won the Wollaston medal in 1846 for his research on the various kinds of fossil corals.-Biography:...
(1794–1871), geologistGeologistA geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and palaeontologist. - Oswald Stevens Nock (1904–1994), (usually known as O.S. Nock), railway author and signal engineer.
- John Wood, the YoungerJohn Wood, the YoungerJohn Wood, the Younger was an English architect, working principally in the city of Bath, Somerset. He began his work as an assistant for his father, the architect John Wood, the Elder...
(1728–1782), architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.