Bitton
Encyclopedia
Bitton is a village and civil parish
in South Gloucestershire
, England
, in the Greater Bristol
area on the River Boyd
.
It is in the far south of the South Gloucestershire district, near the border with Bath and North East Somerset
. The parish of Bitton has a population of 9,307, and apart from the village itself, includes Swineford
, Upton Cheyney
, Beach and part of Willsbridge
, and some areas which are suburbs of Bristol
, including Oldland Common
and North Common.
Bitton is the birthplace of author Dick King Smith and actress Richenda Carey
, home to artist Kate Ward and television presenter Noel Edmonds
. The Grange, by St Mary's Church, was once the home of Jane, one of the wives of Henry VIII.
runs through the village. Beyond Bitton the road routes north-west to Willsbridge
and south-east to Kelston
.
The heritage
Avon Valley Railway
terminates at Bitton railway station
. The National Cycle Network
Bristol & Bath Railway Path runs alongside the railway.
Bitton Road Runners is a running club based in the east of Bristol which caters for all running abilities. Founded in 1986 to help people better enjoy the sport of running, it is a thriving club with over 300 members in both junior and senior sections.
Galanthus nivalis
'Atkinsii' "that grew at the south wall in his garden in Bitton."
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...
in South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in the Greater Bristol
Greater Bristol
Greater Bristol is a term used for the conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West of England. There is no official "Greater Bristol" authority, but the term is sometimes used by local, regional and national authorities, and others as a synonym for either the...
area on the River Boyd
River Boyd
The River Boyd is a river of some in length which rises near Dodington in South Gloucestershire, England. It is a tributary of the Bristol Avon, running in a southerly direction and joining near Bitton. The flow rate at Bitton is an average...
.
It is in the far south of the South Gloucestershire district, near the border with 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...
. The parish of Bitton has a population of 9,307, and apart from the village itself, includes Swineford
Swineford
Swineford is a small village in the South Gloucestershire council area, very close to the boundary with Bath and North East Somerset. It is located around 1 km south-east of Bitton, and lies on the River Avon, on which the Swineford Lock is sited. The A431 road runs through the village.The name is...
, Upton Cheyney
Upton Cheyney
Upton Cheyney is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, near to Bitton, Bristol....
, Beach and part of Willsbridge
Willsbridge
Willsbridge is a village in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire, England, located on the outskirts of Bristol. Willsbridge Castle, situated on a prominent hillside site, was built c1730, with crenellations added in the nineteenth century....
, and some areas which are suburbs of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, including Oldland Common
Oldland Common
Oldland Common is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, on the outskirts of Bristol. It is in the civil parish of Bitton, approximately 8 miles between the centres of cities Bristol and Bath...
and North Common.
Bitton is the birthplace of author Dick King Smith and actress Richenda Carey
Richenda Carey
Richenda Carey is an English theatre, television and film actress, who is mostly known for her roles in Monarch of the Glen, Jeeves and Wooster, Crush and most recently, Separate Lies and Criminal Justice...
, home to artist Kate Ward and television presenter Noel Edmonds
Noel Edmonds
Noel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...
. The Grange, by St Mary's Church, was once the home of Jane, one of the wives of Henry VIII.
Transport
The A431 roadA431 road
The A431 is an A road running from Bristol to Bath in England. It runs parallel to, and about to the north of, the A4, the principal route between Bristol and Bath on the south side of the River Avon....
runs through the village. Beyond Bitton the road routes north-west to Willsbridge
Willsbridge
Willsbridge is a village in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire, England, located on the outskirts of Bristol. Willsbridge Castle, situated on a prominent hillside site, was built c1730, with crenellations added in the nineteenth century....
and south-east to Kelston
Kelston
Kelston is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, north west of Bath, and east of Bristol, on the A431 road. It is situated just north of the River Avon, close to the Kelston and Saltford locks...
.
The heritage
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
Avon Valley Railway
Avon Valley Railway
The Avon Valley Railway is a three-mile-long heritage railway based at Bitton station in South Gloucestershire, England, not far from Bristol and is run by a local group: The Avon Valley Railway Company Ltd. The railway follows the Avon Valley south-east from Oldland Common, through Bitton and...
terminates at Bitton railway station
Bitton railway station
Bitton railway station is the main station of the Avon Valley Railway. It is located near the village of Bitton-Facilities:Bitton station contains a booking office, gift shop and buffet - as well as a large outdoor seating area...
. The National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Bristol & Bath Railway Path runs alongside the railway.
Sport
Bitton A.F.C. are the local football team. Their ground is immediately south of the A431, just west of the village.Bitton Road Runners is a running club based in the east of Bristol which caters for all running abilities. Founded in 1986 to help people better enjoy the sport of running, it is a thriving club with over 300 members in both junior and senior sections.
Notable people
Canon Ellacombe was active in the 1860s in the distribution of the robust, large, early-flowering snowdropSnowdrop
Galanthus is a small genus of about 20 species of bulbous herbaceous plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae...
Galanthus nivalis
Galanthus nivalis
Often referred to as the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis is the best-known and most widespread representative of a small genus of about 20 species...
'Atkinsii' "that grew at the south wall in his garden in Bitton."