Compton Bassett
Encyclopedia
Compton Bassett is a village in Wiltshire
between Calne
and Cherhill
with a population of approximately 250. It is a largely rural village with several farms, a church, a pub and a shop.
was first opened as an air base in World War I
and like RAF Yatesbury
, continued in the interwar years before again taking on a major role in World War II
and then closing in the 1960s. The housing around the airbase continued to be used after the main base had shut by RAF staff working at RAF Lyneham
and other westcountry RAF bases, and in the 1980s the housing was used for American service personnel stationed at US airbases such as RAF Fairford
and RAF Greenham Common
. The housing has now been sold to private buyers.
The site of RAF Compton Bassett is now known as Lower Compton, after the petitioning of the residents for a separate name, due to the fact it actually lies two miles from the village of Compton Bassett.
, Calstone Wellington
, Yatesbury
and Heddington
.
was born in Compton Bassett in 1665. Major Clement Walker Heneage
was born here in 1831. In December 2008, the pop star Robbie Williams
purchased a £7 million property in the village, complete with gamekeeper lodgings and grounds.
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...
between Calne
Calne
Calne is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty....
and Cherhill
Cherhill
Cherhill is a village in Wiltshire, England located on the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough and about west of London.- Overview :Cherhill is known for the Cherhill White Horse cut into the chalk hillside in 1780, the Landsdowne obelisk on the Cherhill Downs, and the crop circles that appeared...
with a population of approximately 250. It is a largely rural village with several farms, a church, a pub and a shop.
Midge Mather Incident
In 1998 Compton Bassett church gained notoriety when a local resident (in fact neighbour of the church), 65 year old Midge Mather, broke into the church and cut through the bell ropes because she could not stand the noise of the bells. It took her upwards of two hours after breaking down the doors to cut the ropes and when she got home she rang the Police and told them what she had done. She was given a Conditional Discharge for her actions.RAF connection
RAF Compton BassettRAF Compton Bassett
RAF Compton Basset was an RAF base situated in Wiltshire, England.-Operational base:First opened as an air base in World War I, like RAF Yatesbury it continued operations in the interwar years before again taking on a major role in World War II...
was first opened as an air base in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and like RAF Yatesbury
Yatesbury
Yatesbury is a village adjacent to Cherhill, 1 mile north of the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough in Wiltshire, England. Yatesbury forms part of The Oldbury Benefice, which comprises the five parishes of Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Heddington, Calstone Wellington and Yatesbury.-RAF...
, continued in the interwar years before again taking on a major role in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and then closing in the 1960s. The housing around the airbase continued to be used after the main base had shut by RAF staff working at RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
and other westcountry RAF bases, and in the 1980s the housing was used for American service personnel stationed at US airbases such as RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
and RAF Greenham Common
RAF Greenham Common
RAF Station Greenham Common is a former military airfield in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of Thatcham; about west of London....
. The housing has now been sold to private buyers.
The site of RAF Compton Bassett is now known as Lower Compton, after the petitioning of the residents for a separate name, due to the fact it actually lies two miles from the village of Compton Bassett.
Parish
Compton Bassett parish forms part of The Oldbury Benefice together with, CherhillCherhill
Cherhill is a village in Wiltshire, England located on the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough and about west of London.- Overview :Cherhill is known for the Cherhill White Horse cut into the chalk hillside in 1780, the Landsdowne obelisk on the Cherhill Downs, and the crop circles that appeared...
, Calstone Wellington
Calstone Wellington
Calstone Wellington is a small village and former parish in Wiltshire, England, some three miles from Calne and now part of the civil parish of Calne Without....
, Yatesbury
Yatesbury
Yatesbury is a village adjacent to Cherhill, 1 mile north of the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough in Wiltshire, England. Yatesbury forms part of The Oldbury Benefice, which comprises the five parishes of Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Heddington, Calstone Wellington and Yatesbury.-RAF...
and Heddington
Heddington
Heddington is a village near to Calne in Wiltshire, forming part of The Oldbury Benefice, which comprises the 5 parishes of Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Heddington, Calstone Wellington and Yatesbury....
.
Notable residents
The travel writer Henry MaundrellHenry Maundrell
Henry Maundrell was an academic at Oxford University and later a Church of England clergyman who served from 20 December 1695 as chaplain to the Levant Company in Syria. His Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem at Easter A.D...
was born in Compton Bassett in 1665. Major Clement Walker Heneage
Clement Walker Heneage
Major Clement Walker Heneage VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
was born here in 1831. In December 2008, the pop star Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
purchased a £7 million property in the village, complete with gamekeeper lodgings and grounds.
External links
- ComptonBassett.com village website
- Parish Information Oldbury Benefice Community Gateway