Kemble, Gloucestershire
Encyclopedia
Kemble is a village
in Gloucestershire
, England
.
It lies four miles (6 km) from Cirencester
and is the settlement closest to Thames Head
, the source of the River Thames
. Kemble Church is part of the Thameshead benefice, comprising the communities of Kemble, Ewen, Poole Keynes, Somerford Keynes
, and Shorncote.. The benefice since 2001 also includes Coates, Rodmarton, Sapperton, Tarlton and Frampton Mansel..
Kemble was once an important railway
junction. The Golden Valley Line
from Swindon
to Cheltenham
passes through the village, and branch lines from Cirencester and Tetbury
met here. Today, although the branch lines were dismantled in the 1960s, Kemble railway station
is still important for passengers travelling from Cirencester.
Cotswold Airport (previously known as Kemble Airport) on the edge of the village once hosted the RAF
Red Arrows
aerobatic display team. The airfield is used by light industry, by flying clubs and by private aircraft owners, for events including two annual air displays, and for scrapping and storage of airliners. Delta Jets rebuild, maintain and fly historic jet aircraft, particularly Hawker Hunter
s. The Bristol Aero
collection has a museum at the airfield.
Aston Down
airfield, three miles (5 km) to the northwest, formerly belonged to the RAF but is now used for gliding
by the Cotswold Gliding Club
.
The railway station has a direct link to Swindon and London Paddington in one direction, and to Gloucester and Cheltenham in the other. Kemble Primary School has around 100 pupils. The pub, "The Tavern", is next to the station. A combined Post Office and local store provides most essentials.
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...
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....
, 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...
.
It lies four miles (6 km) from Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
and is the settlement closest to Thames Head
Thames Head
Thames Head is a site in Gloucestershire, traditionally identified as the source of the River Thames, a major river which runs through the centre of London. It lies near the village of Kemble and the town of Cirencester....
, the source of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. Kemble Church is part of the Thameshead benefice, comprising the communities of Kemble, Ewen, Poole Keynes, Somerford Keynes
Somerford Keynes
Somerford Keynes is a small village in Gloucestershire, close to the River Thames and Thames Path a couple of miles from its source and close to the Cotswold Water Park...
, and Shorncote.. The benefice since 2001 also includes Coates, Rodmarton, Sapperton, Tarlton and Frampton Mansel..
Kemble was once an important railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
junction. The Golden Valley Line
Golden Valley Line
The Golden Valley Line is a railway line from Swindon to Cheltenham in the UK.The line was originally built as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in the 1840s...
from Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
to Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
passes through the village, and branch lines from Cirencester and Tetbury
Tetbury
Tetbury is a town and civil parish within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681. The population of the parish was 5,250 in the 2001 census.In the Middle Ages,...
met here. Today, although the branch lines were dismantled in the 1960s, Kemble railway station
Kemble railway station
Kemble railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire. The station is located on the Swindon to Gloucester "Golden Valley" line. Despite its rural location, Kemble station has a high number of passengers, due mainly to the proximity of...
is still important for passengers travelling from Cirencester.
Cotswold Airport (previously known as Kemble Airport) on the edge of the village once hosted the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
aerobatic display team. The airfield is used by light industry, by flying clubs and by private aircraft owners, for events including two annual air displays, and for scrapping and storage of airliners. Delta Jets rebuild, maintain and fly historic jet aircraft, particularly Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s. The Bristol Aero
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
collection has a museum at the airfield.
Aston Down
Aston Down
RAF Aston Down is a former Royal Air Force station near Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, South West England. It was used by the RAF from the First World War until 1967, since when it has been the home of the Cotswold Gliding Club...
airfield, three miles (5 km) to the northwest, formerly belonged to the RAF but is now used for gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
by the Cotswold Gliding Club
Cotswold Gliding Club
The Cotswold Gliding Club is based at Aston Down airfield, between Cirencester and Stroud in Gloucestershire, South West England. The Club maintains a fleet of aircraft for training purposes, and is a centre for cross-country gliding and competitions....
.
The railway station has a direct link to Swindon and London Paddington in one direction, and to Gloucester and Cheltenham in the other. Kemble Primary School has around 100 pupils. The pub, "The Tavern", is next to the station. A combined Post Office and local store provides most essentials.