Leigh Delamere services
Encyclopedia
Leigh Delamere is a small village in the civil parish
of Grittleton
in the English
county of Wiltshire
, five miles from Chippenham
. It is the location of Leigh Delamere services
on the M4 motorway
.
The village comprises a church, eight almshouses and eight houses, most of which have been renovated during a major modernization of the hamlet following the demise of Manor Farm. The almshouses have been sold and the new owners are going to split the building into two houses.
Leigh Delamere is in the constituency of North Wiltshire, and the MP is James Gray (Conservative).
Since 2007, a bund
has been proposed to be built around the hamlet of Leigh Delamere to reduce the noise of motorway traffic. The residents of Leigh Delamere voted on whether to build the bund and the vote won with a landslide victory.
was built, on the site of a previous 12th century church, in 1846 and dedicated to Margaret the Virgin
. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
.
The previous church had been built around 1190, in an Early English style with some Norman
features. In 1301 the patron of the church was John De la Mare. By 1846 the church was in a dilapadated condition and it would have cost more to repair than rebuild. The new church was commissioned by Joseph Neeld
and designed by James Thomson who also designed the nearby Grittleton House which is now Grittleton House School
. The Gothic
chancel
, includes a reredos
which is carved and decorated in many colours. The west window includes stained glass
by Wilmshurst. There are many memorials including those to the Neeld Baronets
. A new organ was installed in 1896, and electricity supplied in 1949 although attendance by this time was very low. The church was closed as a regular place of worship in 1992.
with Slaughterford, Castle Combe
, Grittleton
and Leigh Delamere, Nettleton
and Burton
with Littleton Drew, West Kington
and Yatton Keynell
to form a united benefice was formally established on 1 December 1999, although the parishes had been operating along these lines for the previous five years. The Benefice of Colerne
and North Wraxall
was from 1 January 2006, joined with the By Brook Benefice. Rev. Jonathan Philpott became the Priest in Charge in October 2010. The Benefice is part of the Chippenham
Deanery in the Diocese of Bristol
.
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...
of Grittleton
Grittleton
Grittleton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, 7 miles NW of Chippenham, Wiltshire at .The Grittleton House estate is the home of Grittleton House School, which was founded in 1951....
in the English
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...
county of 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...
, five miles from Chippenham
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located east of Bath and west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065....
. It is the location of Leigh Delamere services
Leigh Delamere services
Leigh Delamere is a small village in the civil parish of Grittleton in the English county of Wiltshire, five miles from Chippenham. It is the location of Leigh Delamere services on the M4 motorway....
on the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
.
The village comprises a church, eight almshouses and eight houses, most of which have been renovated during a major modernization of the hamlet following the demise of Manor Farm. The almshouses have been sold and the new owners are going to split the building into two houses.
Leigh Delamere is in the constituency of North Wiltshire, and the MP is James Gray (Conservative).
Since 2007, a bund
Bunding
Bunding, also called a bund wall, is the area within a structure designed to prevent inundation or breaches of various types.-Liquid containment:...
has been proposed to be built around the hamlet of Leigh Delamere to reduce the noise of motorway traffic. The residents of Leigh Delamere voted on whether to build the bund and the vote won with a landslide victory.
St Margaret's Church
St Margaret of Antioch ChurchSt Margaret of Antioch Church, Leigh Delamere
St Margaret of Antioch Church in Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire, England was built, on the site of a previous 12th century church, in 1846 and dedicated to Margaret the Virgin. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is now a redundant church in the care of...
was built, on the site of a previous 12th century church, in 1846 and dedicated to Margaret the Virgin
Margaret the Virgin
Margaret the Virgin, also known as Margaret of Antioch , virgin and martyr, is celebrated as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches on July 20; and on July 17 in the Orthodox Church. Her historical existence has been questioned; she was declared apocryphal by Pope Gelasius I in 494,...
. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
.
The previous church had been built around 1190, in an Early English style with some Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
features. In 1301 the patron of the church was John De la Mare. By 1846 the church was in a dilapadated condition and it would have cost more to repair than rebuild. The new church was commissioned by Joseph Neeld
Joseph Neeld
Joseph Neeld was Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom for the rotten borough of Gatton, Surrey in 1830 and for Chippenham, Wiltshire, England from 1830 to 1856.- Career :...
and designed by James Thomson who also designed the nearby Grittleton House which is now Grittleton House School
Grittleton House School
Grittleton House School is a small, family-run independent school and children's daycare provider situated in the village of Grittleton near Chippenham in Wiltshire. The school is co-educational with around 300 pupils and toddlers aged 2-16....
. The Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, includes a reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
which is carved and decorated in many colours. The west window includes stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
by Wilmshurst. There are many memorials including those to the Neeld Baronets
Neeld Baronets
The Neeld Baronetcy, of Grittleton in the County of Wiltshire, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 20 April 1859 for John Neeld, a Conservative politician and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Queen Victoria...
. A new organ was installed in 1896, and electricity supplied in 1949 although attendance by this time was very low. The church was closed as a regular place of worship in 1992.
By-Brook Benefice
The union of benefices of BiddestoneBiddestone
Biddestone is a small, rural and rather picturesque Cotswold village in north west Wiltshire, England, with a population of 457 in 2001. It is situated near Castle Combe, Corsham, Giddeahall and Chippenham....
with Slaughterford, 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...
, Grittleton
Grittleton
Grittleton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, 7 miles NW of Chippenham, Wiltshire at .The Grittleton House estate is the home of Grittleton House School, which was founded in 1951....
and Leigh Delamere, Nettleton
Nettleton, Wiltshire
Nettleton is a village and civil parish about northwest of Chippenham in Wiltshire, England.-Archaeology:Lugbury is a chambered long barrow about east of the village. Excavations in the 19th century found 28 human skeletons in its chambers....
and Burton
Burton, Wiltshire
Burton is a small village with 96 households in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England. Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire of 1915 identifies Burton as the most important part of the parish of Nettleton...
with Littleton Drew, West Kington
West Kington
West Kington is a village in Nettleton civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village is close to the county boundary with Gloucestershire and southeast of the Gloucestershire market town of Chipping Sodbury....
and Yatton Keynell
Yatton Keynell
Yatton Keynell is a village in Wiltshire, England. It is located about five miles west of Chippenham, and about five miles to the east of the border with South Gloucestershire, on the B4039 road via Castle Combe...
to form a united benefice was formally established on 1 December 1999, although the parishes had been operating along these lines for the previous five years. The Benefice of Colerne
Colerne
Colerne is a village and civil parish in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, midway between Bath and Chippenham in Wiltshire, England. It has an elevated position above sea level and overlooks the Box Valley to the south...
and North Wraxall
North Wraxall
North Wraxall is a small village and a civil parish in Wiltshire, England.-Location:The village is located west of Chippenham, on the A420 road going to Bristol.The neighbouring villages are...
was from 1 January 2006, joined with the By Brook Benefice. Rev. Jonathan Philpott became the Priest in Charge in October 2010. The Benefice is part of the Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
Deanery in the Diocese of Bristol
Diocese of Bristol
The Diocese of Bristol is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. It is based in the city of Bristol and covers South Gloucestershire and parts of north Wiltshire to Swindon...
.