Westwood, Wiltshire
Encyclopedia
Westwood is a big village and a civil parish in Wiltshire
, England.
, with Avoncliff railway station
, Kennet & Avon canal and river Avon setting the northern boundary for the village.
The neighbouring villages are Winsley
and Turleigh
from north, and Freshford
and Sharpstone from west.
A.D., when King Ethelred's charters granted various pieces of land to his servant Aelfnoth, and four years later to his huntsman Leofwine. In Norman times, Westwood was one of the estates assigned for the support of the monks at Winchester
Priory. The residents of the manor continued to be tenants of the Priory until it was dissolved by Henry VIII. The medieval population of Westwood, as recorded in Domesday Book
of 1086, consisted of just 13 households, growing to 45 recorded taxpayers in the late 14th century
. The earliest part of the present parish church of St Mary dates from the 13th century
or even earlier, though its most impressing features – the Perpendicular Gothic nave, chapel and tower – were added in the late 15th century
.
The earliest records of a substantial quarrying industry at Westwood date from 1649. By the mid-19th century
, the quality of Westwood stone had earned a good reputation, and over the next half-century, output increased at a great rate. Westwood stone went to build many houses in Bath, as well as Holy Trinity church in Trowbridge
(1838). A narrow-gauge railway was constructed to transport the huge blocks of rough cut stone from the quarry to the cutting-yard at Avoncliff railway station
. Nowadays, all that remains from the centuries of intensive quarrying is the labyrinth of tunnels, eight feet high and twelve feet wide. They have been put to a number of imaginative uses, especially after they were taken over by the Ministry of Supply
in 1939. For example, the eastern part of the quarry tunnels had since 1928 been used for growing mushrooms, as the relatively stable ambient temperatures and the high humidity of the underground were found perfectly suitable. Since 1941, about six hundred workers manufactured gun-control equipment at an underground factory which had been located in the tunnels to defend against Luftwaffe
raids. Additionally, by the end of 1942 the Westwood tunnels had "probably housed the greatest and most valuable collection of cultural and artistic artifacts assembled in one location anywhere in the world", including exhibits from British Museum
, pictures from the National Portrait Gallery
, tapestries from the Victoria and Albert Museum
, the Elgin Marbles
, and the Wright brothers
' aeroplane. A special air conditioning plant had to be installed to control the humidity underground.
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...
, England.
Location
The village is located 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Bradford on AvonBradford on Avon
Bradford on Avon is a town in west Wiltshire, England with a population of about 9,326. The town's canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists....
, with Avoncliff railway station
Avoncliff railway station
Avoncliff railway station serves the hamlet of Avoncliff, Wiltshire. It also serves the nearby villages of Westwood and Winsley, and Turleigh hamlet...
, Kennet & Avon canal and river Avon setting the northern boundary for the village.
The neighbouring villages are Winsley
Winsley
Winsley is a village and civil parish west of Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.-Geography:Winsley is distinctly split into the Old Winsley Village and the Tyning Estate. Some public services can be found in the centre of either of these areas. The B3108 road once passed through the old village but a...
and Turleigh
Turleigh
Turleigh is a small hamlet situated in West Wiltshire, England. It lies immediately south of the village of Winsley. It nestles in a valley offering stunning views of the Avon valley.-Urban development:...
from north, and Freshford
Freshford
Freshford is a village and civil parish in the Avon valley south-east of Bath, in the county of Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 530...
and Sharpstone from west.
History
Westwood's recorded history begins in 983983
Year 983 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Wood carvers commissioned by China's Song Dynasty complete a carving of the entire Buddhist canon for printing .* The reign of Amir Adhad ad-Dowleh of Buwayhid ends.* Sharaf ad-Dawla becomes Amir Buwayhid.* The...
A.D., when King Ethelred's charters granted various pieces of land to his servant Aelfnoth, and four years later to his huntsman Leofwine. In Norman times, Westwood was one of the estates assigned for the support of the monks at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
Priory. The residents of the manor continued to be tenants of the Priory until it was dissolved by Henry VIII. The medieval population of Westwood, as recorded in Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
of 1086, consisted of just 13 households, growing to 45 recorded taxpayers in the late 14th century
14th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was the century which lasted from January 1, 1301 to December 31, 1400.-Events:* The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age....
. The earliest part of the present parish church of St Mary dates from the 13th century
13th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 through 1300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era...
or even earlier, though its most impressing features – the Perpendicular Gothic nave, chapel and tower – were added in the late 15th century
15th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was the century which lasted from 1401 to 1500.Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, falls to emerging Ottoman Turks, forcing Western Europeans to find a new trade route....
.
The earliest records of a substantial quarrying industry at Westwood date from 1649. By the mid-19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, the quality of Westwood stone had earned a good reputation, and over the next half-century, output increased at a great rate. Westwood stone went to build many houses in Bath, as well as Holy Trinity church in Trowbridge
Holy Trinity Church, Trowbridge
Holy Trinity Church, Trowbridge is a parish church in the Church of England located in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. It was completed in 1838. It is commonly known in Trowbridge as ‘The Church on the Roundabout’, as it is entirely encircled by a one-way traffic system.-History:The Trowbridge...
(1838). A narrow-gauge railway was constructed to transport the huge blocks of rough cut stone from the quarry to the cutting-yard at Avoncliff railway station
Avoncliff railway station
Avoncliff railway station serves the hamlet of Avoncliff, Wiltshire. It also serves the nearby villages of Westwood and Winsley, and Turleigh hamlet...
. Nowadays, all that remains from the centuries of intensive quarrying is the labyrinth of tunnels, eight feet high and twelve feet wide. They have been put to a number of imaginative uses, especially after they were taken over by the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
in 1939. For example, the eastern part of the quarry tunnels had since 1928 been used for growing mushrooms, as the relatively stable ambient temperatures and the high humidity of the underground were found perfectly suitable. Since 1941, about six hundred workers manufactured gun-control equipment at an underground factory which had been located in the tunnels to defend against Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
raids. Additionally, by the end of 1942 the Westwood tunnels had "probably housed the greatest and most valuable collection of cultural and artistic artifacts assembled in one location anywhere in the world", including exhibits from British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, pictures from the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery can refer to:*National Portrait Gallery in Canberra*Portrait Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario*National Portrait Gallery , with satellite galleries in Denbighshire, Derbyshire and Somerset...
, tapestries from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, the Elgin Marbles
Elgin Marbles
The Parthenon Marbles, forming a part of the collection known as the Elgin Marbles , are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures , inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens...
, and the Wright brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
' aeroplane. A special air conditioning plant had to be installed to control the humidity underground.