Winchcombe
Encyclopedia
Winchcombe is a Cotswold
town
in the local authority district of Tewkesbury
, in Gloucestershire
, England. Its population according to the 2001 census
was 4,379.
Neolithic
long barrow
on a hilltop above Winchcombe, was constructed from about 3000 BC Later, during Anglo-Saxon times, Winchcombe was a chief city of Mercia
favoured by Coenwulf
; the others being Lichfield
and Tamworth
. Subsequently, during the 11th century, the town was briefly the county town
of Winchcombeshire
. The Anglo-Saxon saint
St. Kenelm is believed to be buried in the town.
and the remains of Hailes Abbey
, which was one of the main centres of pilgrimage
s in Britain due to a phial possessed by the monks said to contain the Blood of Christ
. There is nothing left of the now-vanished Winchcombe Abbey
. St Peter's Church in the centre of the town is noted for its grotesques
.
: The Cotswold Way
, the Gloucestershire Way
, the Wychavon Way
, St Kenelm's Trail
, St Kenelm's Way, the Warden's Way and the Windrush Way.
Winchcombe became a member of the Walkers are Welcome
network of towns in July 2009 and now holds a walking festival every May.
, Broadway
, Willersey
and further afield on special services.
Winchcombe was once served by a railway line, a relative latecomer in British railway history, which was opened in 1906 by the Great Western Railway
. The line ran from Stratford-upon-Avon
to Cheltenham and was part of a main line from Birmingham
to the South West
and South Wales
. Winchcombe railway station
and most others on the section closed in March 1960. Through passenger services continued on this line until March 1968, and goods until 1976 when a derailment at Broadway damaged the line. It was decided not to bring the section back into use and by the early 1980s it had been dismantled. The stretch between Toddington
and Cheltenham Racecourse
, including Winchcombe, has since been reconstructed and reopened as a heritage railway
called the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
. A new railway station has been erected at Winchcombe, on its original site, the building being the former station at Monmouth
((Troy) railway station
). Nearby is the 693 yard (634 m) Greet Tunnel, the second longest on any preserved line in Britain.
. The secondary school, Winchcombe School - a Science College
, is located on the east of the town on Greet Road, and has two specialities, Science and Leadership. The primary school, Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School, is located near the centre of the town on Back Lane. It is next to Winchcombe Library and Cowl Lane.
launched in April 2005 which currently broadcasts for over 14 days a year (7 days every 6 months).
Winchcombe Town F.C. currently play in the Gloucestershire
Northern Senior League.
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the local authority district of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (borough)
Tewkesbury is a local government district and borough in Gloucestershire, in the West Country of England. It is named after its main town, Tewkesbury...
, 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. Its population according to the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
was 4,379.
Early history
The Belas KnapBelas Knap
Belas Knap is a neolithic chambered long barrow, situated on Cleeve Hill, near Cheltenham and Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire, England. It is a scheduled ancient monument in the care of English Heritage but managed by Gloucestershire County Council. "Belas" is possibly derived from the Latin word...
Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
long barrow
Long barrow
A long barrow is a prehistoric monument dating to the early Neolithic period. They are rectangular or trapezoidal tumuli or earth mounds traditionally interpreted as collective tombs...
on a hilltop above Winchcombe, was constructed from about 3000 BC Later, during Anglo-Saxon times, Winchcombe was a chief city of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
favoured by Coenwulf
Coenwulf of Mercia
Coenwulf was King of Mercia from December 796 to 821. He was a descendant of a brother of King Penda, who had ruled Mercia in the middle of the 7th century. He succeeded Ecgfrith, the son of Offa; Ecgfrith only reigned for five months, with Coenwulf coming to the throne in the same year that Offa...
; the others being Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
and Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. Subsequently, during the 11th century, the town was briefly the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Winchcombeshire
Winchcombeshire
Winchcombeshire, an ancient county in the South West of England, in the 10th and 11th centuries, developed around its county town, Winchcombe....
. The Anglo-Saxon saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
St. Kenelm is believed to be buried in the town.
Notable buildings
In Winchcombe and the immediate vicinity can be found Sudeley CastleSudeley Castle
Sudeley Castle is a castle located near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England. It dates from the 10th century, but the inhabited portion is chiefly Elizabethan. The castle has a notable garden, which is designed and maintained to a very high standard. The chapel, St. Mary's Sudeley, is the burial...
and the remains of Hailes Abbey
Hailes Abbey
Hailes Abbey is two miles northeast of Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England.The abbey was founded in 1245 or 1246 by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, called "King of the Romans" and the younger brother of King Henry III of England. He was granted the manor of Hailes by Henry, and settled it with...
, which was one of the main centres of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
s in Britain due to a phial possessed by the monks said to contain the Blood of Christ
Blood of Christ
The Blood of Christ in Christian theology refers to the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomplished thereby; and the sacramental blood present in the Eucharist, which is considered by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and...
. There is nothing left of the now-vanished Winchcombe Abbey
Winchcombe Abbey
Winchcombe Abbey is a now-vanished Benedictine abbey in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, this abbey was once the capital of Mercia, an Anglo Saxon kingdom at the time of the Heptarchy in England. The Abbey was founded c. 798 for three hundred Benedictine monks, by King Offa of Mercia or King Kenulf. In...
. St Peter's Church in the centre of the town is noted for its grotesques
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
.
Walks
Winchcombe sits on six long-distance footpathsLong-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
-England and Wales: National Trails:National Trails are distinguished by being maintained by the National Trails organization . , there are fifteen such trails, one of which is not yet complete....
: The Cotswold Way
Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Way is a long-distance footpath, running along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in England. It was officially inaugurated as a National Trail on 24 May 2007 and several new rights of way have been created.-History:...
, the Gloucestershire Way
Gloucestershire Way
The Gloucestershire Way is a long-distance footpath, in the English country of Gloucestershire. It was devised by Gerry and Kate Stewart, of the Ramblers Association and Tewkesbury Walking Club...
, the Wychavon Way
Wychavon Way
The Wychavon Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom.-The route:The route of the Wychavon Way links Holt Fleet on the Worcestershire stretch of the River Severn and the Cotswolds region passing through the Vale of Evesham and many Worcestershire villages...
, St Kenelm's Trail
St Kenelm's Trail
St Kenelm’s Trail is a walk originally devised by John Price, which links the two places most commonly associated with the legend of St Kenelm. These are the Clent Hills, south of Birmingham, identified as the scene of his supposed murder and the small Gloucestershire town of Winchcombe, near...
, St Kenelm's Way, the Warden's Way and the Windrush Way.
Winchcombe became a member of the Walkers are Welcome
Walkers are Welcome
The Walkers are Welcome scheme is a community-led initiative operating in England, Scotland and Wales. The scheme promotes towns and communities as 'walker-friendly', based on a number of criteria, aiming to benefit local economies by attracting tourism....
network of towns in July 2009 and now holds a walking festival every May.
Public transport
A bus service connects the town to CheltenhamCheltenham
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...
, Broadway
Broadway, Worcestershire
Broadway is a village and civil parish in the Worcestershire part of the Cotswolds in England.Often referred to as the "Jewel of the Cotswolds", Broadway village lies beneath Fish Hill on the western Cotswold escarpment...
, Willersey
Willersey
Willersey is a village in Gloucestershire, England, situated close to the boundary with Worcestershire and southwest of Evesham. Although in the County of Gloucestershire it has a Worcestershire postcode . It is an old village with much character. There are two pubs in the village - The Bell Inn...
and further afield on special services.
Winchcombe was once served by a railway line, a relative latecomer in British railway history, which was opened in 1906 by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. The line ran from Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
to Cheltenham and was part of a main line from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to the South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. Winchcombe railway station
Winchcombe railway station
Winchcombe railway station serves Winchcombe in Gloucestershire, England, although it is actually located in the village of Greet. It is located on the Honeybourne Line which linked and and which was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1906...
and most others on the section closed in March 1960. Through passenger services continued on this line until March 1968, and goods until 1976 when a derailment at Broadway damaged the line. It was decided not to bring the section back into use and by the early 1980s it had been dismantled. The stretch between Toddington
Toddington, Gloucestershire
Toddington is a village and civil parish in north Gloucestershire in Tewkesbury Borough, located approx. 20 km north-east of Cheltenham with a population of around 300 people....
and Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...
, including Winchcombe, has since been reconstructed and reopened as a heritage railway
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...
called the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire/Warwickshire Borders that has reopened the closed railway line between Laverton Halt and Cheltenham Racecourse railway stations in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire., it currently...
. A new railway station has been erected at Winchcombe, on its original site, the building being the former station at Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
((Troy) railway station
Monmouth Troy railway station
Monmouth Troy was one of the two former stations at Monmouth. It was built in 1857 by the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway and was used by several other branch lines as the local rail network expanded...
). Nearby is the 693 yard (634 m) Greet Tunnel, the second longest on any preserved line in Britain.
Schools
There are two schools in the town, a primary school and a secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. The secondary school, Winchcombe School - a Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics...
, is located on the east of the town on Greet Road, and has two specialities, Science and Leadership. The primary school, Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School, is located near the centre of the town on Back Lane. It is next to Winchcombe Library and Cowl Lane.
Community
A community radio station called Radio WinchcombeRadio Winchcombe
Radio Winchcombe is an English local community radio station which broadcasts to Winchcombe and the surrounding areas. The studio is currently located at the local youth and community centre in Winchcombe, but could have to move to a different location due to Gloucestershire County Council...
launched in April 2005 which currently broadcasts for over 14 days a year (7 days every 6 months).
Winchcombe Town F.C. currently play in the 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....
Northern Senior League.