Ilmington
Coordinates: 52°05′24″N 1°41′35″W / 52.090°N 1.693°W
| Ilmington | |
 Parish church of St. Mary the Virgin |
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 Ilmington
Ilmington shown within Warwickshire |
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| Population | 734 (2001) |
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| Language | English |
| OS grid reference | SP211435 |
| Civil parish | Ilmington |
| District | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Shire county | Warwickshire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHIPSTON-ON-STOUR |
| Postcode district | CV36 |
| Dialling code | 01608 |
| Police | Warwickshire |
| Fire | Warwickshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| Website | Ilmington - A Cotswold Village |
| List of places: UK • England • Warwickshire | |
Ilmington is a village and civil parish about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north-west of Shipston-on-Stour and 8 miles (13 km) south of Stratford-on-Avon[1] in the Cotswolds (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in Warwickshire, England. Ilmington is the highest village in Warwickshire[2] and is at the foot of the Ilmington Downs, which is the highest point in Warwickshire. Residents are called "Ilmingtonians".
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[edit] History
In the 10th century the village's toponym was Ylmandunes in Old English.[citation needed] This evolved into Elmington because it had many elm trees.[citation needed] When Dutch Elm Disease came to England it killed the trees and now none remain in the village.
The Elizabethan poet Sir Thomas Overbury was born at Compton Scorpion Manor, just south of the village.[1]
In 1934 the Royal Christmas Message broadcast by King George V of England was relayed worldwide from Ilmington Manor, home of the Flower family, and introduced by 65 year old Walton Handy, a local shepherd, with carols from the church choir and bell ringing from the church.
[edit] Parish church
The Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin is Norman and dates from about the middle of the 12th century.[3] Its bell tower has five bells cast by Henry Bagley of Chacombe in 1641,[3] plus three later bells added to make the present ring of eight. The Church of England parish is now part of a single benefice with the parishes of Preston-on-Stour, Stretton-on-Fosse and Whitchurch.[4] It cannot be directly accessed by road but instead by a pathway.[5]
[edit] Robert Thompson
Robert (Mousey) Thompson of Kilburn carved the pulpit and pews for the church. He also carved his signature mice in eleven places throughout the church.
[edit] The Apple Map and June Hobson
June Hobson was a gardener and artist who lived in the village. She inspired villagers to embroider the map which is a copy of old maps which showed where all of the orchards in the village were. It shows that there were an unusually large amount of small orchards in the village. The Apple Map is displayed in the village church. Ilmington Apple Day starts with guided viewing of the Apple Map in the church before a search for some of the 38 different apple varieties grown in the village. Many people come to the Apple Days which celebrate the history of the small orchards in the village. The children at the local school devised the apple walk.
[edit] Amenities
Ilmington has a Church of England primary school.[6] It has a village hall, village shop and Post Office sharing the same building. Ilmington Revolution Football Club plays on Ilmington playing field. Ilmington has a Cotswold Morris dancing side.[7]
Ilmington has two public houses, The Howard Arms (a gastropub) and The Red Lion (Hook Norton Brewery)
[edit] Notable residents
- Dorothy Hodgkin, Nobel prize winner
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Literary Connections - Ilmington". http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/ilmingto.htm.
- ^ AA Publishing, 2003, page 66
- ^ a b Salzman, 1949, pages 98-103
- ^ A Church Near You
- ^ A guide to Ilmington, Warwickshire
- ^ Ilmington C of E Primary School
- ^ Traditional Ilmington Morris Men
[edit] Sources and further reading
- Pevsner, Nikolaus; Wedgwood, Alexandra (1966). The Buildings of England: Warwickshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 316–317.
- Salzman, L. F. (1949). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Warwick, Volume 5: Kington Hundred. pp. 98–103.
- 50 Walks in Warwickshire & the West Midlands. Basingstoke: AA Publishing. 2003. ISBN 0749536292 page=66.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ilmington |
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