Urchfont
Coordinates: 51°18′43″N 1°56′35″W / 51.312°N 1.943°W
| Urchfont | |
 St. Michael and All Angels parish church |
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 Urchfont
Urchfont shown within Wiltshire |
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| Population | 954 (as of 2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SU0457 |
| Unitary authority | Wiltshire |
| Ceremonial county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Devizes |
| Postcode district | SN10 |
| Dialling code | 01380 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Urchfont is a small, rural village to the north of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, about seven miles from the market town of Devizes. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Wedhampton (grid reference SU060577) and Lydeway (SU052578).[1][2] The population of Urchfont ward is 1,690, according to the 2001 Census.
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[edit] History of the name
The name of Urchfont is possibly derived from Latin fons meaning 'spring, fountain, well' (cf. fount), and the first element may be a lost personal name such as Eohric. Over 100 variations of the spelling are recorded; e.g. Lerchesfonte (1086), Erchesfonte(e) (1175, 1605), Erkesfonte (1175), Archesfunte (font)(1179, 1376, 1426), Ur(i)chesfunte (1242, 1289), Orchesfunte (1259), Orcheffunte (1428), Archfounte al. Urshent (1564), Urchefount al. Urshent (1611), Urshent al. Erchfont (1695).[3] Shown to the left is the present-day village hall, erected in 1929-1930, which bears the name "Erchfont".
[edit] Notable people
Sergeant Thomas Gray VC was born in Urchfont in 1914. An Air Observer/Navigator in the Royal Air Force, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross when he was killed in action in 1940. Game show cheat, Major Charles Ingram, lives in the village, as did cricket scorer, Bill Frindall, a.k.a. the `Bearded Wonder` until his death.
[edit] Urchfont Scarecrow Festival
The Urchfont Scarecrow Festival was the first of its kind in Wiltshire. While many other Wiltshire villages, including Lacock, have now established their own festivals on a similar model, the Urchfont festival predates them all having been established in 1997. The idea was first brought to the village by a resident who saw a similar festival in Derbyshire. Apart from being cancelled in 2001 because of the threat from Foot and Mouth disease, the festival has taken place every year since 1997 and has grown to become a major local event attracting large numbers of visitors.
Approximately 50 themed scarecrows made by villagers are distributed around the village and visitors can buy a trail map which provides clues as to the identity of each scarecrow. Extensive parking facilities and toilet facilities are provided. A barbecue, beer tent, tea tent and ice cream stand provide refreshments around the scenic pond in the centre of the village. In addition, the Lamb Inn, a traditional thatched pub, serves real ale and bar meals throughout the weekend.
It is held every year over the three days of the first May Bank Holiday.
To date the festival has raised over £80,000 for local charities.
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading
- Crittall, Elizabeth (ed.); Baggs, A. P.; Crowley, D. A.; Pugh, Ralph B.; Tomlinson, Margaret (1975). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 10: Swanborough hundred; the borough of Devizes.
- Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (revision) (1975). The Buildings of England: Wiltshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. ISBN 0 14 0710.26 4.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Media related to Urchfont at Wikimedia Commons
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