Bishopstrow
| Bishopstrow | |
|---|---|
 St. Aldhelm's church, Bishopstrow | |
  Bishopstrow Location within Wiltshire | |
| Population | 122 (in 2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST893438 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Warminster |
| Postcode district | BA12 |
| Dialling code | 01985 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Bishopstrow is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, on the River Wylye about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast of Warminster.
The village lies south of the old Warminster to Salisbury road, formerly the A36, now the B3414. The modern A36 passes to the south of the village.
History
The name may come from "bishop's tree", meaning the place where St Aldhelm's staff miraculously grew into an ash tree.[2] When Bishopstrow was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 it was held by Edward of Salisbury.[3]
In the 18th century Bishopstrow House stood between the Salisbury road and the river. In 1817 William Temple built a new house on the north side of the road using the Bath architect John Pinch the elder, which has been a hotel and restaurant since 1977.
Governance
The parish is considered too small to support a parish council, so instead it has a parish meeting,[4] a body in which all electors for the parish are voting members. Almost all local government functions are carried out by Wiltshire Council, a unitary authority created in 2009. The village is represented in parliament by Andrew Murrison,[5] and in Wiltshire Council by Christopher Newbury, both Conservatives.[6]
Amenities
The Church of England parish church of St Aldhelm is a Grade II* listed building.[7] The site may have been in use since the 8th century; the building is from the 14th century, rebuilt (except for the tower and spire) in 1757 and restored in 1876.[2]
Bishopstrow College is an independent school for children aged 7-17 who do not have English as their first language.[8] There is no state school in the parish; a two-room school was built in the village in 1848 and closed in 1921.[2]
Notable people
- Vice-Admiral the Hon. Herbert Edward Holmes à Court (1869–1934) lived at Bishopstrow after retiring from the Royal Navy.[9]
- Lt. General Sir Roderick Cordy-Simpson retired to the village and in 2004 was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire.[10]
References
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History - Census". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ a b c "Victoria County History - Wiltshire - Vol 8 pp6-13: Bishopstrow". British History Online. University of London. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ Bishopstrow in the Domesday Book
- ^ "Bishopstrow Parish Meeting". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ "Dr Andrew Murrison: MP for South West Wiltshire". Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Christopher Newbury". westwilts-communityweb.com. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St Aldhelm, Bishopstrow (1284263)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ "Bishopstrow College". Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ Dod's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, of Great Britain and Ireland (S. Low, Marston & Company, 1923), p. 432: "Rear-Adm. Hon. Herbert Edward Holmes-à Court, b. 16 Feb. 1869. Residence — Bishopstrowe, Warminster."
- ^ "No. 57445". The London Gazette. 22 October 2004. p. 13359.
External links
Media related to Bishopstrow at Wikimedia Commons