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Royal Wootton Bassett

Royal Wootton Bassett /ˈrɔɪəl ˈwʊtən ˈbæsɪt/, formerly Wootton Bassett, is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 13,570 at the 2021 Census. In the north of the county, it lies 6 miles (10 km) to the west of the major town of Swindon and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Calne.

Royal Wootton Bassett
Royal Wootton Bassett's former Town Hall, now the local museum
Royal Wootton Bassett
Location within Wiltshire
Population13,570 (2021 Census)[1]
OS grid referenceSU0682
Civil parish
  • Royal Wootton Bassett[2]
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSwindon
Postcode districtSN4
Dialling code01793
PoliceWiltshire
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
Websitewww.royalwoottonbassett.gov.uk
List of places
UK
England
Wiltshire
51°31′59″N 1°54′00″W / 51.533°N 1.900°W / 51.533; -1.900

From 1447 until 1832 Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons. In 1832 it was deemed a rotten borough and abolished by the Great Reform Act.

The town was granted royal patronage in March 2011 by Elizabeth II in recognition of its role in the early-21st-century military funeral repatriations, which passed through the town. This honour was officially conferred in a ceremony on 16 October 2011 – the first royal patronage to be conferred upon a town (as distinguished from a borough or county) since 1909.[2][3]

History edit

Wodeton settlement edit

 
St Bartholomew and All Saints church

AD 681 is usually taken as the starting point for recorded history of Wootton Bassett, then known as Wodeton, it being referred to in that year in a Malmesbury Abbey charter granting land to the Abbot.

Archaeological discoveries in the area tend to confirm the tradition that the original "Wodeton" (Settlement in the wood – i.e. in Bradon Forest) was near the present Dunnington Road[citation needed]. Allegedly under continuous occupation throughout Celtic and Romano-British periods, the land was granted in 681 AD to Malmesbury Abbey. Further grants of land nearby appear in the records from time to time, but of Wodeton itself we hear no more until it was sacked by the marauding Danes in 1015, whereupon the survivors decided to move uphill to the site of the present High Street.

Domesday Book edit

Wootton Bassett is mentioned in the Domesday Book[4] of 1086, where it was noted that Miles Crispin held the rights and these included "land for 12 ploughs...a mill...and 24 acres (9.7 ha) of meadow...33 acres of pasture and woodland which is two leagues by a league". It was said to be worth nine pounds.

Royal status edit

In the early 21st century, the town paid informal tributes during military repatriation funeral processions which passed through the town, eventually attracting significant media coverage.[5] On 16 March 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced, at the start of Prime Minister's Questions, that while "from September, military repatriations will no longer pass through the town of Wootton Bassett", "Her Majesty has agreed to confer the title 'Royal' upon the town, as an enduring symbol of the nation’s admiration and gratitude".[6][7] The addition to the town's name was enacted through Letters Patent and became effective on 16 October 2011, when The Princess Royal visited the town to present formally the Letters Patent to the town council.[3] Royal Wootton Bassett has become the third Royal town in the country after Royal Leamington Spa and Royal Tunbridge Wells, and the first to receive the status in over 100 years.[6]

Geography edit

 
Sign warning of the risk of entrapment in the Mud Springs

Suburbs of Royal Wootton Bassett include Noremarsh, Coped Hall, Woodshaw and Vastern (a small hamlet to the south). Bishop Fowley is shown on Andrews' and Dury's Map of Wiltshire, 1810[8] as being an outlying hamlet southwest of the town; the location is now known as Vowley Farm.[9]

Wootton Bassett Mud Spring is a 8,000 m2 (86,000 sq ft) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, which was notified in 1997.

Governance edit

The first tier of local government is Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council, with 16 members elected by voters in three wards.[10] Councillors elect one of their number to serve as mayor for a period of one year.[11]

The town falls under the auspices of Wiltshire Council, a unitary authority established in 2009 as part of wider local government changes in England. In the national government, since the 1997 general election the town has been represented by the Conservative MP James Gray, as the elected member for the North Wiltshire parliament constituency.

Royal Wootton Bassett is twinned with Blain in western France.

The original Wootton Bassett UK Parliamentary constituency was abolished in 1832. The right of the town to send two representatives to Parliament was first gained as early as 1446 and before the Reform Act 1832, Wootton Bassett was known as a Rotten Borough due to the way in which elections were conducted, which were the antithesis of modern democratic elections. Voters were required to state their preferences in public before representatives of each side, and were openly bribed. In 1754 the accounts of a successful candidate[citation needed] show that his supporters were paid £30 each for their vote, and in the run up to the election the candidates secured the allegiance of public houses in the town, where voters were plied with free refreshments. Free beer was also provided by men who carried containers about the town. The same accounts show that £1,077 was paid out to 12 pubs for the refreshments.

Population edit

 
Housing on the large site of the former St Ivel factory

The United Kingdom Census 2001 recorded the town's population as 11,043, indicating that the town tripled in population total during the previous 50 years. Since the opening of the M4 motorway, the town has become attractive to commuters, many travelling to the towns and cities of Swindon, Chippenham, Bath and Bristol. The town also has a significant Royal Air Force population due to its proximity to MoD Lyneham, which is now largely a training establishment but until 2012 was the site of RAF Lyneham.

Education edit

 
Royal Wootton Bassett Academy

Royal Wootton Bassett has a secondary school, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, on the north-west edge of the town.

There are four primary schools: St Bartholomew's Primary Academy (formerly C of E Primary School), Longleaze Primary School, Noremarsh Junior School and Wootton Bassett Infants' School.

The town is also home to detachments of the Army Cadet Force[12] and the Sea Cadets.

Economy edit

The town has always been a market town, and hence with many trades associated with farming and agriculture.

In 1908 Wiltshire United Dairies built a dairy and creamery in the town. Merged in 1916 to form United Dairies, in 1931 a private siding was opened from Wootton Bassett Junction railway station to allow milk trains to service the plant. Merged into Unigate in 1958, the plant became a key production site for the St Ivel Shape brand yoghurts, before being sold to Danone for £32m. The factory consequently closed in February 2003.[13] The site was sold for £19m in August 2004, and the factory demolished in June 2005. It was redeveloped as the Beaufort Park housing estate.

Disclosure and Barring Service has an office in the town.[14]

Repatriations edit

 
Typical group of mourners with a veteran acting as flag bearer
 
A convoy of hearses carrying the bodies of military personnel through Wootton Bassett in 2009

From April 2007, the bodies of servicemen and women of the British Armed Forces killed in Iraq and Afghanistan were repatriated to RAF Lyneham 4.5 miles (7.5 km) to the south.[15] The bodies would then be transported to John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, in coffins covered with a Union Flag, passing through the town on their way. In the summer of 2007, local members of The Royal British Legion became aware of the repatriation, and decided to formally show their respect to the soldiers as they passed through their town.[15] This led to other people assembling along the route, with large gatherings of sometimes over 1,000 people.[15] After runway repairs at RAF Brize Norton had been completed, the RAF continued to use Lyneham, a Ministry of Defence spokesman saying that because the "people of Wootton Bassett had done such a lot to lend their support, it was felt it would be insensitive to transfer the process back to Brize."[15] When RAF Lyneham closed in September 2011, the repatriations moved to RAF Brize Norton and go near to the town of Carterton.[7]

Tributes edit

In October 2008, an Armed Forces parade was held in the town.[16] On Friday 29 January 2010 the town was visited by The Prince of Wales and his wife The Duchess of Cornwall, to lay a wreath at the War Memorial and meet local people.[17] On 21 December 2009, Prince William presented the town with one of The Sun's "Millie" awards for Support to the Armed Forces, stating: "One of the most remarkable things is that the people are so modest, they refuse to accept any praise".[citation needed]

In May 2009, The Royal British Legion honoured Wootton Bassett with a special award in recognition of Legion members, many of whom are ex-servicemen and women, who attend the repatriations.[18] Motorcyclists from The Royal British Legion Riders Branch attended repatriations held in the town.[19][15][20]

Calls for the town to have Royal status bestowed on it had emerged in September 2009 and, while in the form of petitions and social media campaigns there had been public support for both the Royal title and other forms of national expressions of thanks at the time, local figures were less keen on the idea. South Wootton Bassett councillor Chris Wannell and Wootton Bassett Mayor Steve Bucknell both thought that it was not what local people would want, preferring to just honour the dead with no expectation of thanks.[21]

Other tributes have included a public mass charity motorcycle parade through the town in March 2010, which also raised £100,000 for the charity Afghan Heroes.[22] In 2011, the community of Royal Wootton Bassett themselves made a less sombre tribute as they came together over 5 months to re-record the classic Green Day track, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" from their American Idiot album, in aid of military charities. The project was called "Wootton Bassett Rocks",[23] and its aim was to raise £1million for four charities: The Royal British Legion, Combat Stress, The Undentable Trust, and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association (SSAFA). The single was made available for download and on DVD in November 2011. It climbed the rock charts in several countries.[citation needed]

Protests edit

In 2009, the far-right English Defence League visited Wootton Bassett,[24] after plans for a demonstration in the town by the Muslim extremist group Islam4UK, led by Anjem Choudary, came under widespread condemnation.[25] The group eventually called off the plan, claiming that the publicity generated had "successfully highlighted the plight of Muslims in Afghanistan" and so "no more could be achieved even if a procession were to take place".[26]

Arms of Royal Wootton Bassett edit

 
The town arms

An official coat of arms was granted to Wootton Bassett Town Council, by Letters Patent of Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms, on 30 August 2011, the day before the date of the Queen's Patent granting the designation "Royal" to the town. The town had previously used unofficial Arms consisting of a chevron between three lozenges: the granted design adapts this to reflect the Royal favour accorded in recognition of the town's role in recent repatriations of fallen servicemen and women, and is: Gules a Chevron Argent between in chief two Lozenges and in base a Lion passant guardant Or.[27] The lion passant guardant is a visible heraldic sign of the royal favour.

Transport edit

Road edit

The main road through the town is the A3102, which connects it to Swindon to the east and Melksham to the south-west, a town in the west of the county. The only other numbered road out of the town is the B4042, which runs to Malmesbury in the west. The town is also close to Junction 16 of the M4 motorway connecting London with South Wales, allowing easy access to other towns and cities of the M4 corridor.

Rail edit

 
A First Great Western express train from South Wales approaches Wootton Bassett junction

Royal Wootton Bassett has no railway station, although it has been served in the past by Wootton Bassett Road and Wootton Bassett Junction stations, and is a major junction on the rail network, being the location where the South Wales Main Line branches off of the Great Western Main Line. Thus stations nearby offer direct connections to London, the South West and South Wales.

The first station to serve the town was Wootton Bassett Road, opened by the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1840 some distance from the town (and sometimes referred to as Hay Lane), when the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington reached the town. After just a year, with the completion of the Box Tunnel allowing the line to reach Bristol Temple Meads, this was replaced by the closer Wootton Bassett railway station. In 1903, after the South Wales line opened, the station was demolished and rebuilt as Wootton Bassett Junction at the junction of the two lines. British Railways closed that station in 1965. There have been ongoing attempts to re-open a station in the early 21st century. Commuters wishing to use train services would have to travel to Swindon or Chippenham for regular services to London and the West Country; a bus service runs from Chippenham to Swindon via the town to allow these journeys to be made via public transport.

Canal edit

 
The former Wilts & Berks Canal

The route of the former Wilts & Berks Canal passes through Royal Wootton Bassett parish, south of the town. The canal reached here from Semington in 1801 and was completed when it reached Abingdon in 1810. The last narrowboat traffic to Wootton Bassett was in 1906 and the canal was abandoned by Act of Parliament in 1914. The canal is now being restored by the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.

Culture edit

Arts and theatre edit

The town has an Arts Festival[28] celebrating music, speech and drama with events in June and November.

Wootton Bassett Theatre[29] is at the Angel Hotel, and teaches classes as well as putting on performances.

Sport edit

In football, the town is represented by Wootton Bassett Town F.C. who play their home games at the 2,000-capacity Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. Other sports clubs include Wootton Bassett Hockey Club, Wootton Bassett Otters Swimming Club, Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club and Wootton Bassett Bowls Club.[30]

In summer 2015, the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground re-located from Rylands Way to the north side of the Brinkworth Road, just outside the town but walkable and cyclable from most parts. The site is held by Trustees and is known overall as Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Association. It is run almost exclusively by volunteers from the participating sports clubs. Initially these were RWB Cricket Club, Hounds (running), the Tennis Club and the Town Football Club; they were joined in 2017 by the North Thames Boules Club (now the Royal Wootton Bassett Petanque Club). The main building hosts changing facilities, a bar and tuck shop, kitchen area, meeting and function rooms.

Media edit

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country. Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter. [31]

The town's local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire on 103.5 FM, Heart West on 97.2 FM, Greatest Hits Radio South West (formerly Sam FM) on 107.7 and Swindon 105.5, a community based radio station which broadcast from its studios in Swindon on 105.5 FM.

Gazette and Herald is the local newspaper that serves the town.

Museums edit

The Wootton Bassett Museum is the former town hall, which is an upper storey supported on 15 pillars. It was built at the end of the 17th century, a gift from the Hyde family (Earls of Clarendon).[32]

War memorial edit

 
War Memorial

The town previously had war memorials in the form of a memorial garden in the cemetery and the memorial hall on Tinker's Field. In October 2004 a new memorial was unveiled in the town, a simple pedestal topped by a bronze of hands holding up a globe. The opening was the culmination of a five-year publicity and fund raising campaign, initiated by local resident Jay Cunningham who felt that the garden and hall were not prominent enough.[33] The design of the memorial was by Lance Corporal Alan Wilson of the Wootton Bassett Army Cadet Force, chosen by public vote, and then sculpted by local artist Vivien ap Rhys Price.[34]

Freedom of the Town edit

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Royal Wootton Bassett.

Individuals edit

  • Johnathan Dudley Bourne: 29 July 2021

.[35][36]

References edit

  1. ^ "Wootton Bassett". City population. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b Ensor, Josie (16 October 2011). "Wootton Bassett officially re-named royal town". Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b . Wootton Bassett Town Council. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  4. ^ Domesday Book: A Complete Transliteration. London: Penguin Books. 2003. p. 183. ISBN 0-14-143994-7.
  5. ^ Jardine, Cassandra; Savill, Richard (7 July 2009). "Wootton-Bassett: A very British way of mourning". The Daily Telegraph Online. London. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Prime Minister announces 'Royal' Wootton Bassett". Cabinet Office. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Wootton Bassett to get 'Royal' title in war dead honour". BBC News. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  8. ^ "Wiltshire Community History: Royal Wootton Bassett". Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Vowley Farm". Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Agenda for the Annual Meeting of Wootton Bassett Town Council" (PDF). Wootton Bassett Town Council. May 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Royal Wootton Bassett ACF Facebook Page". ACF.
  13. ^ "Wootton Bassett plant closes". BBC News. 7 February 2003. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  14. ^ "New address and telephone numbers for the DBS". gov.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e Gillan, Audrey (25 February 2010). "How Wootton Bassett became the town that cried". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  16. ^ Adams, Paul (12 October 2008). "Town swells with patriotism and pride". BBC. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  17. ^ "Royal respects at Wootton Bassett". BBC News. 29 January 2010.
  18. ^ Legion award to Wootton Bassett, British Legion website, accessed 13 January 2010
  19. ^ "British Legion Riders Bike into Bassett". Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  20. ^ Deal, Paul (10 November 2009). "Wootton Bassett sheds tears for soldiers". BBC News. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  21. ^ Wallin, James (16 September 2009). "Wootton Bassett rejects talk of Royal title". Swindon Advertiser.
  22. ^ "Bikers ride in Wootton Bassett tribute". BBC News. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  23. ^ "Home - Wootton Bassett Charity Single and Video". Woottonbassettrocks.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  24. ^ "Right wing extremists descend on Wootton Bassett". The Daily Telegraph. London. 11 January 2010.
  25. ^ . The Daily Telegraph. London. 5 January 2010. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010.
  26. ^ Arnold, Adam (11 January 2010). "Muslim Group Cancels Wootton Bassett March". Sky News Online.
  27. ^ "The College of Arms Newsletter September 2011" (PDF). College-of-arms.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  28. ^ wbaf.co.uk
  29. ^ woottonbassett-theatre.co.uk
  30. ^ "Wootton Bassett Bowls". www.woottonbassettbowls.co.uk.
  31. ^ "Full Freeview on the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Historic Wootton Bassett pics". Wiltshire: Local History. BBC Online. January 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  33. ^ "Help us with war memorial money". Swindon Advertiser. 20 May 2002.
  34. ^ "Vivien ap Rhys Price". Calne Artists. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  35. ^ "Johnathan Bourne to receive the Honour of Freedom of the Town". Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  36. ^ "Johnathan Bourne, first Freeman of the Town". Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022.

Further reading edit

  • Dunning, R. W.; Rogers, K. H.; Spalding, P. A.; Shrimpton, Colin; Stevenson, Janet H.; Tomlinson, Margaret (1970). "Parishes: Wootton Bassett". In Crittall, Elizabeth (ed.). A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 9. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 186–205. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via British History Online.
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (revision) (1975) [1963]. The Buildings of England: Wiltshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 596–599. ISBN 0-14-071026-4.
  • Pugh, R.B.; Crittall, Elizabeth, eds. (1956). "Hospitals: St John the Baptist, Wootton Bassett". A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 3. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 368–369. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via British History Online.

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • Wootton Bassett at Curlie

royal, wootton, bassett, ɔɪ, formerly, wootton, bassett, market, town, civil, parish, wiltshire, england, with, population, 2021, census, north, county, lies, miles, west, major, town, swindon, miles, northeast, calne, former, town, hall, local, museumlocation. Royal Wootton Bassett ˈ r ɔɪ el ˈ w ʊ t en ˈ b ae s ɪ t formerly Wootton Bassett is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire England with a population of 13 570 at the 2021 Census In the north of the county it lies 6 miles 10 km to the west of the major town of Swindon and 10 miles 16 km northeast of Calne Royal Wootton BassettRoyal Wootton Bassett s former Town Hall now the local museumRoyal Wootton BassettLocation within WiltshirePopulation13 570 2021 Census 1 OS grid referenceSU0682Civil parishRoyal Wootton Bassett 2 Unitary authorityWiltshireCeremonial countyWiltshireRegionSouth WestCountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townSwindonPostcode districtSN4Dialling code01793PoliceWiltshireFireDorset and WiltshireAmbulanceSouth WesternUK ParliamentNorth WiltshireWebsitewww wbr royalwoottonbassett wbr gov wbr ukList of places UK England Wiltshire 51 31 59 N 1 54 00 W 51 533 N 1 900 W 51 533 1 900From 1447 until 1832 Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament MPs to the House of Commons In 1832 it was deemed a rotten borough and abolished by the Great Reform Act The town was granted royal patronage in March 2011 by Elizabeth II in recognition of its role in the early 21st century military funeral repatriations which passed through the town This honour was officially conferred in a ceremony on 16 October 2011 the first royal patronage to be conferred upon a town as distinguished from a borough or county since 1909 2 3 Contents 1 History 1 1 Wodeton settlement 1 2 Domesday Book 1 3 Royal status 2 Geography 3 Governance 4 Population 5 Education 6 Economy 7 Repatriations 7 1 Tributes 7 2 Protests 8 Arms of Royal Wootton Bassett 9 Transport 9 1 Road 9 2 Rail 9 3 Canal 10 Culture 10 1 Arts and theatre 10 2 Sport 10 3 Media 10 4 Museums 10 5 War memorial 11 Freedom of the Town 11 1 Individuals 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External linksHistory editWodeton settlement edit nbsp St Bartholomew and All Saints churchAD 681 is usually taken as the starting point for recorded history of Wootton Bassett then known as Wodeton it being referred to in that year in a Malmesbury Abbey charter granting land to the Abbot Archaeological discoveries in the area tend to confirm the tradition that the original Wodeton Settlement in the wood i e in Bradon Forest was near the present Dunnington Road citation needed Allegedly under continuous occupation throughout Celtic and Romano British periods the land was granted in 681 AD to Malmesbury Abbey Further grants of land nearby appear in the records from time to time but of Wodeton itself we hear no more until it was sacked by the marauding Danes in 1015 whereupon the survivors decided to move uphill to the site of the present High Street Domesday Book edit Wootton Bassett is mentioned in the Domesday Book 4 of 1086 where it was noted that Miles Crispin held the rights and these included land for 12 ploughs a mill and 24 acres 9 7 ha of meadow 33 acres of pasture and woodland which is two leagues by a league It was said to be worth nine pounds Royal status edit In the early 21st century the town paid informal tributes during military repatriation funeral processions which passed through the town eventually attracting significant media coverage 5 On 16 March 2011 Prime Minister David Cameron announced at the start of Prime Minister s Questions that while from September military repatriations will no longer pass through the town of Wootton Bassett Her Majesty has agreed to confer the title Royal upon the town as an enduring symbol of the nation s admiration and gratitude 6 7 The addition to the town s name was enacted through Letters Patent and became effective on 16 October 2011 when The Princess Royal visited the town to present formally the Letters Patent to the town council 3 Royal Wootton Bassett has become the third Royal town in the country after Royal Leamington Spa and Royal Tunbridge Wells and the first to receive the status in over 100 years 6 Geography edit nbsp Sign warning of the risk of entrapment in the Mud SpringsSuburbs of Royal Wootton Bassett include Noremarsh Coped Hall Woodshaw and Vastern a small hamlet to the south Bishop Fowley is shown on Andrews and Dury s Map of Wiltshire 1810 8 as being an outlying hamlet southwest of the town the location is now known as Vowley Farm 9 Wootton Bassett Mud Spring is a 8 000 m2 86 000 sq ft geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which was notified in 1997 Governance editThe first tier of local government is Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council with 16 members elected by voters in three wards 10 Councillors elect one of their number to serve as mayor for a period of one year 11 The town falls under the auspices of Wiltshire Council a unitary authority established in 2009 as part of wider local government changes in England In the national government since the 1997 general election the town has been represented by the Conservative MP James Gray as the elected member for the North Wiltshire parliament constituency Royal Wootton Bassett is twinned with Blain in western France The original Wootton Bassett UK Parliamentary constituency was abolished in 1832 The right of the town to send two representatives to Parliament was first gained as early as 1446 and before the Reform Act 1832 Wootton Bassett was known as a Rotten Borough due to the way in which elections were conducted which were the antithesis of modern democratic elections Voters were required to state their preferences in public before representatives of each side and were openly bribed In 1754 the accounts of a successful candidate citation needed show that his supporters were paid 30 each for their vote and in the run up to the election the candidates secured the allegiance of public houses in the town where voters were plied with free refreshments Free beer was also provided by men who carried containers about the town The same accounts show that 1 077 was paid out to 12 pubs for the refreshments Population edit nbsp Housing on the large site of the former St Ivel factoryThe United Kingdom Census 2001 recorded the town s population as 11 043 indicating that the town tripled in population total during the previous 50 years Since the opening of the M4 motorway the town has become attractive to commuters many travelling to the towns and cities of Swindon Chippenham Bath and Bristol The town also has a significant Royal Air Force population due to its proximity to MoD Lyneham which is now largely a training establishment but until 2012 was the site of RAF Lyneham Education edit nbsp Royal Wootton Bassett AcademyRoyal Wootton Bassett has a secondary school Royal Wootton Bassett Academy on the north west edge of the town There are four primary schools St Bartholomew s Primary Academy formerly C of E Primary School Longleaze Primary School Noremarsh Junior School and Wootton Bassett Infants School The town is also home to detachments of the Army Cadet Force 12 and the Sea Cadets Economy editThe town has always been a market town and hence with many trades associated with farming and agriculture In 1908 Wiltshire United Dairies built a dairy and creamery in the town Merged in 1916 to form United Dairies in 1931 a private siding was opened from Wootton Bassett Junction railway station to allow milk trains to service the plant Merged into Unigate in 1958 the plant became a key production site for the St Ivel Shape brand yoghurts before being sold to Danone for 32m The factory consequently closed in February 2003 13 The site was sold for 19m in August 2004 and the factory demolished in June 2005 It was redeveloped as the Beaufort Park housing estate Disclosure and Barring Service has an office in the town 14 Repatriations edit nbsp Typical group of mourners with a veteran acting as flag bearer nbsp A convoy of hearses carrying the bodies of military personnel through Wootton Bassett in 2009From April 2007 the bodies of servicemen and women of the British Armed Forces killed in Iraq and Afghanistan were repatriated to RAF Lyneham 4 5 miles 7 5 km to the south 15 The bodies would then be transported to John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford in coffins covered with a Union Flag passing through the town on their way In the summer of 2007 local members of The Royal British Legion became aware of the repatriation and decided to formally show their respect to the soldiers as they passed through their town 15 This led to other people assembling along the route with large gatherings of sometimes over 1 000 people 15 After runway repairs at RAF Brize Norton had been completed the RAF continued to use Lyneham a Ministry of Defence spokesman saying that because the people of Wootton Bassett had done such a lot to lend their support it was felt it would be insensitive to transfer the process back to Brize 15 When RAF Lyneham closed in September 2011 the repatriations moved to RAF Brize Norton and go near to the town of Carterton 7 Tributes edit In October 2008 an Armed Forces parade was held in the town 16 On Friday 29 January 2010 the town was visited by The Prince of Wales and his wife The Duchess of Cornwall to lay a wreath at the War Memorial and meet local people 17 On 21 December 2009 Prince William presented the town with one of The Sun s Millie awards for Support to the Armed Forces stating One of the most remarkable things is that the people are so modest they refuse to accept any praise citation needed In May 2009 The Royal British Legion honoured Wootton Bassett with a special award in recognition of Legion members many of whom are ex servicemen and women who attend the repatriations 18 Motorcyclists from The Royal British Legion Riders Branch attended repatriations held in the town 19 15 20 Calls for the town to have Royal status bestowed on it had emerged in September 2009 and while in the form of petitions and social media campaigns there had been public support for both the Royal title and other forms of national expressions of thanks at the time local figures were less keen on the idea South Wootton Bassett councillor Chris Wannell and Wootton Bassett Mayor Steve Bucknell both thought that it was not what local people would want preferring to just honour the dead with no expectation of thanks 21 Other tributes have included a public mass charity motorcycle parade through the town in March 2010 which also raised 100 000 for the charity Afghan Heroes 22 In 2011 the community of Royal Wootton Bassett themselves made a less sombre tribute as they came together over 5 months to re record the classic Green Day track Wake Me Up When September Ends from their American Idiot album in aid of military charities The project was called Wootton Bassett Rocks 23 and its aim was to raise 1million for four charities The Royal British Legion Combat Stress The Undentable Trust and Soldiers Sailors Airmen amp Families Association SSAFA The single was made available for download and on DVD in November 2011 It climbed the rock charts in several countries citation needed Protests edit In 2009 the far right English Defence League visited Wootton Bassett 24 after plans for a demonstration in the town by the Muslim extremist group Islam4UK led by Anjem Choudary came under widespread condemnation 25 The group eventually called off the plan claiming that the publicity generated had successfully highlighted the plight of Muslims in Afghanistan and so no more could be achieved even if a procession were to take place 26 Arms of Royal Wootton Bassett edit nbsp The town armsAn official coat of arms was granted to Wootton Bassett Town Council by Letters Patent of Garter Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms on 30 August 2011 the day before the date of the Queen s Patent granting the designation Royal to the town The town had previously used unofficial Arms consisting of a chevron between three lozenges the granted design adapts this to reflect the Royal favour accorded in recognition of the town s role in recent repatriations of fallen servicemen and women and is Gules a Chevron Argent between in chief two Lozenges and in base a Lion passant guardant Or 27 The lion passant guardant is a visible heraldic sign of the royal favour Transport editRoad edit The main road through the town is the A3102 which connects it to Swindon to the east and Melksham to the south west a town in the west of the county The only other numbered road out of the town is the B4042 which runs to Malmesbury in the west The town is also close to Junction 16 of the M4 motorway connecting London with South Wales allowing easy access to other towns and cities of the M4 corridor Rail edit nbsp A First Great Western express train from South Wales approaches Wootton Bassett junctionRoyal Wootton Bassett has no railway station although it has been served in the past by Wootton Bassett Road and Wootton Bassett Junction stations and is a major junction on the rail network being the location where the South Wales Main Line branches off of the Great Western Main Line Thus stations nearby offer direct connections to London the South West and South Wales The first station to serve the town was Wootton Bassett Road opened by the Great Western Railway GWR in 1840 some distance from the town and sometimes referred to as Hay Lane when the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington reached the town After just a year with the completion of the Box Tunnel allowing the line to reach Bristol Temple Meads this was replaced by the closer Wootton Bassett railway station In 1903 after the South Wales line opened the station was demolished and rebuilt as Wootton Bassett Junction at the junction of the two lines British Railways closed that station in 1965 There have been ongoing attempts to re open a station in the early 21st century Commuters wishing to use train services would have to travel to Swindon or Chippenham for regular services to London and the West Country a bus service runs from Chippenham to Swindon via the town to allow these journeys to be made via public transport Canal edit nbsp The former Wilts amp Berks CanalThe route of the former Wilts amp Berks Canal passes through Royal Wootton Bassett parish south of the town The canal reached here from Semington in 1801 and was completed when it reached Abingdon in 1810 The last narrowboat traffic to Wootton Bassett was in 1906 and the canal was abandoned by Act of Parliament in 1914 The canal is now being restored by the Wilts amp Berks Canal Trust Culture editArts and theatre edit The town has an Arts Festival 28 celebrating music speech and drama with events in June and November Wootton Bassett Theatre 29 is at the Angel Hotel and teaches classes as well as putting on performances Sport edit In football the town is represented by Wootton Bassett Town F C who play their home games at the 2 000 capacity Gerard Buxton Sports Ground Other sports clubs include Wootton Bassett Hockey Club Wootton Bassett Otters Swimming Club Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club and Wootton Bassett Bowls Club 30 In summer 2015 the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground re located from Rylands Way to the north side of the Brinkworth Road just outside the town but walkable and cyclable from most parts The site is held by Trustees and is known overall as Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Association It is run almost exclusively by volunteers from the participating sports clubs Initially these were RWB Cricket Club Hounds running the Tennis Club and the Town Football Club they were joined in 2017 by the North Thames Boules Club now the Royal Wootton Bassett Petanque Club The main building hosts changing facilities a bar and tuck shop kitchen area meeting and function rooms Media edit Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter 31 The town s local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire on 103 5 FM Heart West on 97 2 FM Greatest Hits Radio South West formerly Sam FM on 107 7 and Swindon 105 5 a community based radio station which broadcast from its studios in Swindon on 105 5 FM Gazette and Herald is the local newspaper that serves the town Museums edit The Wootton Bassett Museum is the former town hall which is an upper storey supported on 15 pillars It was built at the end of the 17th century a gift from the Hyde family Earls of Clarendon 32 War memorial edit nbsp War MemorialThe town previously had war memorials in the form of a memorial garden in the cemetery and the memorial hall on Tinker s Field In October 2004 a new memorial was unveiled in the town a simple pedestal topped by a bronze of hands holding up a globe The opening was the culmination of a five year publicity and fund raising campaign initiated by local resident Jay Cunningham who felt that the garden and hall were not prominent enough 33 The design of the memorial was by Lance Corporal Alan Wilson of the Wootton Bassett Army Cadet Force chosen by public vote and then sculpted by local artist Vivien ap Rhys Price 34 Freedom of the Town editThe following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Royal Wootton Bassett This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items October 2022 Individuals edit Johnathan Dudley Bourne 29 July 2021 35 36 References edit Wootton Bassett City population Retrieved 25 October 2022 a b Ensor Josie 16 October 2011 Wootton Bassett officially re named royal town Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 16 October 2011 a b 16th October 2011 Wootton Bassett Town Council Archived from the original on 18 October 2011 Retrieved 1 October 2011 Domesday Book A Complete Transliteration London Penguin Books 2003 p 183 ISBN 0 14 143994 7 Jardine Cassandra Savill Richard 7 July 2009 Wootton Bassett A very British way of mourning The Daily Telegraph Online London Retrieved 24 November 2009 a b Prime Minister announces Royal Wootton Bassett Cabinet Office 16 March 2011 Retrieved 16 March 2011 a b Wootton Bassett to get Royal title in war dead honour BBC News 16 March 2011 Retrieved 16 March 2011 Wiltshire Community History Royal Wootton Bassett Retrieved 5 February 2014 Vowley Farm Retrieved 5 February 2014 Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council Wiltshire Council Retrieved 27 August 2016 Agenda for the Annual Meeting of Wootton Bassett Town Council PDF Wootton Bassett Town Council May 2011 Retrieved 27 August 2016 Royal Wootton Bassett ACF Facebook Page ACF Wootton Bassett plant closes BBC News 7 February 2003 Retrieved 14 June 2014 New address and telephone numbers for the DBS gov uk Retrieved 6 March 2022 a b c d e Gillan Audrey 25 February 2010 How Wootton Bassett became the town that cried The Guardian London ISSN 0261 3077 OCLC 60623878 Retrieved 20 March 2012 Adams Paul 12 October 2008 Town swells with patriotism and pride BBC Retrieved 12 October 2008 Royal respects at Wootton Bassett BBC News 29 January 2010 Legion award to Wootton Bassett British Legion website accessed 13 January 2010 British Legion Riders Bike into Bassett Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce Retrieved 10 July 2010 Deal Paul 10 November 2009 Wootton Bassett sheds tears for soldiers BBC News Retrieved 10 July 2010 Wallin James 16 September 2009 Wootton Bassett rejects talk of Royal title Swindon Advertiser Bikers ride in Wootton Bassett tribute BBC News 14 March 2010 Retrieved 4 January 2011 Home Wootton Bassett Charity Single and Video Woottonbassettrocks co uk Retrieved 14 June 2014 Right wing extremists descend on Wootton Bassett The Daily Telegraph London 11 January 2010 Islam4UK makes its demands The Daily Telegraph London 5 January 2010 Archived from the original on 8 January 2010 Arnold Adam 11 January 2010 Muslim Group Cancels Wootton Bassett March Sky News Online The College of Arms Newsletter September 2011 PDF College of arms gov uk Retrieved 14 June 2014 wbaf co uk woottonbassett theatre co uk Wootton Bassett Bowls www woottonbassettbowls co uk Full Freeview on the Mendip Somerset England transmitter UK Free TV 1 May 2004 Retrieved 6 October 2023 Historic Wootton Bassett pics Wiltshire Local History BBC Online January 2009 Retrieved 8 July 2010 Help us with war memorial money Swindon Advertiser 20 May 2002 Vivien ap Rhys Price Calne Artists Retrieved 4 January 2011 Johnathan Bourne to receive the Honour of Freedom of the Town Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council 28 July 2021 Retrieved 29 October 2022 Johnathan Bourne first Freeman of the Town Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council 6 August 2021 Retrieved 29 October 2022 Further reading editDunning R W Rogers K H Spalding P A Shrimpton Colin Stevenson Janet H Tomlinson Margaret 1970 Parishes Wootton Bassett In Crittall Elizabeth ed A History of the County of Wiltshire Volume 9 Victoria County History University of London pp 186 205 Retrieved 28 December 2022 via British History Online Pevsner Nikolaus Cherry Bridget revision 1975 1963 The Buildings of England Wiltshire Harmondsworth Penguin Books pp 596 599 ISBN 0 14 071026 4 Pugh R B Crittall Elizabeth eds 1956 Hospitals St John the Baptist Wootton Bassett A History of the County of Wiltshire Volume 3 Victoria County History University of London pp 368 369 Retrieved 28 December 2022 via British History Online External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Wootton Bassett Official website nbsp Wootton Bassett at Curlie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Royal Wootton Bassett amp oldid 1180143188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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