Budbrooke

Infobox UK place
country = England
latitude = 52.284
longitude = -1.621
official_name = Budbrooke
static_

static_image_caption =
population = 2,319
civil_parish =
shire_district = Warwick
shire_county = Warwickshire
region = West Midlands
constituency_westminster = Warwick & Leamington
post_town =
postcode_district = CV35
postcode_area = CV
dial_code = +44(0)1926
os_grid_reference = SP2665

Budbrooke is a small village and civil parish in the Warwick district of Warwickshire, England, about 2½ miles west of Warwick town centre. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 2,319. The majority of the population of Budbrooke live in Hampton Magna, a spacious housing estate built in the late 1960's, with other smaller settlements in Budbrooke Village and Hampton on the Hill.

History

Middle Ages

The original parish dates from 1086 when Ralph de Limesi held Budebroc for William the Conqueror. It consisted of five hides of land, a mill, farms and woods. It was one mile long and three furlongs wide. The Parish Church of St. Michael dates from the twelfth century.

In 1350, the village suffered from the Black Death and literally became a ghost town. Most of the village, including the Vicarage and the Manor, crumbled. The track which now passes under the railway arch known as Kyte’s Bridge was the most likely route for the corpses being taken from the village to Dead Field on Hatton Hill. Of the original village, only the church remains, and even that became a ruin in the mid-17th Century, not to be restored until Victorian times.

Early Modern period

When the old village declined, the centre of gravity of the parish moved to Grove Park, the home of the Dormer family who were granted the manor in 1608.

During the English Civil War, a force of five thousand Royalist horse and foot soldiers paused at Grove Park to rest. The Parliamentarian supporter, Lord Brook in Warwick, was aware of their arrival and, with seven thousand men, met the Royalists. After some "negotiations" the Royalist forces marched away, joining the King and his army at Coventry.

The village of Hampton-on-the-Hill, on the edge of Grove Park, became the main development area of the parish. A significant community developed there, with a shop that later became a police house, a forge, a Post Office, a club room and a public house. The Roman Catholic Church of St Charles Borromeo was built by Lord Dormer and given to the Parish in 1819.

Budbrooke barracks

The barracks of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was created in 1877 within the parish, on a site about half a mile to the east of Budbrooke Church. A restored St. Michael's Church became the battalion church. The barracks remained in use until the mid-1960's.

The military connections of the area are retained in some of the road names in the village, with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment itself being commemorated in a road called simply, "The Warwicks". Caen Close and Normandy Close recall the part played by the regiment in the liberation of France during the Second World War. Arras Boulevard commemorates the Battle of Arras during the First World War. Montgomery Avenue is named after General Montgomery.

The barracks site was remembered in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, which were held in the parish on 10th September 2005.

Creation of Hampton Magna

In the late 1960's and early 1970's the barracks site was re-developed into the "20th Century Village" of Hampton Magna. As a result of the community spirit in the new village, a Community Centre was built in Field Barn Road on land leased to the Parish Council by the local District Council. Budbrooke Primary School was built in 1968, replacing the old school in Hampton-on-the Hill.

Budbrooke today

The parish is dominated by the Hampton Magna housing estate, with Hampton-on-the-Hill being the second largest settlement. The village of Budbrooke is extremely small and consists of only a few buildings. In addition, there are a small handful of farms within the parish.

Amenities

The parish has one school (Budbrooke Primary School), which is located in the centre of Hampton Magna. There are two churches in the parish; these are St. Michael's, a 12th Century Anglican parish church located in Budbrooke village, and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Hampton-on-the-Hill.

The local pub (after being originally called The 'Bout Time, because of the time it took the brewer to decide to build it) is named after Montgomery of Alamein, and is inevitably known to locals as "The Monty". Located in the centre of Hampton Magna, it contains a collection of photographs and other memorabilia of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment including many photographs of Montgomery, and relics of the war in the desert. Next to the pub is the Budbrooke Community Centre.

The original six shops in Hampton Magna included a newsagents, a hardware store, a VG shop, a greengrocer, a hairdresser and a butchers shop. Today, three units remain: a combined Post Office, newsagent and Premier shop; a beauty salon; and "The Open Door", a cafe, meeting centre and fair trade products shop sponsored by St. Michael's Church. Housing has been built on the site of the other three units.

Other facilities in Hampton Magna include a surgery, the "Cawston House" suite of retirement properties, and two parks (on Styles Close and Montgomery Avenue).

In Hampton-on-the-Hill, most of the former public buildings have been converted to private dwellings. However, a modern village hall (on the site of a previous hall provided by the Dormer family) still provides a focal point for the community.

Earthquake

Budbrooke was famously the epicentre of one of the largest earthquakes in the UK in 2000, hitting 4.2 on the Richter Scale.cite web| title=Crimes, Fires & Accidents - Earthquake In Budbrooke| url=http://www.cwn.org.uk/999/2000/09/000923-earthquake.htm| accessdate=2008-06-21] This has since been surpassed.cite web| title= Warwickshire Earthquakes| url=http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/388526D144C14FFB80256C400055CC2B| accessdate=2008-06-21]

Transport

Budbrooke is close to the A46 which runs to the east of the parish. This leads to Coventry in the northbound direction, and to junction 15 of the M40 in the southbound direction. Access to nearby Warwick is provided by both the A425 and A4189.

Warwick Parkway railway station is located within Budbrooke parish, which is operated by Chiltern Railways. Located about half a mile north-east of Hampton Magna, it provides direct rail services to both London and Birmingham, via the Chiltern Line. The station primarily serves as a park and ride facility for the wider area, but is also used by local residents.

The Birmingham "main line" of the Grand Union Canal falls within Budbrooke parish and the Hatton flight of 21 locks that lift the canal up out of the Avon valley are just outside of the village.

References

External links

* [http://www.budbrookepc.plus.com/index.htm Budbrooke Parish Website]
* [http://www.stmichaels-budbrooke.org.uk/StMichaels/index.php St. Michael's Church, Budbrooke]
* [http://www.budbrooke.warwickshire.sch.uk Budbrooke Primary School]
* [http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/WRP/details.html Warwick Parkway Station]