Wincanton

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0559
longitude= -2.4102
official_name= Wincanton
population = 4,643
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
Ambulance= South Western
constituency_westminster= Somerton and Frome
post_town= WINCANTON
postcode_district = BA9
postcode_area= BA
dial_code= 01963
os_grid_reference= ST712286

Wincanton is a small town in south Somerset, southwest England. The town lies on the A303 road, the main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. The town has a population of 4,943 (2002 estimate).

This town existed at a very early period, and was frequently the scene of contest between the Britons, Danes, and Saxons. The Britons, having collected a large army, engaged with the West Saxons near this town, but were totally defeated, and in the reign of Edmund Ironside, the English, under his command, defeated the Danes at this place, and obliged them to abandon the island. It is famous for being the point where the Prince of Orange gained his first advantage over King James II. In 1688. It is also noted for having been a depot for French Officers, prisoners on parade, during the last war; there were between three or four hundred here.

A great part of the town was destroyed by fire in the year 1747, but since rebuilt in a more elegant manner.

The principal seats in the vicinity are, Roundhill House, the residence of George Wyndham, Esq.; and Holbrook House, the mansion of Henry Hall, Esq. There is a beautiful and extensive view southward, over the vale of Blackmoor, uninterrupted for upwards of twenty miles.

Wincanton has one Secondary school, King Arthur's Community School [http://www.kingarthurs.somerset.sch.uk] , which is Somerset's first specialist Sports College. The town has a horse racing track at Wincanton Racecourse and had a railway station on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway but this closed on 7 March, 1966.

Industry

Wincanton has given its name to Europe's second largest logistics company, Wincanton PLC, where it still has a base, although its head office function moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire in 2005. Wincanton is also home to North Downs Dairy, producer of the Pilgrim's Choice brand of Cheddar cheese, the second best selling brand in the UK. There has been an influx of foreign nationals in the last two years, especially Portuguese and Polish citizens who are mainly working at both of Wincanton's cheese factories, North Downs and [http://www.wykefarms.com Wyke Farms] .

Twinning

Wincanton is unique in the fact that it is twinned with a town which can only be found in fiction. As well as Gennes / Les Rosiers in France and Lahnau in Germany, Wincanton is twinned with Ankh-Morpork, a city state near the Circle Sea on Terry Pratchett's Discworld. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2549557.stm BBC NEWS | England | Pratchett city twins with real town ] ] There is a shop in High Street called [http://www.artificer.co.uk/ The Cunning Artificer] , named after a street in Ankh-Morpork. The town is twinned with:
* Gennes / Les Rosiers
* Lahnau
* Ankh-Morpork

References

External links

* A History of the County of Somerset: Vol 7: [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18755 Wincanton at the History of the County of Somerset]
* [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/cultureheritage/heritage/projects/eus/wincanton Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey on Wincanton]
* [http://www.wincantoncarnival.com Wincanton Carnival]
* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/logos%20&%20pictures/town%20&%20village%20pages/wincanton.htm Photos of Wincanton in 3d (Anaglyphs)]