Ramsbury

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption=
official_name= Ramsbury
population = 3,257
shire_district= Kennet
shire_county= Wiltshire
region= South West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town=
postcode_district =
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= SU275715
latitude= 51.4418
longitude=-1.6057

Ramsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. In the Census 2001, the parish had a population of 3,257. Locals are known as the Ramsbury Bulldogs which is similar to the neighbouring village of Aldbourne where the locals are known as Dabchicks.

Location

Ramsbury lies in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire border. The nearest towns are Hungerford, about 4 miles east, and Marlborough, 6 miles west. The larger town of Swindon is 12 miles north

Administration

As a civil parish, it has an elected parish council. It is within the areas of Kennet District Council and Wiltshire County Council. All three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government.

History

The well-known Littlecote Roman Villa is located within the parish, but the earliest recorded history of Ramsbury can only be traced back to the Saxons who considered the site of such importance that a bishopric was created in AD 909. The see was moved to Old Sarum in 1075.

The church is 13th century, and has a ghost story: if anyone counts the hundred studs on the north door at midnight, it will open, and Wild William Darrell of Littlecote House will come out. [cite book|title= The life and achievements of Sir John Popham, 1531-1607 : leading to the establishment of the first English colony in New England|first= Douglas Walthew|last= Rice|location= Madison, New Jersey|publisher= Fairleigh Dickinson University Press p.90]

Notable residents

The village's notable residents have included Sir Francis Burdett, a radical whig politician, and his daughter Angela Burdett-Coutts. In 1837 Angela became the wealthiest woman in England when she inherited her grandfather's fortune. Over the next few years she gave most of this money away to good causes. By the time she died in 1906 Angela Burdett-Coutts had given away nearly three million pounds. Both lived in Ramsbury Manor, which was sold in the 1960s and is now home to Harry Hyams, the property tycoon who built the office block Centre Point at the junction of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, London. The Manor was the target for a major burglary by a professional gang in 2006. The culprits received long prison sentences in 2008cite web|title = BBC news report 6 August 2008 - five jailed for biggest burglary|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7544650.stm|accessdate = 2008-10-05] cite web|title = The Guardian 7 August 2008 - After 20 years, five police forces and £80m in loot, Britain's biggest crime family brought to justice|url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/aug/07/ukcrime|accessdate = 2008-10-05] .

Stefan Persson (owner of H&M) also has a main residence on the outskirts of Ramsbury. He also owns the Ramsbury microbrewery [cite web|title = Ramsbury Microbrewery Official Site|url = http://www.ramsburybrewery.com/m_bottledbeer3.htm|accessdate = 2008-09-15] which produces " 'Ramsbury Gold' " bottled beer amongst others.

References

ources

* [http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom2.php?id=188 Wiltshire County Council Website page on Ramsbury] , retrieved 09:37 Nov 15, 2004 (UTC)
* [http://www.kennet.gov.uk/leg_dem/web_comm_minutes.nsf/9055528f2a958b9d8025687f00608fad/ad938383d4963c02802567310036bf78?OpenDocument Kennet District Council Website page on Ramsbury parish] , retrieved 09:40 Nov 15, 2004 (UTC)
* [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/AreaProfileFrames.asp?aid=184518&hid=14&tid=14 Office for National Statistics Census Data on Ramsbury] , retrieved 09:40 Nov 15, 2004 (UTC)