Thruxton, Hampshire

infobox UK place

country = England
latitude= 51.2079

longitude= -1.5833

official_name= Thruxton
population =
shire_district= Test Valley
shire_county = Hampshire
region= South East England

constituency_westminster= North West Hampshire
post_town= ANDOVER
postcode_district = SP11
postcode_area= SP
dial_code= 01264
os_grid_reference= SU292455

Thruxton is just off the A303 road five miles (8 km) west of Andover. It is a picturesque village with a Manor House, thatched cottages and village green. Pillhill Brook runs from Thruxton Down through the grounds of the Manor House and along the village street to Mullen's Pond, a natural habitat for many species of migratory birds and wild plants.

History

Thruxton was almost certainly one of four ‘Annes’ named in the Domesday Book under the Andover Hundred. In the 12th century the name was Turkilleston (Turkil being a Saxon name and ‘tun’ being the Saxon word for farmstead and later hamlet, or village - so Turkils or Thurcols Homestead ) which, over the centuries, changed via Thruckleston (16th century), Throxton (18th century) to the present form.

A Roman building considered to be a temple or a basilican villa was unearthed in 1823, which contained a mosaic depicting Bacchus seated on a tiger. The tessellated pavement was acquired for the British Museum in 1893.

Parts of the parish church of St Peter and St Paul's date from the thirteenth century and contain the tombs of three knights.

The toll house for Andover to Amesbury turnpike road at Mullen's Pond was demolished in 1965.

Race track

Thruxton Circuit is a major draw for visitors to the area and can claim to be Britain's fastest motor racing circuit. Currently the track plays host to a variety of high profile car and motorbike championships, including the British Superbikes, as well as truck racing. The circuit is located on the site of the former aircraft base.

Airfield

RAF Thruxton was first used on 22/6/1942 by Blenheims of no.2 spc. During 1942/43 the airfield was used by many different RAF squadrons. In January 1942, 12 Whitley bombers landed in preparation for the now famous Bruneval raid which took place on 27/28 February 1942. The Americans arrived in 1944 with their P-47 Thunderbolts under the command of Col. Dyke F Meyer.

Civilian flight training started at Thruxton in 1947 when the airfield was taken over by The Wiltshire School of Flying until 1967. Western Air then took on the mantle of training people to fly and even today their instructors are teaching some of the local military the delights of flying light aircraft.

Public houses

There are two village pubs; the White Horse, a fifteenth century thatched pub at Mullens Pond south of the A303, and the George Inn, a coaching inn dating from the seventeenth century near the centre of the village.

External links and references

* [http://www.thruxtonvillage.com/index.html Thruxton Village] (Official website for Thruxton)
* [http://www.southernlife.org.uk/thruxton.htm#Thruxton Pictures, Facts] (www.southernlife.org.uk)
* [http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/hantsgaz/hantsgaz/s0007094.htm Old maps of Thruxton] (Old Hampshire Gazetteer, University of Portsmouth)
* [http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol08/page215.html Thruxton treasures] (Hampshire Treasures Online, Hampshire County Council)
* [http://www.barc.net/thruxton.htm Thruxton Circuit] (British Automobile Racing Club)
* [http://www.westernairthruxton.co.uk Flying School and Airfield home page - ICAO designation EGHO]
* [http://www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/home.html Race track homepage]
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/T-V/Thruxton.htm airfield control tower] (control.towers.co.uk)
* [http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/thx.html new/old aerial photos + history of airfield] (Aviation in Hampshire)