- Congresbury
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Coordinates: 51°22′04″N 2°48′39″W / 51.3677°N 2.8109°W
Congresbury 
St Andrew's Church, Congresbury
Congresbury
Congresbury shown within SomersetPopulation 3,400 (2001)[1] OS grid reference ST435635 Unitary authority North Somerset Ceremonial county Somerset Region South West Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town Bristol Postcode district BS49 Dialling code 01934 Police Avon and Somerset Fire Avon Ambulance Great Western EU Parliament South West England UK Parliament Weston-super-Mare List of places: UK • England • Somerset Congresbury (locally pronounced "Congsbry") is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, and in 2001 had a population of 3,400.[1] It lies on the A370, roughly equidistant between Junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol International Airport, approximately 13 miles (21 km) south of Bristol city centre, and 7 miles (11 km) east of Weston-super-Mare. The Congresbury Yeo river flows through the village.
The nearest railway station is in the nearby village of Yatton, although Congresbury once had its own railway station on the Cheddar Valley line from Yatton to Wells. It was also the starting point for the Wrington Vale Light Railway which went to nearby Wrington and then on to Blagdon.
Contents
History
Congresbury is named after St Congar, who is said to have performed three miracles in the area.[2] The second part of the name is thought to come from burh meaning fortified place.[3]
The remains of an Iron Age hill fort at Cadbury Hill have been discovered,[4] as well as a Roman villa, temple and hoard of coins.[5] Older Christian burial grounds have also been discovered on Cadbury Hill.[6]
The archaeologist Mick Aston identified an Anglo-Saxon sculpture of St Congar which is believed to have come from St Andrews Church, and which is now in the Somerset County Museum in Taunton.[7] The parish was part of the Winterstoke Hundred.[8]
The village cross dates from the 15th century and is a Grade II* listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.[9]
The Vicarage includes an early 19th century vicarage and former Priest's House from around 1446. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[10]
The village had a school founded in the 1870s that was split into separate infant and junior schools in the early 1970s. In September, 2009 the two schools were re-joined as one primary school.
Congresbury's history lies mainly as a farming village, but only about seven farms now (2007) remain.
Governance
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall or community centre, playing fields and playgrounds, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.
The parish falls within the unitary authority of North Somerset which was created in 1996, as established by the Local Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier of local government with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area including local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection, recycling, cemeteries, crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism. It is also responsible for education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Avon Fire and Rescue Service, Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the Great Western Ambulance Service.
North Somerset's area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare. Between April 1, 1974 and April 1, 1996, it was the Woodspring district of the county of Avon.[11] Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Axbridge Rural District.[12]
The parish is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of the Weston-super-Mare county constituency. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It is also part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.
Economy
Congresbury is a large village and has several public houses. There is a wide variety of shops, many of them owned by individuals offering specialist products. In the village precinct on Brinsea Street there is a Costcutter general store, a bakers/sandwich shop, a butchers, a post office, newsagent, a fish and chip shop, farmers general store and nearby, two small, car dealerships. Near the village cross there is a carpet shop, window shop, a hairdresser/beauty shop and one of the public houses. Opposite these is Broad street, an unusually wide street suggesting it was a planned arrangement for the weekly market and annual fair.[13] On Broad Street there is now (2011) an outdoors leisure wear shop, pharmacy, Indian cuisine restaurant, arts shop, barbers, hairdressers/beauty shop, Indian cuisine take-away, charity shop and estate agent. On the other side of the A370 there is a piano shop, hairdresser, and several local businesses. Heading west out of the village towards Weston-super-Mare there is a convenience store, sports shop, two large car dealerships, a Greek cuisine restaurant and a petrol station. Heading north out the village towards Bristol there is another petrol station and a Tesco Express built in 2011.
Education
The local authority responsible for education is North Somerset Council. Congresbury has a pre-school and St Andrews Primary School. Secondary education is not available in the village and so many of Congresbury's children commute daily to the nearby village of Churchill to attend Churchill Academy and Sixth Form.
Religious sites
The Anglican Church of St Andrew in Congresbury, Somerset, England dates from the 13th century but was extensively altered in the 15th century[14] and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[10]
There is also a Methodist Chapel on Brinsea Road (B3133) which was constructed in 1878 to seat 150 people.[15]
Sport and recreation
Congresbury
Congresbury has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V. Sporting facilities for the football club,[16] tennis club,[17] and cricket club (formed in 1844),[18][19] are provided by the umbrella organisation, the Congresbury Recreation Club.[20] The Recreation Club is also home to several skittles teams, darts teams and the Congresbury CyberCafe.
The village is home to the Mendip Spring Country Club and Golf Course, and also offers fishing in purpose built lakes and the River Yeo itself.
In the beginning of the 21st century, Congresbury opened a Millennium Green situated next to the River Yeo and a Millennium Bridge[21] spanning the river to join north and south Congresbury. As well as being a quiet sanctuary, the Millennium Green has also played host to a village music festival. Near to the Millennium Green there is a basketball court.
The village has many recreational groups[22] including Cubs, Scouts and Brownies, a bell-ringing club and a youth club. In the heart of the village there is also a bowls club,[23] which has an annual competition open to all.
There is an annual village fete held at the primary school.
Congresbury lies next to the Strawberry Line,[24] an old railway line now converted to a pathway for walkers and cyclists to enjoy the countryside with views over the North Somerset Levels and reserves on the Congresbury Moors,[25] which is maintained by the local conservation group, YACWAG.[26]
Other facilities
Congresbury also has a medical practice, library and War Memorial Hall constructed in 1820.[27]
References
- ^ a b "Parish of Congresbury". 2001 Census Parish Information Sheet. North Somerset Council. http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6DEB49AD-E71B-4B0F-936A-F9DDA1317068/0/census_CongresburyParishCensusInfo2001.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ Scott, Shane (1995). The hidden places of Somerset. Aldermaston: Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 37. ISBN 1902007018.
- ^ Havinden, Michael. The Somerset Landscape. The making of the English landscape. London: Hodder and Stoughton. p. 84. ISBN 0340201169.
- ^ Alcock, Leslie (1971). Arthur's Britain. London: Allen Lane: The Penguin Press. ISBN 0-7139-0245-0.
- ^ Scarth, Harry. "Roman burial at Cadbury Hill, near Yatton". Wrington online. http://www.wringtonsomerset.org.uk/history/roman/scarth.html. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
- ^ "Yatton and Cadbury Hillfort Circular". Bristol City Council. http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/download/asset/?asset_id=32656203. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ Eggington, Steve (January 2008). "The Time Team Prof". Mendip Times.
- ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ "Village Cross". Listed Buildings Online. English Heritage. http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=33963&resourceID=5. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ a b "The Vicarage and The Refectory". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=33964. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- ^ "The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995". HMSO. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uksi_19950493_en_1.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
- ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Axbridge Rural District
- ^ cite web|url=http://www.congresburyhistory.org.uk/walkvillage/walkvillage.html%7Ctitle=War Memorial Hall|accessdate=25 October 2011}}
- ^ "St Andrew's church". http://www.standrewscongresbury.org/history.php/en-en/youthgroup/alpha/Viewpoint%201948.pdf. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
- ^ cite web|url=http://www.congresburyhistory.org.uk/walkvillage/walkvillage.html%7Ctitle=War Memorial Hall|accessdate=25 October 2011}}
- ^ "Congresbury Football Club". http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/congresburyfc/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "Congresbury Tennis Club". http://tennis.congresbury.net/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "Congresbury Cricket Club". http://congresbury.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "About". Congresbury Cricket Club. http://www.congresburycricketclub.co.uk/?page_id=2. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
- ^ "Congresbury Recreation Club". http://congresburyrecreationclub.webeden.co.uk/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "Millenium bridge". http://www.congresburyhistory.org.uk/2021centuries/2021centuries.html. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ "List of clubs". http://congresbury.net/clubsgroups/clubsgroups1.html. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ "Congresbury Bowls Club". http://congresburybowls.co.uk/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "The Strawberry Line". http://www.thestrawberryline.co.uk/.
- ^ "Congresbury Moors". http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/project_nslm.htm. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "YACWAG". http://www.wlowman.freeserve.co.uk/Oursite/. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ cite web|url=http://www.congresburyhistory.org.uk/walkvillage/walkvillage.html%7Ctitle=War Memorial Hall|accessdate=5 October 2011}}
External links
The North Somerset Levels Categories:- Civil parishes in Somerset
- Villages in North Somerset
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