- Brailes
infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 52.0511
longitude= -1.5442
official_name= Brailes
population= 1,046
shire_district= Stratford-on-Avon
shire_county =Warwickshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Stratford-upon-Avon
post_town= BANBURY
postcode_district = OX15
postcode_area= OX
dial_code= 01608
os_grid_reference= SP3139Brailes (spellled "Brayles" in early historical documents) is a small
village about three miles east ofShipston-on-Stour and close to the border betweenWarwickshire andOxfordshire inEngland ,United Kingdom .It is made up of the two
linear village s of Lower and Upper Brailes, but is often referred to as one village, as the two elements have little boundary between them. Brailesparish includes the hamlet of Winderton which is about one mile to the north of Brailes. The 2001 census gave the population of the parish as 1,023.Brailes is situated among many
hills , with Upper Brailes built on the side of Brailes Hill, recognisable by the clump of trees (the "Highwall Coppice") on its top and the second-highest point in Warwickshire. ["The Warwickshire Village Book", compiled by Warwickshire Women's Institutes, p26. Countryside Books, 1988] The east side of the village is bordered by Mine Hill, which can be easily identified by the TV mast at its centre, and Holloway Hill, up which the B4035 road runs towardsBanbury .In the middle of the village is the man-made Castle Hill, once a
prehistoric burial ground and later the base for amotte-and-bailey castle . ["The Warwickshire Village Book", compiled by Warwickshire Women's Institutes, p26. Countryside Books, 1988]Brailes' most famous resident was
William de Brailes , one of only two known artists of the many responsible for13th-century medieval illuminated manuscript s. [Mee, Arthur: "The King's England - Warwickshire", pp65-7. Hodder and Stoughton, 1936]Landmarks
The local
parish church is dedicated toSt. George and is locally referred to as "The Cathedral of the Feldon" (the Feldon being anOld English word meaning "the land from which the timber has been cleared away"), [Evans, Herbert A: "Highways and Byways in Oxford and the Cotswolds", pp131-2. Macmillan and Co., 1905] is situated in Lower Brailes on Stocks Hill - so called as it was once the location of thestocks and now the location of aWar Memorial - near the George Hotel and Brailespost office . The church's tower is 120 feet (36.5m) tall and houses the second-largest six-bell peal in the world. [ [http://www.completely-cotswold.com/brailes/info/info.htm The Cotswolds - Brailes ] ] Down the hill from St. George's Church is the smallerRoman Catholic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, built in 1726 and situated upstairs in an old barn adjoining the now-derelict Old Rectory. On the other side of Stocks Hill is Brailes House, once home to the Sheldon family and now owned byJohn Maples , MP.In Lower Brailes there are two old school builings, the Free School and the Old School, which are now only used rarely. In the area between the two villages, there is situated Brailes Primary School, with about 100 pupils; the playing fields and pavilion; and the
Village Hall .In Upper Brailes, there is a
Methodist Chapel (built in 1863), and The Gate, Brailes' secondPub .Just outside Brailes to the south is Brailes
Golf Club , a fairly large 18-hole course.In recent years remains of a
Roman villa have been found, but the artifacts are far too scattered by years of cultivation to be of any significance. Brailes has ploughed its history back into the fields.About 2 miles to the south east of Brailes is located
Traitor's Ford , a popular spot for family picnics and children playing.Events
Castle Hill, Mine Hill and Brailes Hill are covered in the annual 'Brailes Three Hills Walk', held on the first Monday in May each year. For this walk, walkers are allowed across private land to the Highwall Coppice, which is not accessible at other times of year. The money raised by the walk goes to the school and the pavilion.
On the Saturday following
Guy Fawkes Night , a largeBonfire withfireworks is held in the playing fields. On this night, there is abarbecue and a popular hog roast.On usually the second Saturday in August, the Brailes Show is held. [http://www.brailesvillageshow.com] At this
agricultural show there are variousequestrian events and adog show . A marquee with flowers, vegetables and produce on show, various stalls, a barbecue, vintage and classic cars, motorbikes and tractors with a display of steam engines, as well as a main ring in which activities, such astug of war and performances such asfalconry are held. On the evening of the show, the "Farmer's Ball" is held in the marquee, with two or three live bands playing, often including theStrolling Bones (aRolling Stones tribute band).External links
* [http://www.brailesvillage.co.uk Brailes Village]
* [http://www.brailes-parish.org.uk Brailes Parish]
* [http://www.brailesgolfclub.co.uk Brailes Golf Club]
* [http://www.brailesvillageshow.com Brailes Show website]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3812617 photos of Brailes and surrounding area on geograph]References
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