Blunsdon
| Blunsdon | |
| Wiltshire | |
|---|---|
 Chapel Hill, Blunsdon ca.1920 | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SU154902 |
| Location: | 51°36’36"N, 1°47’24"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 12,414 (2011[1]) |
| Post town: | Swindon |
| Postcode: | SN25, SN26 |
| Dialling code: | 01793 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Swindon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Swindon |
| Website: | Parish Council |
Blunsdon is a parish in Wiltshire, about four miles north of the centre of Swindon. Its main settlement is the village of Broad Blunsdon, with Lower Blunsdon nearby; the hamlet of Broadbush is now contiguous with Broad Blunsdon.
Blunsdon is the eastern half of the ancient parish of Blunsdon St Andrew. In April 2017 the parish was divided, with the western half becoming St Andrews parish.
History
Blunsdon dates from Roman times: it was discovered that a Roman travellers' resting place existed on the site of the present-day Cold Harbour public house. The main A419 road follows the course of a Roman road known as Ermin Street that linked the historic Roman towns of Gloucester (Glevum) and Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), via Cirencester (Corinium). In 1086 it appears in the Domesday Book as Bluntesdone.
Sport
Blunsdon's Abbey Stadium is the home of Swindon Greyhounds, plus speedway team the Swindon Robins. The Robins compete in the Elite League, with matches regularly televised live. However, this was briefly under threat in 2006 due to plans by developers to demolish the stadium and replace it with houses with a proposal to build a smaller greyhound racing stadium elsewhere, but these were modified to a propose a new stadium on the existing site for both sports.
These plans were at first recommended for refusal by the Council Officers for various reasons, the developers agreed to take the plans away for adjustment and in May 2008 planning inspectors approved the new plans, which included 450 houses and office space.[2]
The village has a football team, Blunsdon FC, which has youth development squads as well as a senior men's side playing in the Wiltshire League.
Village shop
After the last privately owned shop in the village closed in 2002, a village public meeting convened and agreed to open a new community shop, which was opened in 2003.[3] Located in the car park of the village hall, the shop was originally based inside a secondhand site office cabin, but in 2009 this was replaced by a brand new structure. Run mainly by volunteers, in 2010 the shop won third place for 'Best Village Shop' at the Wiltshire Life Magazine Awards.[4]
Transport
The Swindon and Cricklade Railway has rebuilt Blunsdon railway station, just outside the parish boundary.
A bypass was built between the autumn of 2006 and spring 2009. This reunited Broad Blunsdon village with the portion that was south-west of the former A419.
References
- ↑ "Wiltshire Community History - Census". Wiltshire Council. http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcensus.php?item=Blunsdon+St.+Andrew. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ↑ "New Swindon speedway stadium moves ahead". Gazette & Herald. 12 May 2008. http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2264333.mostviewed.new_swindon_speedway_stadium_moves_ahead.php.
- ↑ "Blunsdon village shop". http://www.communityshops.coop/shop/blunsdon-village-shop#.
- ↑ "Wiltshire Life Awards Initiative 2010". http://www.wiltshirelife.co.uk/downloads/awards_winner10.pdf#.
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Blunsdon) |