Radford Semele
| Radford Semele | |
| Warwickshire | |
|---|---|
 St Nicholas Church in 2005 | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP344644 |
| Location: | 52°16’37"N, 1°29’46"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 2,012 (2011) |
| Post town: | Leamington Spa |
| Postcode: | CV31 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Warwick |
Radford Semele is a village and parish in the Knightlow hundred of Warwickshire, situated close to the Regency spa town of Leamington Spa. According to the 2001 UK census, Radford Semele parish had a population of 2,034,[1] reducing to 2,012 at the 2011 Census.[2] It lies on the A425 road between Leamington (2½ miles to the west) and Southam (six miles to the south-east). It has a 16th-century pub with a priest hole. The local school is the Radford Semele Church of England School. This is a primary school and most senior pupils go to school in either Southam, Leamington Spa or Warwick which are close by. As well as the parish church of St Nicholas the village also has a second church built in 1874, the Radford Semele Baptist Church.[3]
History
A poorly preserved Roman villa was excavated in 1974 at NGR SP 342624 near Pounce Hill Farm, approximately a mile south of the village.[4]
The village is named after a family from Saint-Pierre-de-Semilly in Normandy - they were lords of the manor in around 1120.
The old Weedon to Leamington Spa line used to run through the village but in the late 1960s the line was closed to passengers. The site of where the old line used to be is now a new cycleway as part of The National Cycle Network.
Pubs
The village has a 16th-century pub called The White Lion situated on the main road running through the village. On 2 February 2006 the pub caught alight, ruining the thatched roof and interior.[5] As of January 2011 the pub is open again.
St Nicholas Church
St Nicholas Church, a Grade-II listed building, caught fire on 16 March 2008 and all that remained was the tower and shell of the building.[6] The fire was initially not considered suspicious;[7] however, since there is evidence that there was a break-in on the night of the fire, it is believed to have been arson, following failed attempts at several other churches nearby.[8] The church has since been restored and was reopened on 15 May 2013.[9]
References
- ↑ "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Radford Semele CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=800354&c=Radford+Semele&d=16&e=15&g=494626&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1215985409565&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779.
- ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127791&c=Radford+Semele&d=16&e=62&g=6472667&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1451385169422&enc=1.
- ↑ "Home - RSBC". Radford Semele Baptist Church. http://www.rsbc.info.
- ↑ https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archsearch/record?titleId=98199
- ↑ "Firefighters tackle old pub blaze". BBC News Online (BBC). 3 February 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/4675794.stm.
- ↑ "Medieval church damaged by fire". BBC News Online (BBC). 16 March 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7299456.stm.
- ↑ "Warwickshire blaze church will cost millions". icCoventry.co.uk (Coventry Telegraph). 18 March 2008. http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0150swarksnews/tm_headline=warwickshire-blaze-church-will-cost-millions&method=full&objectid=20639270&siteid=92746-name_page.html.
- ↑ "Fire church now cleared of debris". BBC News Online (BBC). 25 May 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7419161.stm.
- ↑ "Arson-hit St Nicholas' Church to reopen after restoration". BBC News Online (BBC). 12 May 2013. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-22501505.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Radford Semele) |
- National Heritage List 1364924: St Nicholas Church