Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 50.93
longitude= -1.79
official_name= Fordingbridge
population=
shire_district= New Forest
shire_county= Hampshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= New Forest West
post_town= FORDINGBRIDGE
postcode_district = SP6
postcode_area= SP
dial_code= 01425
os_grid_reference= SU1414

Fordingbridge is a former market town with a population of six thousand on the River Avon and the A338 road in the west of Hampshire, England, near to the Dorset and Wiltshire borders and on the edge of the New Forest. It is within easy reach of the city of Salisbury, and the seaside resort of Bournemouth. The Avon Valley Path passes through the town.

Fordingbridge was recorded in the Domesday Book under the name "Forde".cite book|title=A Topographical Dictionary of England|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=50968 |accessdate=2007-03-17|year=1848|pages=250-3] The town received its present name when the river was bridged at the town in 1286 or earlier.cite web|url=http://www3.hants.gov.uk/localpages/south-west/fordingbridge/fordingbridge-attract.htm |title=Fordingbridge|accessdate=2007-03-17|date=2007-03-14|publisher=Hampshire County Council] The first Great Bridge, built in mediaeval times, is upstream from the ford. The bridge is a major feature of the town with its seven graceful arches, which can be seen very easily from the town’s large riverside park where you can walk along the riverbank draped with willows and waterside plants. Close by is a children’s play area, secluded memorial gardens, parks and sports playing fields.

The Fordingbridge Museum, which houses local history exhibits, and the Visitor Information Centre are located in King's Yard. There is also a Roman villa in the nearby village of Rockbourne, which is open to visitors during the summer.

Since 1982 Fordingbridge has been twinned with Vimoutiers in Normandy.

Not far from the High Street is the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin. Largely built in 1150 it has some typical Norman characteristics.

Once an industrial and commercial centre, Fordingbridge boasted many trades and was noted for its smuggling. The infamous Captain Diamond, the “Smuggler King”, spent much of his time in a local hostelry. A bronze statue of the controversial painter, Augustus John, stands on the banks of the Avon near the Great Bridge. In 2007, the High Street supermarket became the first in the country to adopt The Co-operative brand in a national facelift for consumer co-operatives. [Cite news
publisher=Salisbury Journal
url=http://archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/2007/4/19/313945.html
date=2007-04-19
accessdate=2008-05-21
title=New-look £1m Co-op store a national first
]

The local comprehensive school is The Burgate School And Sixth Form Centre, which is situated in the northern outskirts of the town.

Fordingbridge railway station was closed in 1964. It was originally just outside the town, on the road leading to Sandleheath village, and connected the town with Salisbury in the North and Poole to the South.

Fordingbridge is also home to Fordingbridge Turks FC, one of the oldest football clubs in England.

Famous residents

* Augustus John - artist, born 1878, who lived in Fordingbridge from 1927 until his death in 1961 despite mixed feelings from local residentscite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/series10/week4.shtml|title=BBC Inside Out|accessdate=2007-03-17|date=2006-10-02|publisher=BBC]
* Frank Jefferis - former Southampton, Everton and England footballer, born 1884
* Denise Bratherton - gypsy maiden, born 1622

References

External links

* [http://www.avonvalley.fordingbridge.org St Mary's Parish Church Fordingbridge]
* [http://www.fordingbridge.gov.uk Fordingbridge Town Council]
* [http://www.hants.gov.uk/localpages/south_west/fordingbridge/ Fordingbridge Town Information]
* [http://www.breamore.gov.uk Breamore Parish Council]
* [http://www.sandleheath.gov.uk Sandleheath Parish Council]
* [http://www.fordingbridgesociety.org.uk/ Fordingbridge Society]
* [http://www.fordingbridgemuseum.co.uk/ Fordingbridge Museum]
* [http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/rockbourne/ Rockbourne Roman Villa]
* [http://www.fordingbridge.com/ Fordingbridge Internet (Local Information)]
* [http://www.thenewforest.net New Forest Community Media] - A not-for-profit media site serving the National Park


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fordingbridge — (spr. Fahrdingbridsch), Marktflecken am Avon in der englischen Grafschaft Southampton; Woll u. Baumwollspinnerei, Zwillichweberei, Calicotdruckerei; 2700 Ew …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Fordingbridge — (spr. briddsch), altertümlicher Marktflecken in Hampshire (England), am Avon, 15 km südlich von Salisbury, mit (1901) 3162 Einw …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Fordingbridge — (spr. brĭdsch), Stadt in der engl. Grafsch. Hampshire, am Avon, (1901) 6137 E …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Fordingbridge — Original name in latin Fordingbridge Name in other language State code GB Continent/City Europe/London longitude 50.92747 latitude 1.79029 altitude 27 Population 5883 Date 2011 03 03 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Fordingbridge railway station — Infobox UK disused station name = Fordingbridge gridref = SU135144 caption = manager = Salisbury Dorset Junction Railway London and South Western Railway owner = Southern Railway Southern Region of British Railways locale = Fordingbridge borough …   Wikipedia

  • Fordingbridge — noun A town in Hampshire, England …   Wiktionary

  • Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District — Ringwood and Fordingbridge was a rural district in Hampshire from 1932 to 1974 [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u id=10173346 c id=10001043] It was formed by the merger of part of the disbanded Christchurch Rural District… …   Wikipedia

  • St. Mary's Church, Fordingbridge — Listed in the Domesday Book in 1086 this is one of three ancient churches in our team, all dedicated to St. Mary. The Church was updated by the Normans around 1150 and would then have been an open space internally. The North Chapel and north and… …   Wikipedia

  • The Burgate School And Sixth Form Centre — Infobox high school | name = The Burgate School name2=The Burgate School, Fordingbridge imagesize=188px motto= Learning For Life established=1957 type=State Foundation School address= Salisbury Road, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1EZ enrollment …   Wikipedia

  • List of schools in the South East of England — The following is a partial list of currently operating schools in the South East region of England. You may also find of use to find a particular school. See also the List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom.Listed by local education… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”