Budbrooke
Encyclopedia
Budbrooke is a small village and civil parish
in the Warwick
district of Warwickshire
, England
, about 2½ miles west of Warwick
town centre. According to the 2001 census
the parish had a population of 2,319. The majority of the population of Budbrooke live in Hampton Magna, a spacious housing estate
built in the late 1960s, with other smaller settlements in Budbrooke Village and Hampton on the Hill.
of land, a mill, farms and woods. It was one mile long and three furlong
s wide. The parish church
of St. Michael dates from the twelfth century .
In 1350, the village suffered from the Black Death
and became a ghost town
. Most of the village, including the vicarage and the manor
, crumbled. The track which now passes under the railway arch known as Kyte’s Bridge was the most likely route for the corpses being taken from the village to Dead Field on Hatton
Hill. Of the original village, only the church remains, and even that became a ruin in the mid-17th century, not to be restored until the Victorian era
.
During the English Civil War
, a force of five thousand Royalist
horse and foot soldiers paused at Grove Park to rest. The Parliamentarian
supporter, Lord Brook
in Warwick, was aware of their arrival and, with seven thousand men, met the Royalists. After some "negotiations" the Royalist forces marched away, joining the King
and his army at Coventry
.
The village of Hampton-on-the-Hill, on the edge of Grove Park, became the main development area of the parish. A significant community developed there, with a shop that later became a police house, a forge, a Post Office, a club room and a public house. The Roman Catholic church of St Charles Borromeo was built by Lord Dormer and given to the parish in 1819.
In the 1790s, the Birmingham and Warwick Canal
was constructed, which is now part of the Birmingham "main line" of the Grand Union Canal
. This passes through Budbrooke parish, and the Hatton flight of 21 canal locks
that lift the canal up out of the Avon valley are just outside of the village.
The military connections of the area are retained in some of the road names in the village, with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment itself being commemorated in a road called simply, "The Warwicks". Caen
Close and Normandy Close recall the part played by the regiment in the liberation of France during the Second World War
. Arras Boulevard commemorates the Battle of Arras
during the First World War
. Montgomery Avenue is named after Bernard Montgomery. The barracks site was remembered in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of VE
and VJ
Day, which were held in the parish on 10 September 2005.
parish church located in Budbrooke village and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Church in Hampton-on-the-Hill.
The local pub
(after being originally called The 'Bout Time, because of the time it took the brewer to decide to build it) is named after Montgomery of Alamein
, and is inevitably known to locals as "The Monty". Located in the centre of Hampton Magna, it contains a collection of photographs and other memorabilia of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment including many photographs of Montgomery, and relics of the war in the desert
. Budbrooke Community Centre which was extended in c.1985 hosts a number of local community activities including 1st Hampton Magna Scout Group.
The original six shops in Hampton Magna included a newsagent, a hardware store, a VG shop
, a greengrocer, a hairdresser and a butcher's shop. Today, three units remain: a combined Post Office
, newsagent and Premier
shop; a beauty salon; and The Open Door, a cafe, meeting centre and fair trade
products shop sponsored by St. Michael's Church. Housing has been built on the site of the other three units.
Other facilities in Hampton Magna include a surgery, the Cawston House suite of retirement properties, and two parks (on Styles Close and Montgomery Avenue).
In Hampton-on-the-Hill, most of the former public buildings have been converted to private dwellings. However, a modern village hall
(on the site of a previous hall provided by the Dormer family) still provides a focal point for the community.
s in the UK in 2000, hitting 4.2 on the Richter Scale. This has since been surpassed.
which runs to the east of the parish. This leads to Coventry
in the northbound direction, and to junction 15 of the M40
in the southbound direction. Access to nearby Warwick
is provided by both the A425 and A4189.
Warwick Parkway railway station is located within Budbrooke parish, which is operated by Chiltern Railways
. Located about half a mile north-east of Hampton Magna, it provides direct rail services to both London
and Birmingham
, via the Chiltern Main Line
. The station primarily serves as a park and ride
facility for the wider area, but is also used by local residents.
The nearest main airport is Birmingham International Airport, West Midlands which is 17 miles away. Coventry Airport
is 10 miles away, but this airport was closed in December 2009.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Warwick
Warwick (district)
Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. The current leader of the district council is Conservative Party member Michael Doody. The council is currently controlled by the Conservative group, who hold 23 of the 46 council seats...
district of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about 2½ miles west of Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
town centre. According to the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
the parish had a population of 2,319. The majority of the population of Budbrooke live in Hampton Magna, a spacious housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
built in the late 1960s, with other smaller settlements in Budbrooke Village and Hampton on the Hill.
Middle Ages
The original parish dates from 1086 when Ralph de Limesi held Budebroc for William the Conqueror. It consisted of five hidesHide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
of land, a mill, farms and woods. It was one mile long and three furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s wide. The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. Michael dates from the twelfth century .
In 1350, the village suffered from the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
and became a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. Most of the village, including the vicarage and the manor
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, crumbled. The track which now passes under the railway arch known as Kyte’s Bridge was the most likely route for the corpses being taken from the village to Dead Field on Hatton
Hatton, Warwickshire
Hatton is a village and civil parish about north of Warwick, in the Warwick District of Warwickshire in England. It has a population of 1,078...
Hill. Of the original village, only the church remains, and even that became a ruin in the mid-17th century, not to be restored until the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
.
Early Modern period
When the old village declined, the centre of the parish moved to Grove Park, the home of the Dormer family who were granted the manor in 1608.During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, a force of five thousand Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
horse and foot soldiers paused at Grove Park to rest. The Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
supporter, Lord Brook
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke was an English Civil War Roundhead General.Greville was the cousin and adopted son of Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, and thus became 2nd Lord Brooke, and owner of Warwick Castle. He was born in 1607, and entered parliament for Warwickshire in 1628...
in Warwick, was aware of their arrival and, with seven thousand men, met the Royalists. After some "negotiations" the Royalist forces marched away, joining the King
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and his army at Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
.
The village of Hampton-on-the-Hill, on the edge of Grove Park, became the main development area of the parish. A significant community developed there, with a shop that later became a police house, a forge, a Post Office, a club room and a public house. The Roman Catholic church of St Charles Borromeo was built by Lord Dormer and given to the parish in 1819.
In the 1790s, the Birmingham and Warwick Canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
was constructed, which is now part of the Birmingham "main line" of the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. This passes through Budbrooke parish, and the Hatton flight of 21 canal locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
that lift the canal up out of the Avon valley are just outside of the village.
Budbrooke barracks
The barracks of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was created in 1877 within the parish, on a site about half a mile to the east of Budbrooke church. A restored St. Michael's church became the battalion church. The barracks remained in use until the mid-1960s.The military connections of the area are retained in some of the road names in the village, with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment itself being commemorated in a road called simply, "The Warwicks". Caen
Battle for Caen
The Battle for Caen from June-August 1944 was a battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy....
Close and Normandy Close recall the part played by the regiment in the liberation of France during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Arras Boulevard commemorates the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Montgomery Avenue is named after Bernard Montgomery. The barracks site was remembered in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of VE
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
and VJ
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
Day, which were held in the parish on 10 September 2005.
Creation of Hampton Magna
In the late 1960s and early 1970s the barracks site was re-developed into the "20th Century Village" of Hampton Magna. As a result of the community spirit in the new village, a Community Centre was built in Field Barn Road on land leased to the Parish Council by the local District Council. Budbrooke Primary School was built in 1968, replacing the old school in Hampton-on-the Hill.Budbrooke today
The parish is dominated by the Hampton Magna housing estate, with Hampton-on-the-Hill being the second largest settlement. The village of Budbrooke is extremely small and consists of only a few buildings. In addition, there are a small handful of farms within the parish.Amenities
The parish has one school (Budbrooke Primary School), which is located in the centre of Hampton Magna. There are two churches in the parish; these are St. Michael's, a 12th Century AnglicanChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church located in Budbrooke village and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Church in Hampton-on-the-Hill.
The local pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
(after being originally called The 'Bout Time, because of the time it took the brewer to decide to build it) is named after Montgomery of Alamein
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
, and is inevitably known to locals as "The Monty". Located in the centre of Hampton Magna, it contains a collection of photographs and other memorabilia of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment including many photographs of Montgomery, and relics of the war in the desert
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. Budbrooke Community Centre which was extended in c.1985 hosts a number of local community activities including 1st Hampton Magna Scout Group.
The original six shops in Hampton Magna included a newsagent, a hardware store, a VG shop
VG (shop)
VG was a chain of small supermarkets in the UK, later taken over by Alldays, who were subsequently bought by the Co-operative....
, a greengrocer, a hairdresser and a butcher's shop. Today, three units remain: a combined Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, newsagent and Premier
Premier Stores
Premier Stores are a symbol group within the Booker Cash & Carry plc company.Premier is the UK’s leading symbol group with over 2,400 stores nationwide. All Premier stores are independently owned by retailers, and are generally local convenience stores. They generally stock branded and own brand...
shop; a beauty salon; and The Open Door, a cafe, meeting centre and fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
products shop sponsored by St. Michael's Church. Housing has been built on the site of the other three units.
Other facilities in Hampton Magna include a surgery, the Cawston House suite of retirement properties, and two parks (on Styles Close and Montgomery Avenue).
In Hampton-on-the-Hill, most of the former public buildings have been converted to private dwellings. However, a modern village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
(on the site of a previous hall provided by the Dormer family) still provides a focal point for the community.
Earthquake
Budbrooke was famously the epicentre of one of the largest earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s in the UK in 2000, hitting 4.2 on the Richter Scale. This has since been surpassed.
Transport
Budbrooke is close to the A46A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
which runs to the east of the parish. This leads to Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
in the northbound direction, and to junction 15 of the M40
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
in the southbound direction. Access to nearby Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
is provided by both the A425 and A4189.
Warwick Parkway railway station is located within Budbrooke parish, which is operated by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
. Located about half a mile north-east of Hampton Magna, it provides direct rail services to both London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, via the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
. The station primarily serves as a park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility for the wider area, but is also used by local residents.
The nearest main airport is Birmingham International Airport, West Midlands which is 17 miles away. Coventry Airport
Coventry Airport
Coventry Airport is located south southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England, and about outside Coventry boundaries...
is 10 miles away, but this airport was closed in December 2009.