Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Encyclopedia
Thornbury is a market town
in South Gloucestershire
, England, approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the city
of Bristol
, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem
in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom
award-winning town and has its own competition, Thornbury in Bloom. Its suburbs include the Morton and Thornbury Park districts.
and Bronze Age
s, but Roman presence is limited to the Thornbury hoard
, of 11,460 Roman coins dating from 260 to 348 AD, which were found in 2004 while a resident was digging out for a fishpond. The earliest documented evidence of a village at "Thornbyrig" comes at the end of the ninth century. The Domesday Book
noted a manor
of "Turneberie" belonging to the Conqueror's consort, Matilda of Flanders
, with 103 residents.
St. Mary's church, begun in the twelfth century with later additions, is the oldest surviving building in the town. The town charter was granted in 1252 by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Lord of the Manor of Thornbury. The charter's 750th anniversary in 2002 was celebrated with a "750" flower bed planted on Grovesend Road. The town grew around the site of its cattle market. In 1974 a town council was elected. Thornbury used to be a borough
but became a parish
in 1984.
Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania, USA
was established in 1687 and named by George Pearce after Thornbury, Gloucestershire. the native town of his wife Ann.
In 1765 a Dr Fewster (possibly John Fewster) of Thornbury presented a paper to the Medical Society of London
entitled "Cow pox and its ability to prevent smallpox".
Thornbury was once served by a railway line; it was the terminus of a branch line of the Midland Railway
(later part of the LMS
), from Yate
on the Bristol
to Gloucester
main line, with intermediate stations at Iron Acton
and Tytherington
. The branch lost its passenger services in June 1944 but lived on as a freight route, and also to serve quarries at Tytherington. The Thornbury railway station and line have been redeveloped into a supermarket, a housing estate, a bypass road and a long footpath. More remains of the line can be found at Tytherington quarry to the east of the town. There are future plans to reopen the line to Yate via Tytherington and Iron Acton, and possibly run services to Gloucester and Bristol.
Thornbury had a market
, held on the High Street and in the Market Hall. It moved to Rock Street in 1911 but closed down in the late 1990s and was partly replaced with a smaller market in a car park near the United Reformed Church. The older site has been redeveloped as a new community centre, called "Turnberrie's", while the Market Hall is now a clothes shop.
Thornbury's coat of arms
combines the arms of four families important in the town's history: Attwells, Howard', Clare and Stafford. John Attwells left £500 in his will for the establishment of the Free School which merged with the grammar school
in 1879. The Attwells coat of arms
was later adopted as the badge for the grammar school, now Marlwood School
. The other three families held the manor
at Thornbury over several centuries. It has the motto
Decus Sabrinae Vallis (Latin
for "Jewel of the Severn Vale").
The town has a large number of public house
s. The White Lion, Thornbury, is a public house
on the High Street. In 2003 it won the Thornbury in Bloom award, and in 1999 the Britain in Bloom award for Best Pub Display. In 1891 and 1903 its annual rateable value was £24.0s.0d.
The shop front of the Wildings (formerly Worthingtons) clothing shop was used in the Two Ronnies
serial sketch, "The Worm That Turned." In urban legend
it is proposed that Ronnie Barker
got the idea for Open All Hours
when he visited the local Riddifords grocer's
- however, Open All Hours ran from 1976, following a pilot in 1973, long before the filming and broadcast of "The Worm That Turned" in 1980. The nearby nuclear power station at Oldbury-on-Severn
, Tytherington quarry and Stokefield Close were used as locations for the 1976 four-part Doctor Who
serial The Hand of Fear
. The Castle School, Thornbury was used to film an episode of Casualty (TV series)
in 2009 which was broadcast on the 2nd May 2009.
Thornbury Musical Theatre Group (TMTG) perform shows at the Armstrong Hall in Thornbury. They normally perform a main musical in October, a Pantomime in the February school half term and a concert style production in June. Rehearsals take place in Tytherington village hall. TMTG Web Page
Thornbury Amateur Dramatic Society (TADS) perform several plays each year at a variety of venues, often in the Armstrong Hall or the adjacent Cossham Hall. TADS Web Page
North Avon Youth Theatre (NYTC) are a youth group who perform an annual show at the Armstrong Hall in Thornbury in April.
, who manufacture lenses for glasses. The construction of the Midland Way road has provided a boost for industry by allowing traffic to avoid the steep and narrow B4061 road.
, a Tudor
structure begun in 1511 as a home for Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
. The two intricate redbrick chimneys were built in 1514, and are similar to those found at Hampton Court Palace
. Cardinal Wolsey beheaded
the Duke for treason
in 1521. Following the Duke's demise the castle was confiscated by King Henry VIII
who stayed at the Castle for ten days in 1535 with Anne Boleyn
.
Following the English Civil War
Thornbury castle fell into disrepair but was renovated in 1824 by the Howard Family
. The Castle is now a 27 room luxury hotel and restaurant.
. Building started in 1340, with major additions in 1500, 1848 and 1988. The church is used for worship, baptism
, confirmation, marriage
s, funeral
s and remembrance services.
was removed in 1924 after its declaration as a road hazard by the council. In 1984 a new one was built. In 2002 it was temporarily painted gold to celebrate the Golden Jubilee
. The pump is usually decorated with flowers, and there are often "Birthday Greetings" notices placed on the pump.
A footpath called Streamside Walk starts at Gillingstool Primary School, passes over several roads and bridges, past Thornbury Hospital and Manorbrook Primary School and on to the north of Thornbury where the stream leaves the town. Another stream runs through the north east of Thornbury and merges at an old mill.
Old railway line
Although the station is no more, the old railway line is now a footpath. The footpath was constructed in the 1990s to support new housing and industrial developments, previously it was grassed over and neglected. Starting from the industrial estates it follows the route of the streets of Streamleaze and Avon Way ending near a roundabout
at the top of Avon Way.
Heritage trail
Created by the Thornbury and District Heritage Trust as a Millennium project, the heritage trail consists of a walk encompassing the town's historically significant buildings. There are forty waymarkers indicating the route, which starts outside the town hall.
, Thornbury Lawn Tennis Club and a skate park. In south Thornbury a small children's play area was recently opened. There are green spaces around the town. A Thornbury Community Garden was set up near Gillingstool School but has closed because of housing development. A replacement Community Garden is to be built next to the new Community Centre.
Thornbury RFC play in the Western Counties North League, and despite being a Thornbury club, their ground is located in Rockhampton, on the outskirts of Thornbury.
Thornbury Town FC play in the Gloucestershire County League which is tier 11 in the English football (soccer)
league. They won their first league title in the 2009-2010 season.
offers information signs about places of interest, starting from the Town Hall (which used to be the police station
and magistrates court in Thornbury). Also of note is the MacLaine Memorial fountain which is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Hector Maclaine, who was a local man who helped protect the British in India
from the Russians
and Afghans
in 1880. Thornbury has an antiquarian
mathematics bookshop. The town is host to a community radio station, GLOSS FM
which broadcasts 365 days a year on its webcasts and twice a year on 87.7 MHz FM.
is Thornbury's secondary school
. The former Thornbury Grammar School buildings on Gloucester Road are now its sixth form centre. (Thornbury Grammar School was relocated to new buildings in neighbouring Alveston
in 1972 when it received its first comprehensive school
intake and was renamed Marlwood School
.)
Gillingstool Primary School dates back to 1862, and is known for its school bell. The school will be completely rebuilt in a project that began in spring 2009. The Victorian era
buildings are being retained and will continue in their present use as a Sure Start
Children's Centre.
Other schools include St Mary's Church of England
Primary School (founded in 1839), Crossways Infant and Junior school
s, Christ The King Roman Catholic Primary School, Manorbrook Primary School, New Siblands Special School, and The Sheiling School (an independent special school part of the Camphill Movement
). John Attwells's Free School existed in the 19th century, a plaque about this school can be seen on a shop in St Mary's Shopping centre.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, England, approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem
Bockenem
Bockenem is a town in the district of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany that was founded in 1154. It is located on the German Framework Road.-Surrounding villages:*Jerze*Königsdahlum*Bornum*Mahlum*Schlewecke*Ortshausen*Volkersheim*Hary*Störy...
in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom
Britain in Bloom
RHS Britain in Bloom, supported by Anglian Home Improvements, is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France. It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society ...
award-winning town and has its own competition, Thornbury in Bloom. Its suburbs include the Morton and Thornbury Park districts.
History
There is evidence of human activity in the Thornbury area in the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
s, but Roman presence is limited to the Thornbury hoard
Thornbury Hoard
The Thornbury Hoard is a hoard of 11,460 silver Roman coins, mainly radiates and nummi, dating from 260 to 348, found in the back garden of Ken Allen in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, England while digging a pond in March 2004...
, of 11,460 Roman coins dating from 260 to 348 AD, which were found in 2004 while a resident was digging out for a fishpond. The earliest documented evidence of a village at "Thornbyrig" comes at the end of the ninth century. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
noted a manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of "Turneberie" belonging to the Conqueror's consort, Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders was the wife of William the Conqueror and, as such, Queen consort of the Kingdom of England. She bore William nine/ten children, including two kings, William II and Henry I.-Marriage:...
, with 103 residents.
St. Mary's church, begun in the twelfth century with later additions, is the oldest surviving building in the town. The town charter was granted in 1252 by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Lord of the Manor of Thornbury. The charter's 750th anniversary in 2002 was celebrated with a "750" flower bed planted on Grovesend Road. The town grew around the site of its cattle market. In 1974 a town council was elected. Thornbury used to be a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
but became a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in 1984.
Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania, USA
Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Thornbury Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,093 at the 2000 census. It is adjacent to, and was once joined with, Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
was established in 1687 and named by George Pearce after Thornbury, Gloucestershire. the native town of his wife Ann.
In 1765 a Dr Fewster (possibly John Fewster) of Thornbury presented a paper to the Medical Society of London
Medical Society of London
The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies in the United Kingdom ....
entitled "Cow pox and its ability to prevent smallpox".
Thornbury was once served by a railway line; it was the terminus of a branch line of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
(later part of the LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
), from Yate
Yate
Yate is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, at the southwest extremity of the Cotswold Hills, 12 miles northeast of the city of Bristol. At the 2001 census the population was 21,789. The town of Chipping Sodbury is continuous with Yate to the east...
on the Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
main line, with intermediate stations at Iron Acton
Iron Acton
Iron Acton is a village and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England. The village is about west of Yate and about northeast of the centre of Bristol. The B4058 road used to pass through the village but now by-passes it just to the north....
and Tytherington
Tytherington
Places in the United Kingdom known as Tytherington.*Tytherington, Cheshire*Tytherington, Gloucestershire*Tytherington, Wiltshire, a settlement on the boundary of the parishes of Heytesbury and Sutton VenyTytherington , Somerset, Near Frome...
. The branch lost its passenger services in June 1944 but lived on as a freight route, and also to serve quarries at Tytherington. The Thornbury railway station and line have been redeveloped into a supermarket, a housing estate, a bypass road and a long footpath. More remains of the line can be found at Tytherington quarry to the east of the town. There are future plans to reopen the line to Yate via Tytherington and Iron Acton, and possibly run services to Gloucester and Bristol.
Thornbury had a market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
, held on the High Street and in the Market Hall. It moved to Rock Street in 1911 but closed down in the late 1990s and was partly replaced with a smaller market in a car park near the United Reformed Church. The older site has been redeveloped as a new community centre, called "Turnberrie's", while the Market Hall is now a clothes shop.
Thornbury's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
combines the arms of four families important in the town's history: Attwells, Howard', Clare and Stafford. John Attwells left £500 in his will for the establishment of the Free School which merged with the grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in 1879. The Attwells coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was later adopted as the badge for the grammar school, now Marlwood School
Marlwood School
Marlwood School is a comprehensive secondary school located in Alveston, South Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol, England.It is situated on the B3561 on the outskirts of the south-west of the village.-Grammar school:...
. The other three families held 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...
at Thornbury over several centuries. It has the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Decus Sabrinae Vallis (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Jewel of the Severn Vale").
Amenities
Thornbury features a high street, a shopping centre (St Mary's Centre), two supermarkets and many smaller shops. The town has six churches: St Mary's Church, Christ the King Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church, St Paul's Church, The Hackett, and Thornbury Baptist Church. On the outskirts of Thornbury, at Lower Morton, is an independent Evangelicalism evangelical church, Morton Baptist Church.The town has a large number of public house
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...
s. The White Lion, Thornbury, is a public house
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...
on the High Street. In 2003 it won the Thornbury in Bloom award, and in 1999 the Britain in Bloom award for Best Pub Display. In 1891 and 1903 its annual rateable value was £24.0s.0d.
The shop front of the Wildings (formerly Worthingtons) clothing shop was used in the Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
serial sketch, "The Worm That Turned." In urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
it is proposed that Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman...
got the idea for Open All Hours
Open All Hours
Open All Hours is a BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke which ran for four series a first run in 1976, a second run in 1981, third in 1982 and finally with a fourth run in 1985, with a pilot episode from the Seven of One series in 1973...
when he visited the local Riddifords grocer's
Grocer
A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices, pepper, sugar, and cocoa, tea and coffee...
- however, Open All Hours ran from 1976, following a pilot in 1973, long before the filming and broadcast of "The Worm That Turned" in 1980. The nearby nuclear power station at Oldbury-on-Severn
Oldbury-on-Severn
Oldbury-on-Severn is a small village near the mouth of the River Severn in South Gloucestershire. It is home to the nearby Oldbury nuclear power station, a Magnox power station which opened in 1967 and is due to cease operation in 2011....
, Tytherington quarry and Stokefield Close were used as locations for the 1976 four-part Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Hand of Fear
The Hand of Fear
The Hand of Fear is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 2 October to 23 October 1976...
. The Castle School, Thornbury was used to film an episode of Casualty (TV series)
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
in 2009 which was broadcast on the 2nd May 2009.
Musical and Drama Groups
There are a number of musical and drama groups performing in Thornbury. The largest venue is the Armstrong Hall near the town centre capable of seating 350 and adjacent to this is the Cossham Hall with a seating for 140. Performances also take place in various church halls and occasionally in the local leisure centre. Some of the local amateur groups are listed below.Thornbury Musical Theatre Group (TMTG) perform shows at the Armstrong Hall in Thornbury. They normally perform a main musical in October, a Pantomime in the February school half term and a concert style production in June. Rehearsals take place in Tytherington village hall. TMTG Web Page
Thornbury Amateur Dramatic Society (TADS) perform several plays each year at a variety of venues, often in the Armstrong Hall or the adjacent Cossham Hall. TADS Web Page
North Avon Youth Theatre (NYTC) are a youth group who perform an annual show at the Armstrong Hall in Thornbury in April.
Industries
An industrial estate is located to the south of the town. One of the biggest industries there is EssilorEssilor
Essilor International S.A. is a French company that produces ophthalmic lenses along with ophthalmic optical equipment. It is based in Paris, France, and quoted on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange...
, who manufacture lenses for glasses. The construction of the Midland Way road has provided a boost for industry by allowing traffic to avoid the steep and narrow B4061 road.
Major roads and streets
- The B4061 loops off the A38A38 roadThe A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
at AlvestonAlvestonAlveston is a commuter village of roughly 3000 people about south of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire and approximately north of Bristol, England. Alveston is twinned with Courville sur Eure, France. It has two hotels, a variety of small shops, several parks and fields, two churches and a...
, passes through the centre of the town, and rejoins the A38A38 roadThe A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
at Whitfield, thus forming the main routes into the town from the north and south. - Gillingstool and Grovesend Road form an easterly link from the centre to the A38A38 roadThe A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
. - The High Street is, unusually, on the very edge of the town to the west.
- The Plain is at the north end of the High Street, notable for the pump in the middle of the road.
- Castle Street heads north from The Plain to Thornbury CastleThornbury CastleThornbury Castle is a castle in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, England. It was begun in 1511 as a home for Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham. It is not a true castle , but rather an early example of a Tudor country house, with minimal defensive attributes. It is now a grade I listed...
and St Mary's Church; it passes several older buildings including 'the Chantry' which is now used by the community association (TDCA). - Midland Way and Morton Way are more modern additions forming a roughly semi-circular eastern boundary to the town, and allow HGVsLarge Goods VehicleA large goods vehicle , is the European Union term for any truck with a gross combination mass of over...
headed for the industrial estate to avoid the centre.
Tourist attractions
Thornbury castle
One of Thornbury's most notable features is its castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, a Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
structure begun in 1511 as a home for Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales...
. The two intricate redbrick chimneys were built in 1514, and are similar to those found at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
. Cardinal Wolsey beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
the Duke for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in 1521. Following the Duke's demise the castle was confiscated by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
who stayed at the Castle for ten days in 1535 with Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
.
Following the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
Thornbury castle fell into disrepair but was renovated in 1824 by the Howard Family
Howard family
The Howard family is an English aristocratic family founded by John Howard who was created Duke of Norfolk by Plantagenet monarch Richard III of England in 1483. However, John was also the eldest grandson of the 1st Duke of 1st creation...
. The Castle is now a 27 room luxury hotel and restaurant.
Parish church
The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is Thornbury's parish churchParish 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....
. Building started in 1340, with major additions in 1500, 1848 and 1988. The church is used for worship, baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, confirmation, marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
s, funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
s and remembrance services.
Town pump
The town pump is on a small island at the bottom of the High Street. It has a sign saying "To Gloucester" with a pointing hand. The original water pumpWater Pump
Water Pump is one of the neighbourhoods of Gulberg Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is near main Water Pump that supplies fresh water to the city of Karachi....
was removed in 1924 after its declaration as a road hazard by the council. In 1984 a new one was built. In 2002 it was temporarily painted gold to celebrate the Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
. The pump is usually decorated with flowers, and there are often "Birthday Greetings" notices placed on the pump.
Walks and scenery
Streamside WalkA footpath called Streamside Walk starts at Gillingstool Primary School, passes over several roads and bridges, past Thornbury Hospital and Manorbrook Primary School and on to the north of Thornbury where the stream leaves the town. Another stream runs through the north east of Thornbury and merges at an old mill.
Old railway line
Although the station is no more, the old railway line is now a footpath. The footpath was constructed in the 1990s to support new housing and industrial developments, previously it was grassed over and neglected. Starting from the industrial estates it follows the route of the streets of Streamleaze and Avon Way ending near a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
at the top of Avon Way.
Heritage trail
Created by the Thornbury and District Heritage Trust as a Millennium project, the heritage trail consists of a walk encompassing the town's historically significant buildings. There are forty waymarkers indicating the route, which starts outside the town hall.
Sport and leisure
Mundy playing fields were donated to Thornbury by Mrs Violet Mundy in 1937. The fields feature a children's play area and sports ground. Nearby is Thornbury Golf Club, Thornbury Leisure CentreLeisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
, Thornbury Lawn Tennis Club and a skate park. In south Thornbury a small children's play area was recently opened. There are green spaces around the town. A Thornbury Community Garden was set up near Gillingstool School but has closed because of housing development. A replacement Community Garden is to be built next to the new Community Centre.
Thornbury RFC play in the Western Counties North League, and despite being a Thornbury club, their ground is located in Rockhampton, on the outskirts of Thornbury.
Thornbury Town FC play in the Gloucestershire County League which is tier 11 in the English football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
league. They won their first league title in the 2009-2010 season.
Other attractions
Attractions include Filnore Woods, Armstrong and Cossham Halls, and Thornbury Museum. A heritage trailHeritage Trail
Heritage Trail is a long multiuse rail trail connecting Dubuque and Dyersville, Iowa.It is maintained by the Dubuque County Conservation Board, and was converted from a segment of the former Chicago Great Western railroad line between Chicago and Oelwein, Iowa...
offers information signs about places of interest, starting from the Town Hall (which used to be the police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
and magistrates court in Thornbury). Also of note is the MacLaine Memorial fountain which is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Hector Maclaine, who was a local man who helped protect the British in India
British in India
-List of British people who lived or were born in India:*Augustus De Morgan*Engelbert Humperdinck *Diana Rigg*Derek Prince*Hugh Bignell, cricketer*Annie Besant*William Makepeace Thackeray*Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis...
from the Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Afghans
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
in 1880. Thornbury has an antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
mathematics bookshop. The town is host to a community radio station, GLOSS FM
GLOSS FM
GLOSS FM is a community radio station in the United Kingdom, which started broadcasting to the South Gloucestershire area on 19 April 2010.It is a member of the Community Radio Association....
which broadcasts 365 days a year on its webcasts and twice a year on 87.7 MHz FM.
Schools
The Castle SchoolThe Castle School
The Castle School is a mixed-sex secondary school for students aged 11–18 in Thornbury South Gloucestershire, England, which serves the town and the surrounding villages. Pupils from Bristol also attend the school...
is Thornbury's secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. The former Thornbury Grammar School buildings on Gloucester Road are now its sixth form centre. (Thornbury Grammar School was relocated to new buildings in neighbouring Alveston
Alveston
Alveston is a commuter village of roughly 3000 people about south of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire and approximately north of Bristol, England. Alveston is twinned with Courville sur Eure, France. It has two hotels, a variety of small shops, several parks and fields, two churches and a...
in 1972 when it received its first comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
intake and was renamed Marlwood School
Marlwood School
Marlwood School is a comprehensive secondary school located in Alveston, South Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol, England.It is situated on the B3561 on the outskirts of the south-west of the village.-Grammar school:...
.)
Gillingstool Primary School dates back to 1862, and is known for its school bell. The school will be completely rebuilt in a project that began in spring 2009. 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...
buildings are being retained and will continue in their present use as a Sure Start
Sure Start
Sure Start is a UK Government initiative applying in England, originating with HM Treasury, with the aim of "giving children the best possible start in life" through improvement of childcare, early education, health and family support, with an emphasis on outreach and community development...
Children's Centre.
Other schools include St Mary's Church of England
Church 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...
Primary School (founded in 1839), Crossways Infant and Junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
s, Christ The King Roman Catholic Primary School, Manorbrook Primary School, New Siblands Special School, and The Sheiling School (an independent special school part of the Camphill Movement
Camphill Movement
The Camphill Movement is an initiative for social change inspired by anthroposophy. Camphill communities are residential "life-sharing" communities and schools for adults and children with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other special needs, which provide services and support for...
). John Attwells's Free School existed in the 19th century, a plaque about this school can be seen on a shop in St Mary's Shopping centre.
People
- Beverley RobinsonBeverley RobinsonBeverley Robinson , a wealthy colonist from New York, was a son of the Hon. John Robinson of Virginia, who was the President of that colony. He is mostly remembered as the commander of the Loyal American Regiment, a loyalist regiment in the American War of Independence and for his work with the...
(1723–1792) died in Thornbury - William HolwellWilliam HolwellWilliam Holwell was an English cleric and writer., divine, eldest son of William Holwell, esq., of Exeter, and Ann Blackall, daughter of Ofspring Blackall, was born in 1726, matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, in December 1741, and graduated B.A. in 1745, M.A. in 1748, and B.D. in 1760...
(1726–1798) was presented to the vicarage of Thornbury by Christ Church, OxfordChrist Church, OxfordChrist Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
in January 1762. - The politicians GeorgeGeorge RolphGeorge Rolph was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, England in 1794 and came to Upper Canada with his family around 1808. He studied law in York . He served as lieutenant in the local militia during the War of 1812. He lived in Vittoria...
(1794–1875) and John Rolph (1793–1870) were born in Thornbury. - Handel CosshamHandel CosshamHandel Cossham was a British colliery owner, lay preacher and Liberal politician who was active in local government and sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1890.- Early life:...
(1824–1890) was born in Thornbury. - E M GraceE M GraceEdward Mills Grace was a member of the famous cricketing Grace family and the elder brother of W G Grace and Fred Grace...
(1841–1911) played cricket for Thornbury Cricket Club. - Tony BrittonTony BrittonAnthony Edward Lowry "Tony" Britton is an English actor. He is the father of presenter Fern Britton, scriptwriter Cherry Britton and actor Jasper Britton.-Life and career:...
(born 1924) attended Thornbury Grammar School. - The tennis player Emily Webley-SmithEmily Webley-SmithEmily Webley-Smith is an English professional tennis player. She is coached by Jeremy Bates. She is currently the British no. 6 and ranked 242 in the world...
(born 1984) was born in Thornbury.