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Coordinates: 52°01′48″N 2°07′02″W / 52.029921°N 2.117144°W
| Bredon | |
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  Bredon shown within Worcestershire |
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| Population | 2513 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| - London | 93 miles (150 km) |
| Parish | Bredon |
| District | Wychavon |
| Shire county | Worcestershire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BREDON |
| Postcode district | GL20 |
| Dialling code | 01684 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| European Parliament | West Midlands |
| Website: http://www.bredonparishcouncil.org.uk/ | |
| List of places: UK • England • Worcestershire | |
Bredon is a large village and civil parish in Worcestershire in England. It lies in the extreme south of the county, in the Wychavon District, on the banks of the River Avon. Bredon parish includes the hamlets of Bredon's Hardwick, Kinsham and Westmancote. At the 2001 census Bredon parish had a population of 2,513. The parish is now combined with that of Bredon's Norton, formerly a separate parish to the north, which had a population of 207 at the 2001 census. The council forecasts population growth of 5.5% by 2011.[1]
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History
There is evidence of human settlement on nearby Bredon Hill dating back some three thousand years[citation needed]. The village of Bredon (literally meaning 'hill-hill' in the Celtic and Old English languages) grew around the eighth century monastery[citation needed]on the banks of the River Avon.
Unfortunately, Viking raiders sailed up the Avon and sacked the institution[citation needed]. Bredon grew slowly through the years leading up to the 20th century, when a spate of building greatly increased the extent of the village[citation needed], particularly to the east.
The village now consists of a mixture of medieval, Tudor, Jacobean, Restoration, Queen Anne, Victorian, Edwardian, pre-war and modern domestic buildings.
In 1718, wealthy Bredonian William Hancock founded the Bredon Hancock Primary School. In the 1960s a housing estate of some 600 dwellings was developed on land formerly belonging to Mitton Manor in the extreme south of the parish, but this area was then lost to neighbouring Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. Bredon once had a railway station on the Bristol to Birmingham main rail line. The station closed in January 1965 under the Beeching Axe, but the line remains open and high-speed trains regularly pass through. In February 1971 a new section of the M5 motorway was opened, cutting through the parish to the west of the village itself.
Notable sites
The parish church of Saint Giles's,[2] situated in the west of Bredon village, dates from the Norman period. A significant portion of the original 12th-century church survives, including much of the nave, the north porch, and the western tower arch. Numerous 14th-century heraldic tiles are set in the sanctuary steps, showing the arms of England, France, Beauchamp of Powick, Beauchamp of Warwick, Mortimer, Berkeley, and many others. The church contains many interesting monuments, including several to members of the interrelated Reed, Copley and Parsons families. The 14th-century tower is surmounted by an impressive octagonal spire (very rare in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire[citation needed]) which rises to a height of almost fifty metres.
The Bredon Barn[3] (often incorrectly referred to as a tithe barn) is also a place of interest. The existing mediaeval structure was almost destroyed by fire in 1980 when a cigarette accidentally ignited a hay bale[citation needed]. But it has since been restored with the aid of the National Trust (who own the building).
The parish includes several important wildlife sites[citation needed] including part of the Kemerton Lake Nature Reserve and sections of the Bredon Hill Special Area of Conservation, which are managed by the Kemerton Conservation Trust.
Location
Bredon is located 3 miles north Of the Gloucestershire town of Tewkesbury. The village is on the B4080 road to Tewkesbury and B4084 to Cheltenham.
References
- ^ "Parish Council Website for Bredon". http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/MyParish/Welcome.aspx?ParishID=113&PostCode=GL207HL&Prop=138668&partner=wdc&MarriedTo=0. Retrieved on 25 June 2009.
- ^ Parish of Bredon with Bredon's Norton, retrieved 27th June 2009.
- ^ Bredon Barn, National Trust, retrieved 27 June 2009.
External links
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