Coordinates: 51°19′34″N 1°14′39″W / 51.3260°N 1.2442°W
| Kingsclere | |
 St. Mary's Church, in the centre of Kingsclere |
|
  Kingsclere
Kingsclere shown within Hampshire |
|
| Population | 3,396 (Civil Parish, 2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Kingsclere |
| District | Basingstoke and Deane |
| Shire county | Hampshire |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWBURY |
| Postcode district | RG20 |
| Dialling code | 01635 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | North West Hampshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Hampshire | |
Kingsclere is a large village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire, England. Kingsclere is located near to Watership Down, the setting of Richard Adams' 1972 novel Watership Down.
Contents |
Geography
Kingsclere is situated approximately equidistant (13km /8 miles) from the towns of Basingstoke and Newbury on the A339 road.
Village Life
There are three Christian churches in Kingsclere: Kingsclere Methodist Church[1], Saint Mary's Anglican Church[2], and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
There are many activities that take place within the village. Local facilities include the village club, and the Fieldgate Centre. The Fieldgate Centre lies on the outskirts of the village and adjoins the rugby and football grounds. The centre was built in 1996 at a cost of £1.6 million
The parish council meets in the Village Club monthly, except for August and December.[3]
Kingsclere has a Village Plan.
History
Local legend asserts that King John was troubled by a bedbug during a night in a Kingsclere inn, when prevented by fog from reaching his lodge on Cottington’s Hill. He ordained that the Church should erect and evermore maintain upon its tower a representation of the creature which disturbed his sleep. [4]
In popular culture
The nearby Watership Down is the setting for the 1972 novel of the same name by Richard Adams.
Sources
- ^ "Kingsclere Methodist Church". http://www.kingsclere.net/. Retrieved 2006-10-12.
- ^ "Saint Mary's Anglican Church". http://www.clerewoodlands.org.uk/. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
- ^ "Kingsclere Parish Council". http://www.kingsclere.gov.uk/. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
- ^ "Kingsclere Heritage Association". The Bedbug Recorder (Edition One). http://www.kingsclere.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
See also
External links
- Kingsclere Parish Council
- Kingsclere: Its heritage and genealogy
- Kingsclere, history from the website of Hampshire County Council
- A Vision of Britain through Time: Kingsclere
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
