Stratton St Margaret

Stratton St Margaret
Green Road, Stratton St Margaret
Stratton St Margaret Stratton St Margaret shown within Wiltshire
Population	22,698 (in 2011)^[1]
OS grid reference	SU166875
Civil parish	Stratton St Margaret
Unitary authority	Swindon
Ceremonial county	Wiltshire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Swindon
Postcode district	SN3 – SN25 (various)
Dialling code	01793
Police	Wiltshire
Fire	Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	North Swindon
Website	Parish Council
List of places UK England Wiltshire

Coordinates: 51°35′10″N 1°45′43″W / 51.586°N 1.762°W / 51.586; -1.762

Stratton St Margaret is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The parish covers north-eastern suburbs of Swindon including Stratton St Margaret itself along with Upper Stratton, Lower Stratton and Kingsdown. Since May 2015, Nythe has been legally separated from Stratton St. Margaret and now forms its own parish council.^[2]

History

Stratton St Margaret, once a distinct village, has now become the northeastern part of Swindon and is rapidly becoming suburbanised. The area of the parish was originally much larger than it is now. Most of Gorse Hill was part of the parish until it was transferred to Swindon in 1891 and a large part of the housing estate of Penhill was once fields in Stratton St. Margaret. Until World War I, Stratton had its own School Board, Fire Brigade and brass band.

Stratton derives its name from the Latin strata ("paved way" or "street") after the former Roman road whose course traverses the parish from northwest to southeast. The Domesday Book of 1086 records the toponym Stratone, when the parish was held by Nigel, physician to William the Conqueror. The village consisted of three hamlets: The Street; the area around Green Road and Dores Road and including the few houses at Kingsdown; and Stratton Green, mainly around Tilleys Lane. Footpaths and coffin-ways joined the hamlets. In 1316 Queen Margaret had Upper & Lower Stratton in dower and began the association. In 1445 it is mentioned as "Margrete Stratton". In Saxon times it was a market town and had a fair.

Merton, Bishop of Rochester had a rectorship here and bought the Manor which he presented to Merton College, Oxford who retained an interest right up to recent times. A Priory here was confiscated by Henry VI and presented to King's College, Cambridge.

The Church of England parish church of Saint Margaret dates from the 13th century, with numerous later additions in 1840s and partial rebuilding in the middle of the 20th century, a Norman door remains. Amongst the notable churchyard tombs is one to Sir William Hedges who was President of the East India Company in the 17th century. His home was where the Crematorium is now. The parish registers date from 1608. Near the church once stood an Elizabethan tithe barn, built mainly of wood, and the village pound and the small parish school. The main tithe barn stood near Parsonage Farm in Swindon Road (both now demolished). St Phillip's Church in Upper Stratton started as a barrel store supplied by John Arkell. The actual brick church was built in 1904 with the chancel following in 1910. [Highworth & Swindon Workhouse] was built within the Parish from 1834 having been re-located from Highworth. The hospital was built in 1852. In 1881 Census Charles MARLOW Jockey of 1849 Derby winner 'Flying Dutchman' is recorded as living in the workhouse.

In the past, the people of Stratton were commonly known as 'crocodiles'. The name comes from a local story that some Stratton men once armed themselves against a supposed crocodile found at the side of a road. It turned out to be a scarf.^[3]

Notable people

Adam de Stratton (died c.1294) was the son of Thomas de Argoges, or Arwillis, of Stratton St Margaret in Wiltshire. His fortune, however, came from moneylending, during the reign of Henry III.

John Eatwell, Baron Eatwell (1945 – )

Reverend Carol Stone (1954-2014), the United Kingdom's first transgendered vicar, who served as priest and chaplain of St Philip's Church, Upper Stratton, from 1996 until 2014.^[4]

Economy

Up until the early 20th century, employment mainly consisted of agriculture, brewing and shopkeeping. Vickers built the factory and airfield which built and serviced aircraft up to the 1950s and during the war produced Spitfires and miniature submarines. There was a Bacon Factory where Greenbridge is now. Pressed Steel built their car plant in 1955, now owned by BMW and building parts for the Mini. Honda bought the Vickers airfield site and now produce their European models from here. In 2010 DHL opened a large distribution centre next to the A419.

Current status

In 2010 and 2011 the parish managed to reduce its precept (the tax raised by parishes to fund local community projects and services) while still maintaining all its local community services, allotments, cemeteries, leisure centre, community centre, eight recreation grounds and four open spaces.

2011: Delamere Drive Recreation Ground was updated after consultation with local residents and children; and Street Billiards was added to Greenbridge play area. The Stratton Centre, run by the council, raised about £1,500 for 'Children in Need'.

2012: Parish reduces its precept by 4.23%, this is a reduction of £7 since 2010. The programme of bulb planting with local schools and tree planting with Wiltshire Community Forests continued. A new play area has been installed at Coleview. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee was celebrated by an inter-schools 'Its-A-Knockout' competition hosted by the parish and all under 11 school children received a Diamond Jubilee Mug. The Christmas Extravaganza was attended by 1,300 residents to see the Christmas light switch-on by the Geni from Aladdin panto, carols sung by local schoolchildren, Father Xmas and his reindeer.

2013: Parish's greatest challenge yet as Swindon Borough decide not to pass on Council Tax Support Scheme monies from Central Government even though they have a moral obligation to do so. Even though this will cost the Parish around £86k equivalent to a 10% cut the parish is only to increase its precept by 2.5% or 5p a week. The Parish's next major projects are to install a War Memorial before the 100th Anniversary of the start of WWI, and an all-weather pitch at Stratton Community centre. This year will also see the return of the Stratton Festival in July with support from local businesses, churches, clubs and schools.

2014: Grange Leisure Centre refurbishment completed in mid February, with a new gym and cafe, and the Parish offices relocated to the old gym area. Even in the present climate the Parish has managed to keep its precept the same. This year the main challenges will be the installation of the Peace Memorial by 4 August and to get the areas being passed over from the Borough up to scratch. After the great success of the Festival last year it has been decided to make this an annual event.

References

↑ "Wiltshire Community History - Census". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
↑ "New council to be created for Nythe". This is Wiltshire. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
↑ "Extract from Local Newspaper, no date on cutting - Stratton St. Margaret - Crocodile Legend 1856-1901.pdf" (PDF). Wiltshire OPC Project. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
↑ "Sex-change vicar back in pulpit". BBC News. 3 December 2000. Retrieved 6 February 2016.

External links

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