West Wiltshire

West Wiltshire

      district, administrative and historic county of Wiltshire, southern England, in the west-central part of the county, some 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Bristol. West Wiltshire consists of chalk uplands at elevations of more than 600 feet (185 metres). The eastern edge of the Salisbury Plain in the south and the lower-lying valley of the River Avon in the north are differentiated by a steep, well-defined chalk escarpment that extends through the district. The oolitic limestone of the Cotswold Hills that border the district on the northwest has long provided building stone that is much in evidence throughout West Wiltshire. Agricultural and light industrial towns (“parishes”) in the Vale of Avon include Trowbridge, the district seat, and Melksham and Bradford-on-Avon. The town of Westbury is located at the edge of the escarpment, and Warminster, in the uplands, is adjacent to an army camp.

      Most of the aforementioned towns were already prosperous in the Middle Ages as cloth-making or woolen-trading centres. Bradford-on-Avon was of particular importance; its unadorned Church of St. Laurence, dating from the 8th to the 11th century, is one of the most complete Anglo-Saxon churches in England. It was neglected in a jumble of other buildings until its true identity and value were recognized in 1856.

      Cereals are grown in the district; and cattle, sheep, and pigs are raised. The manufacture of carpets, cloth, gloves, and rubber products is important. Above the Vale of Avon at Westbury there is a figure, of unknown origin, of a giant horse carved in the white chalk escarpment. Area 200 square miles (517 square km). Pop. (2001) 118,156.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • West Wiltshire — District Lage in Wiltshire Status District Region South West England Verw.grafschaft Wiltshire …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • West Wiltshire — is a local government district in Wiltshire, England and was formed on 1 April, 1974, further to the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the former urban districts of Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury, along… …   Wikipedia

  • West Wiltshire — Statut District non métropolitain Géographie Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • West Wiltshire local elections — West Wiltshire District Council came into being as a result of local government reorganisation in 1972. Elections to it have been held every four years since 1971. The Council will be merged into a new unitary authority for the whole of Wiltshire …   Wikipedia

  • West Wiltshire Council election, 2003 — Elections to West Wiltshire District Council were held on 1 May, 2003. The whole council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats lost their majority, leaving the council with no overall control. Many wards had boundary changes, and some… …   Wikipedia

  • West Wiltshire Council election, 2007 — Elections to West Wiltshire District Council were held on 3 May, 2007. The whole council was up for election and the Conservatives took control. Most wards had boundary changes or were new. One Conservative was unopposed. Of the 44 new members,… …   Wikipedia

  • South West Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency) — UK constituency infobox Name = South West Wiltshire Map1 = SouthWestWiltshire2007 Map2 = Wiltshire Entity = Wiltshire Type = County County = Wiltshire Year = 1449 MP = Party = EP = South West EnglandSouth West Wiltshire will be a constituency… …   Wikipedia

  • Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs — Coordinates: 50°57′41″N 2°02′39″W / 50.96142°N 2.04409°W / 50.96142; 2.04409 …   Wikipedia

  • More Radio (West Wiltshire) — More Radio 107.5 Broadcast area Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge and Frome Slogan We Don t Just Say Variety, We Play Variety Frequency 107.5MHz Format Contemporary …   Wikipedia

  • Wiltshire Police — Logo of the Wiltshire Police. Motto Primus et Optimus The First and the B …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”