Alderbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alderbury |
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 Alderbury
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| Population | 2,223 (in 2011) |
| OS grid reference | SU189271 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Salisbury |
| Postcode district | SP5 |
| Dialling code | 01722 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Parish Council |
Alderbury is a village in Wiltshire, England. It's located in the southern part of the county, about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Salisbury.
Alderbury is also a "civil parish." This means it's a local area with its own council. The parish includes the nearby village of Whaddon and a small settlement called Shute End. The River Avon flows along the western edge of the parish. The main road connecting Salisbury and Southampton (the A36) used to go through the villages. However, a bypass was built in 1978. Now, the A36 goes around the east side of Alderbury and Whaddon.
Contents
History of Alderbury
The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, mentioned a settlement here. It was called Alwarberie or Alwaresberie and had 13 households. Around 1110 to 1122, the church in Alderbury and its smaller chapels were given to the Bishop of Salisbury.
Ivychurch Priory was a monastery founded in the late 1100s by King Stephen. It was built where the Ivychurch chapel used to be. After monasteries were closed down in the 1500s, important families like the Earls of Pembroke and the Earls of Radnor took care of the land. Longford Castle, which is across the River Avon, has been the home of the Radnor family since 1717.
The original Alderbury parish used to include two separate areas: Farley and Pitton. These were about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Alderbury. They were separated by Clarendon Park. Before 1881, Farley and Pitton became their own civil parish, called Pitton and Farley.
The number of people living in Alderbury parish grew over time. It reached about 700 in the mid-1800s. The population stayed similar until after World War II. In 1951, there were 1,029 people. By 2001, this number had more than doubled to 2,143.
From 1961 to 1991, Alderbury had a special underground bunker. This was a Royal Observer Corps monitoring bunker. Its purpose was to watch for nuclear attacks during the Cold War. Most of the bunker is still there today. In 2000, it was even used for three days to film a documentary about the Royal Observer Corps.
Religious Buildings
A church in Alderbury was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The current parish church of St Mary was built in 1857–58. It was designed by S.S. Teulon. Important local families, like Lord Radnor and Sir Frederick Hervey-Bathurst, helped pay for it.
The church is a Grade II listed building, which means it's historically important. It has a tower and a unique eight-sided spire. It's built from flint and stone. Some materials from the older church were reused. Inside, you can see beautiful stained glass windows by artists like Henry Holiday and William Morris. In 1960, parts of an old screen from Salisbury Cathedral were used to make the communion rail.
Alderbury parish used to have chapels in Farley and Pitton. These became their own parish in 1874. Today, Alderbury church is part of a group of churches called the Clarendon group. This group includes churches from West Grimstead, Farley, Pitton, and five others.
There was also a church or chapel in Whaddon from the 1100s to the 1300s. It stopped being used before 1536.
Not far from Alderbury, Ivychurch Priory was an Augustinian monastery. It was built in the 1100s and closed in 1536. Today, only a few parts of its old structure remain.
A Methodist chapel was built in Alderbury in 1825. It was taken down in 1970. Another Methodist chapel was built in Whaddon in 1884. This building became a Roman Catholic chapel in 1990.
Interesting Buildings
Alderbury House is a beautiful country house from the late 1700s. It's a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important. It sits on a hill overlooking the River Avon. Experts now believe it was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. He is famous for his work on The White House in Washington D.C.
On the village green, there is a stone water trough with a tiled roof. It was built in 1902 to celebrate the crowning of Edward VII. It also thanked the Earl of Radnor for providing water to the village. This trough uses four old stone pieces from the ruins of Ivychurch Priory.
At Shute End, just outside Alderbury, is St Marie's Grange. This house was built in 1835 by the famous architect Augustus Pugin for himself. It was later made bigger after he moved out. The house is a Grade I listed building, making it extremely important historically.
Workhouses
In the past, Alderbury had "workhouses" for people who were very poor. One workhouse was built in 1836. Another was built in 1878 and later had a chapel. In the 1970s, the local council took over the site. It was renamed Meyrick Close and used for social services.
Notable People
In the 1500s, Ivychurch Priory was turned into a house. Famous people who lived there included:
- George Penruddock (died 1581), a politician.
- Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke (1561–1621), a writer and supporter of the arts.
- John Dove (died 1664/5), a politician.
The tennis player Violet Millicent Pinckney (1871–1955) was born in Alderbury.
Canal and Railways
The Salisbury and Southampton Canal was started in the early 1800s. It was meant to connect Kimbridge to Salisbury. However, it was never fully finished and only reached Tunnel Hill near Alderbury House. The canal opened in 1802 or 1803 but closed just a few years later in 1806.
A railway line was built north of Alderbury and Whaddon in 1847. This was part of the London and South Western Railway. It is still used today as part of the Wessex Main Line between Bristol and Southampton. In 1866, another railway line, the Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway, was built. This line went south from Alderbury towards Downton. It was closed in 1964, and the tracks were removed.
Amenities
Alderbury has a primary school called Alderbury & West Grimstead CofE (VA) Primary School. It is often called "AWGS." The school opened in 1993 in a new building. It replaced an older school building that had been used since 1838.
Whaddon has a post office and a newsagent. There is also a local shop in Alderbury. The village has one pub, called the Green Dragon, in Alderbury. A social club is located next to the village hall, on the recreation field.
See also
In Spanish: Alderbury para niños
