Angle Vale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Angle Vale South Australia
Angle Vale Bridge
Angle Vale Location in South Australia
Postcode(s)	5117
Location	31 km (19 mi) North of Adelaide 12 km (7 mi) West of Gawler
LGA(s)	City of Playford
State electorate(s)	Taylor
Federal Division(s)	Spence
Localities around Angle Vale: Lewiston Gawler River Evanston Gardens Virginia Angle Vale Munno Para Downs Penfield Gardens MacDonald Park Andrews Farm

Angle Vale is a town in South Australia. It is located on the Adelaide Plains, between the towns of Gawler and Virginia. Even though it's still a bit rural, it's slowly becoming part of Adelaide's growing suburbs. Angle Vale is surrounded by many vineyards and farms. The town has schools like Trinity College's Gawler River campus, Angle Vale Primary School, and Riverbanks College. Some students also travel to nearby towns or to Gawler for their studies.

A Look Back: Angle Vale's History

Angle Vale grew naturally as people started settling along the Gawler River. The land where the town now stands was first bought by James White in 1852. Later, Benjamin Heaslip owned it. The community was mainly Methodist, a type of Christian church. The very first Bible Christian Chapel (a kind of church) on the Gawler Plains was built here in 1854. Reverend Samuel Keen chose the spot for this chapel, naming it Ebenezer.

The Angle Vale Post Office opened on October 1, 1866. Before this, the area was often called Ebenezer because of the chapel. A day school started operating there, and in 1924, a church hall was built. The chapel was renamed the Angle Vale Methodist Church by 1883. Today, this old church building has been turned into a home.

Near Angle Vale is the Carclew Primitive Methodist Church. It was built in 1870, replacing an even older church from 1850. The land for the first church was given by an early settler named Jonathan Roberts. He named his farm Carclew after his hometown in Cornwall, England. The church then adopted this name.

The town's name, "Angle," comes from the way Heaslip Road, Fradd Road, and Angle Vale Road meet. George Crisp officially planned the town of Angle Vale in 1868. On April 14, 1983, Angle Vale was officially recognized as a suburb of Adelaide.

The Historic Angle Vale Bridge

The old Angle Vale Bridge crosses the Gawler River. It is so important that it is listed on both the state heritage register and the national estate register. C.F.G Ashwin designed the bridge, and construction started in 1876. It needed a very long span, about 85 feet (26 meters), to make sure the river flow wasn't blocked. The bridge was finished in November 1876 after nine months of work. It was used until 1966, when a new bridge was built right next to it. In 1988, the original bridge was restored as part of a special project. Today, only parts of the bridge's base remain, reminding us of its long history.

Important People: Rev. Samuel Keen

Reverend Samuel Keen was born in Devonshire, England, in 1818. He became a minister in 1848. He arrived in Adelaide in March 1853 and first worked in the Gawler Plains area for seven years. He helped set up churches there.

In 1860, he moved to Adelaide city. He then moved to Auburn in 1864 and later returned to the Gawler area in 1867. He also worked in Willunga, Port Elliot, and Clarendon. Mr. Keen was very important in running the Bible Christian church in the colony. He was known for his powerful speeches and preaching. He passed away in Willunga on June 21, 1871, at 53 years old.