Nailsworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nailsworth |
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 Town Clock, Nailsworth, 2009 |
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 Nailsworth
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| Population | 5,662 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | ST8499 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Stroud |
| Postcode district | GL6 |
| Dialling code | 01453 |
| Police | Gloucestershire |
| Fire | Gloucestershire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Nailsworth is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It is found in the Stroud District, nestled in one of the Stroud Valleys. These valleys are part of the beautiful Cotswolds area.
The town is located on the A46 road. It is about 4 miles south of Stroud. Nailsworth is also about 25 miles north-east of the cities of Bristol and Bath. In 2011, the town had a population of 5,794 people.
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History of Nailsworth
Nailsworth began as a settlement where two valleys met. These were the Avening Valley and the Woodchester Valley. The Nailsworth Stream also flowed through this area.
Many old buildings from the Middle Ages are still in the area. These include Beverston Castle and Owlpen Manor. Nailsworth Town Hall was finished in 1867. It was first built as a chapel for a different religious group.
In more recent times, Nailsworth became a small town with many mills. It was also a centre for making beer. The Nailsworth Stream provided power for these industries. The town was connected to the national train network from 1867 to 1947. It was the end point of the Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway.
Things to Do in Nailsworth
Today, many people visit Nailsworth in the summer. They come to enjoy walking in the countryside. The town also has a farmers' market every fourth Saturday. This market sells fresh local produce.
Local events, like the market and the Nailsworth Festival, are still announced by a town crier. This person shouts out news in public.
Over the last ten years, the town centre has become very lively. You can find many restaurants and cafes there. There are also different shops. These include bakers, a delicatessen, a hardware store, and butchers. You can also find craft shops, bookshops, and art galleries. Nailsworth is a Fairtrade Town. This means it supports fair prices for goods.
The town is twinned with Lèves, a town in France. Twinning means the towns have a special friendship. They visit each other every other year.
Nailsworth is still easy to reach by public transport. The Stagecoach Gold bus route 63 ends here. This bus runs hourly from Gloucester through Stroud.
Historic Churches in Nailsworth
St George's Church was built on higher ground in the town centre. It was officially opened in November 1900. Before 1895, people in Nailsworth went to churches in nearby areas. The new church was designed in the Early English style. It can now seat 500 people.
Some of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were made by Charles Eamer Kempe. Other windows show different saints. A large mural painted by Sir Oliver Heywood in 1985 shows scenes of community life.
Nailsworth also has other historic churches. In 1837, the Baptist chapel at Shortwood was rebuilt. Later, some members left to start the Nailsworth Tabernacle Church. In the 1960s, a new church called Christ Church was started.
How Nailsworth is Governed
Nailsworth has an electoral ward. This is an area used for local elections. The ward mainly covers Nailsworth. It also includes the area south to Horsley. In 2011, the total population of this ward was 6,614.
Town Twinning Agreements
Nailsworth has a special friendship with Lèves, France. This is called town twinning.
On November 27, 2019, Nailsworth also signed a Friendship Agreement. This was with the Village of Perry, New York, in the United States.
Sports and Fun in Nailsworth
Forest Green Rovers is the main football club in Nailsworth. They play at The New Lawn stadium in Forest Green. In 2017, the club was promoted to League 2. This made Nailsworth the smallest place ever to have a team in the English Football League. They even won the League 2 championship in 2022. However, they were later relegated back to the National League.
The town also has another football club called Shortwood United F.C.. They play at the Meadowbank Ground in Shortwood. This club is part of the tenth level of the English football league system.
Media and News
You can watch local TV news from BBC West and ITV West Country. Television signals come from local transmitters in Nailsworth and Stroud.
For radio, you can listen to BBC Radio Gloucestershire on 95 FM. There is also Heart West on 103 FM. The Stroud News and Journal is the weekly local newspaper. It covers news from Nailsworth.
A magazine called Nailsworth News is also produced. Volunteers create it and deliver it to all homes in the parish. It comes out 10 times a year.
Famous People from Nailsworth
Many interesting people have connections to Nailsworth:
- Mary Deverell (1731–1805) was a writer and poet. She died in Nailsworth.
- Joseph Edkins (1823–1905) was born here. He was a translator and missionary to China.
- W. H. Davies (1871–1940) was a famous poet. He lived in Nailsworth from the mid-1920s until he died.
- John Furnival (1933–2020) was an artist. He lived most of his life near Nailsworth.
- Michael Bichard, Baron Bichard (born 1947) is a civil servant. He is from Nailsworth.
- Pete Reed (born 1981) is an Olympic rower. He grew up in Nailsworth.
See also
In Spanish: Nailsworth para niños
