Watchfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watchfield |
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 Oxford Square, Watchfield |
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 Watchfield
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| Population | 2,222 (2001 census) |
| OS grid reference | SU248904 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Swindon |
| Postcode district | SN6 |
| Dialling code | 01793 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Watchfield Parish Council |
Watchfield is a village in Oxfordshire, England. It is located in the area called the Vale of White Horse. The village is about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Highworth. It is also about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Shrivenham. Both villages used to be on the main road between Oxford and Swindon. This road is now known as the A420 road. Until 1974, the Vale of White Horse was part of Berkshire. Then, a change in government areas moved it to Oxfordshire.
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What's in a Name?
The name "Watchfield" has changed over many years. It came from an Old English name, "Wacenesfield." People used this name way back in the 700s! Over time, it slowly changed into the name we know today. Some of the older names included Wachenesfield and Wachfeld.
Village Churches
Long ago, people in Watchfield went to church in a nearby village. This was because Watchfield was part of the Church of England parish of Shrivenham. Later, their own church, Saint Thomas, was built in 1858. It was designed by a famous architect named G.E. Street. The building has a special bell tower. There is also a Roman Catholic Church in the village. This church, called Saint Alban, was built more recently.
Shops and Services
Watchfield has homes for military staff. These homes are for people who work at the Joint Services Command and Staff College. This college is in the village. There are also military facilities nearby in Shrivenham.
The village has several useful places. You can find two pubs, the Eagle and College Farm. There is also a convenience store for groceries. If you need a haircut, there is a unisex hairdresser. You can also visit an optician for eye care. For quick food, there is a McDonald's and a Subway. The Shrivenham Hundred Business Park is also in the village. It has many different businesses, from small factories to high-tech companies. The village Post Office closed in 2013.
Green Energy Projects
Watchfield is home to some cool green energy projects. A wind farm started working in March 2008. It was officially opened in May 2008. This wind farm is on the land of the old RAF Watchfield air base. It has five large wind turbines. Each turbine can make 1.3 megawatts of power. This wind farm is special because it is owned by the community. It is called the Westmill Wind Farm Cooperative.
Right next to the wind farm, there is a solar farm. This is called Westmill Solar Park. It was built to make electricity from the sun. In 2012, this solar farm was also sold to a community group. It became the UK's first and the world's largest community-owned solar farm.
Watchfield Festival 1975
In August 1975, a big music festival happened in Watchfield. It was called the People's Free Festival. This festival had been held in Windsor Great Park for three years before. But the police had stopped the Windsor festivals in 1974. The government offered Watchfield as a new place for the festival. This was because they felt bad about how the police had acted before. Thousands of people came to the festival. Some famous musicians played there, like Hawkwind and Vivian Stanshall. The Watchfield Free Festival was special. It was the only free festival that the government helped to support. Later, other free festivals were stopped by force. The first Big Green Gathering festival also took place in Watchfield in 1994.
Local Landmarks
Just over a mile (1.6 km) northwest of Watchfield is Strattenborough Castle. This building was put up in 1792. It was built to be both a working farm and a nice view from Coleshill House.
Images for kids
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Oxford Square, Watchfield
See also
In Spanish: Watchfield para niños
