Weeley facts for kids
Weeley is a small village in Essex, England. It's located in an area called Tendring. In 2011, about 1,768 people lived there. Weeley has its own train station on the Sunshine Coast Line. You can also catch buses from Weeley to nearby towns like Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester.
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What's in a Name?
The name Weeley comes from an old English phrase, "Wēo-lēah." This means "willow wood" or "willow clearing." The village was first mentioned in a document around the year 1050. At that time, a person named Eadgyva gave the land, then called Wilgelia or Wigleya, to St Paul's in London. Later, in 1086, a person named Eudo owned Wileia. Around 1100, King William II confirmed that Eudo still held the land.
Village Life
Weeley has a local church called St Andrew's. It shares a priest with the nearby village of Little Clacton. There's also a primary school, also named St Andrew's, which is a Church of England school. This school has been around for a very long time, since 1797!
The village has two small local parks where you can play or relax. You'll also find a village hall, a McDonald's restaurant, and a Premier Inn hotel. A famous football manager, José Mourinho, was once seen at the McDonald's in Weeley!
Weeley's Military Past
Weeley has an interesting history connected to the military.
Napoleonic Wars Barracks
During the Napoleonic Wars (from 1803 to 1815), Weeley was home to a very large army barracks. This barracks could hold up to 3,000 soldiers! Many of these soldiers were from Scottish Highland battalions.
World War II Secret Unit
In the Second World War, Weeley was the base for a small, secret group called an "Auxiliary Unit." These units were set up to fight if Britain was invaded. The Weeley unit was led by a local landowner named Roger Weeley. This secret group was even featured in one of the first books written about these units, called "Secret Army" by David Lampe, published in 1966.
Weeley Festival
In August 1971, Weeley was famous for hosting the Weeley Festival. This was a large music festival that attracted many people.
Local Weather
Weeley has its own personal weather station in the village. This station provides live weather conditions and forecasts for the area 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
See also
In Spanish: Weeley para niños
