Long Marston, Warwickshire
Encyclopedia
Long Marston is a village about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Stratford-upon-Avon
in Warwickshire
, England
. The southern and western boundaries of the parish also form part of the county boundary with Worcestershire
.
until 1931, when the Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act transferred it to Warwickshire.
It is known as one of the Shakespeare villages. William Shakespeare
is said to have joined a party of Stratford folk which set itself to outdrink a drinking club at Bidford-on-Avon
, and as a result of his labours in that regard to have fallen asleep under the crab tree of which a descendant is still called Shakespeares tree. When morning dawned his friends wished to renew the encounter but he wisely said "No I have drunk with “Piping Pebworth
, Dancing Marston, Haunted Hillboro’, Hungry Grafton
, Dodging Exhall
, Papist Wixford
, Beggarly Broom and Drunken Bidford” and so, presumably, I will drink no more. The story is said to date from the 17th century but of its truth or of any connection of the story or the verse to Shakespeare there is no evidence.
The Church of England parish church
of Saint James the Great has a Decorated Gothic nave
and chancel
, but was rebuilt in the 19th century. The pulpit
is Jacobean
.
is north-east of the village. It was built in 1940 as RAF Long Marston and decommissioned as a military airfield in 1958. The Bulldog Bash
is considered to be one of Europe's most popular, annual, motorcycle festivals and the airfield has been host to this event since 1987. Since 2001 the airfield has hosted "Global Gathering
", a summer club music festival.
's former Long Marston depot is south-east of the village.
Since rail privatisation
in the mid-1990s, the former MoD depot has been used as a storage area by the rolling stock companies (ROSCOs) for out-of-lease railway rolling stock. The site is secure and secluded so as minimise the risk of vandalism.
The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway
Society was based at the former MoD depot but is now (November 2011) moving its stock to other locations.
The depot's owners, St. Modwen Properties
, along with The Bird Group of Companies Ltd, propose to redevelop the site as Middle Quinton
Eco-town
.
, the Mason's Arms, and a local community village shop called the "Poppin".
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The southern and western boundaries of the parish also form part of the county boundary with Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
History
Long Marston was part of GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
until 1931, when the Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act transferred it to Warwickshire.
It is known as one of the Shakespeare villages. William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
is said to have joined a party of Stratford folk which set itself to outdrink a drinking club at Bidford-on-Avon
Bidford-on-Avon
Bidford-on-Avon is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire. In the 2001 census it had a population of 4,830.-Location:...
, and as a result of his labours in that regard to have fallen asleep under the crab tree of which a descendant is still called Shakespeares tree. When morning dawned his friends wished to renew the encounter but he wisely said "No I have drunk with “Piping Pebworth
Pebworth
Pebworth is a village and civil parish in the county of Worcestershire, lying about 8 km north-north-west of the town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire. Until 1931, the parish – which includes the hamlet of Broad Marston – was itself in Gloucestershire, as part of Pebworth Rural District...
, Dancing Marston, Haunted Hillboro’, Hungry Grafton
Temple Grafton
Temple Grafton is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England, situated about east of Alcester and West of the county town of Warwick. The place name is misleading, the Knights Templar never having any association with the place but owing to a naming error made...
, Dodging Exhall
Exhall, Stratford-on-Avon
Exhall is a small village located approximately 1.7 miles south-south-east of the Roman town of Alcester, and approximately 6 miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England...
, Papist Wixford
Wixford
Wixford is a hamlet and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England, situated south of Alcester. The name derives from a compound of the Old English personal name Whitlac with the noun for a river crossing "ford"...
, Beggarly Broom and Drunken Bidford” and so, presumably, I will drink no more. The story is said to date from the 17th century but of its truth or of any connection of the story or the verse to Shakespeare there is no evidence.
The Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint James the Great has a Decorated Gothic nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, but was rebuilt in the 19th century. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
.
Airfield
Long Marston AirfieldLong Marston Airfield
Long Marston Airfield was a Royal Air Force base between 1941 and 1954, situated approximately 3 miles south west of Stratford-upon-Avon near the village of Long Marston in Warwickshire..It is now managed by Anthony Hodges, and is home to:...
is north-east of the village. It was built in 1940 as RAF Long Marston and decommissioned as a military airfield in 1958. The Bulldog Bash
Bulldog Bash
The Bulldog Bash is considered to be one of Europe's most popular, annual, motorcycle festivals with a reported attendance of 50,000 people in 2007...
is considered to be one of Europe's most popular, annual, motorcycle festivals and the airfield has been host to this event since 1987. Since 2001 the airfield has hosted "Global Gathering
Global Gathering
GlobalGathering is an annual dance music festival by Angel Music Group. Festivals are held in countries such as the UK, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and feature leading electronica artists from across the globe...
", a summer club music festival.
MoD depot
The Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
's former Long Marston depot is south-east of the village.
Since rail privatisation
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in the mid-1990s, the former MoD depot has been used as a storage area by the rolling stock companies (ROSCOs) for out-of-lease railway rolling stock. The site is secure and secluded so as minimise the risk of vandalism.
The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway
Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway
The Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway project aimed to re-open the closed railway from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire to Honeybourne railway station for main-line connection...
Society was based at the former MoD depot but is now (November 2011) moving its stock to other locations.
The depot's owners, St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties plc is a British-based property investment and development business specialising in the regeneration and remediation of brownfield land and urban environments...
, along with The Bird Group of Companies Ltd, propose to redevelop the site as Middle Quinton
Middle Quinton
Middle Quinton is the name given by the developers St. Modwen Properties and The Bird Group to a proposed new Eco-town near Long Marston in Warwickshire, England....
Eco-town
Eco-towns (UK)
Eco-towns are a government-sponsored programme of new towns to be built in England, which are intended to achieve exemplary standards of sustainability.In 2007, the...
.
Amenities
Long Marston has a public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, the Mason's Arms, and a local community village shop called the "Poppin".