Nailsworth
Encyclopedia
Nailsworth is a town
in Gloucestershire
, England
, lying in one of the Stroud Valleys in the Cotswolds
. It has a population of around 6,600 people (2005) and lies on the A46 road
.
In ancient times it was a settlement at the confluence of the Avening Valley
and the Woodchester Valley, on the Nailsworth Stream; among many notable historic buildings of medieval times in the area notable are Beverston Castle
and Owlpen Manor
.
In the modern era Nailsworth was a small mill town
and centre for brewing
. It was connected directly to the UK national rail network between 1867 and 1947 with a station
that was the terminus of the Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway
.
These days Nailsworth is sleepy and tranquil, visited in the summer by walkers, and holding a farmers' market
every fourth Saturday in the month. Local events like the market and the Nailsworth Festival are announced by the town crier
.
Over the past decade the small town centre has been reinvigorated and besides numerous restaurants and cafes now boasts a number of unusual and high-quality shops, you will find two bakers, a delicatessen with a fishmonger, two hardware stores, two butchers, craft shops, bookshops, art galleries and a gardening shop. Nailsworth is a Fairtrade Town
. Nailsworth is twinned with the French
village
of Lèves
and an exchange visit takes place every year alternating between Nailsworth and Lèves.
Forest Green Rovers
are the biggest football club playing in Nailsworth and currently play in the Conference National
, one level below the Football League
.
The church built on the higher ground at the centre of town is St. George's and dates from 1900.
chapel at Shortwood was rebuilt in 1837 and, in spite of the emigration of over 80 members to Adelaide
between 1838 and 1840, the adult congregation was at least 1,000 in 1851. In 1864 a dispute over a new minister led to the secession of some members who built their own chapel, opened in 1868, on Bristol Road, known as the Nailsworth Tabernacle Church. In 1910 the community rejoined the original Baptist church.
In 1967 the Shortwoood congregation united with the Forest Green Congregationalists to form a new church called Christ Church, Nailsworth. Services alternated for a few years with the Lower Forest Green Chapel, but the chapel on Newmarket Road, after modernization, became the permanent place of worship in 1972. In that year Christ Church became a member of the new United Reformed Church
, although retaining its links with the Baptist Union. It had a membership of 147 in 1973.
.
The local football team, Forest Green Rovers FC
play in the Football Conference
.
Every spring, the town hosts the Nailsworth Festival during which local artists exhibit in the windows of all the high street shops, there are numerous cultural and street events, and a free music festival, Nailstock, takes place on one of the playing fields in the town, showcasing local bands.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
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....
, 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...
, lying in one of the Stroud Valleys in the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. It has a population of around 6,600 people (2005) and lies on the A46 road
A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
.
In ancient times it was a settlement at the confluence of the Avening Valley
Avening Valley
The Avening Valley is located in the South Cotswolds in England, running roughly east from Nailsworth.During the 17th century the cloth industry developed in the Avening Valley, with mills powered by the Avening Stream. One of the larger cloth mills was named the Holcombe Mill , which was adapted...
and the Woodchester Valley, on the Nailsworth Stream; among many notable historic buildings of medieval times in the area notable are Beverston Castle
Beverston Castle
Beverston Castle, also known as Beverstone Castle, was originally constructed as a medieval stone fortress and is situated in the village of Beverston, Gloucestershire, England. The castle was founded in 1229 by Maurice de Gaunt...
and Owlpen Manor
Owlpen Manor
Owlpen Manor is a Tudor Grade I listed manor house of the Mander family, situated in the village of Owlpen in the Stroud district in Gloucestershire, England. There is an associated estate set in a picturesque valley within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
.
In the modern era Nailsworth was a small mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
and centre for brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
. It was connected directly to the UK national rail network between 1867 and 1947 with a station
Nailsworth railway station
Nailsworth railway station served the town of Nailsworth in Gloucestershire, England and was the terminus of the 9.3km-long Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway, later part of the Midland Railway....
that was the terminus of the Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway
Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway
The Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway was a short railway line in the county of Gloucestershire, England, which brought the Cotswold town of Nailsworth into the UK national rail network....
.
These days Nailsworth is sleepy and tranquil, visited in the summer by walkers, and holding a farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
every fourth Saturday in the month. Local events like the market and the Nailsworth Festival are announced by the town crier
Town crier
A town crier, or bellman, is an officer of the court who makes public pronouncements as required by the court . The crier can also be used to make public announcements in the streets...
.
Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods...
. Nailsworth is twinned with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Lèves
Lèves
Lèves is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in Northern France.-Population:-International relations:Lèves is twinned with the English village of Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.-References:*...
and an exchange visit takes place every year alternating between Nailsworth and Lèves.
Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
are the biggest football club playing in Nailsworth and currently play in the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, one level below the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
St. George's Church
Christ Church and Tabernacle Church
The BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
chapel at Shortwood was rebuilt in 1837 and, in spite of the emigration of over 80 members to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
between 1838 and 1840, the adult congregation was at least 1,000 in 1851. In 1864 a dispute over a new minister led to the secession of some members who built their own chapel, opened in 1868, on Bristol Road, known as the Nailsworth Tabernacle Church. In 1910 the community rejoined the original Baptist church.
In 1967 the Shortwoood congregation united with the Forest Green Congregationalists to form a new church called Christ Church, Nailsworth. Services alternated for a few years with the Lower Forest Green Chapel, but the chapel on Newmarket Road, after modernization, became the permanent place of worship in 1972. In that year Christ Church became a member of the new United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
, although retaining its links with the Baptist Union. It had a membership of 147 in 1973.
Sport and recreation
Nailsworth has a King George's Field in memorial to King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
The local football team, Forest Green Rovers FC
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
play in the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
.
Every spring, the town hosts the Nailsworth Festival during which local artists exhibit in the windows of all the high street shops, there are numerous cultural and street events, and a free music festival, Nailstock, takes place on one of the playing fields in the town, showcasing local bands.
Notable people
- W. H. DaviesW. H. DaviesWilliam Henry Davies or W. H. Davies was a Welsh poet and writer. Davies spent a significant part of his life as a tramp or vagabond in the United States and United Kingdom, but became known as one of the most popular poets of his time...
, poet - Sue LimbSue LimbSue Limb is a British writer and broadcaster. She studied Elizabethan lyric poetry at Cambridge and then trained in education. She lives on an organic farm near Nailsworth, Gloucestershire....
, writer - Peter ReedPeter Reed (rower)Peter Reed MBE is a British Olympic rower. Reed has achieved two gold medals and two silver medals in the World Championships, and in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he earned a gold medal in the Men's coxless four.- Biography :Reed was born in Seattle, but his family moved to England several months...
, Olympic rower