Wincanton
Encyclopedia
Wincanton is a small town
in south Somerset
, southwest England
. The town lies on the A303 road
, the main route between London
and South West England
, and has some light industry
. The town has a population
of 4,643.
Beaker culture
burial, and contemporary artefacts have been found on the Selwood Ridge.
Prior to the Norman Conquest Wincanton and was frequently the scene of battles between the Britons
, Danes and Saxons
. During the reign of Edmund Ironside
, the English
, under his command, defeated the Danes forcing them to leave England.
In the Domesday Book
the name of the town was spelled as Wincaleton thought to mean Pleasant town on the Cale. Cockroad Wood Castle
, which is now in the parish of Charlton Musgrove
, was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England
in 1066. The castle sits close to the contemporary Norman castles of Ballands
and Castle Orchard, and may have been built a system of fortifications to control the surrounding area. By 1086 the surrounding land was held by Walter of Douai
, although no documentary evidence of the castle remains.
The parish of Wincanton was part of the Norton Ferris
Hundred.
Wincanton was probably the site of a market in the medieval period but did not gain a market and fair charter until 1556.
The town is also the point where the William of Orange
gained his first advantage over King James II
, in 1688. A great part of the town was destroyed by fires in the years 1707, and 1747. In the early 19th century Wincanton was a depot for French
officers, during the Napoleonic Wars.
and the Non-metropolitan district
of South Somerset
, with its own town council
. The town council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The town council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic; their role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. The South Somerset district council is responsible for local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
, market
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
. Somerset County Council
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
, social services, the library
, roads, public transport
, trading standards
and waste disposal.
It is part of the Somerton and Frome a constituency of the House of Commons
. The current member of parliament
is the Liberal Democrat politician David Heath CBE
. He is the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
.
Residents of Wincanton also form part of the electorate for the South West England
constituency for elections to the European Parliament
which elects six MEPs using the d'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
.
.
The Balsam Centre is a Healthy Living Centre and also a Children's Centre for Wincanton and South East Somerset.
The (War) Memorial Hall was opened on 9th. January 1959 has a stage as well as facilities for dancing or to seat 250. It also has a separate committee room that can sit 50.
Fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
and the South Western Ambulance Service
.
, 15 miles (24 km) north east of Yeovil
, and 12 miles (19 km) north west of Shaftesbury
on the extreme southeast of Somerset close to the borders of Dorset
and Wiltshire
.
, Wincanton has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal
variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (33.8 °F) and 2 °C (35.6 °F). July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (69.8 °F).
The south-west of England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores
high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer. Convective cloud often forms inland however, especially near hills, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions
or with convection. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average rainfall is about 725 millimetres (28.5 in). November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.
company, Wincanton PLC
, where it still has a base, although its head office function moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire
in 2005.
Wincanton is also home to Adams Foods Ltd., producer of the Pilgrim's Choice
brand of Cheddar cheese
, the second best selling brand in the UK.
There has been an influx of foreign nationals in the last two years, especially Portuguese
and Polish
citizens.
(also called The Old House) was built around 1650, and was reshaped internally by Nathaniel Ireson
in 1740-50. It is a grade I listed building.
on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
but this closed on 7 March 1966.
The town lies on the A303 road
, one of the main routes between London
and South West England
.
The history of Wincanton Primary began in 1833 when an appeal was launched to provide a National school in Wincanton and after a number of difficulties the school was built in North Street in 1838, although this had very few pupils. A school board was formed in 1871 and opened a school in the former National school buildings with over 200 pupils. In 1875 there were 206 children attending. In 1894 the board raised money for a new school to accommodate 445 children, which opened in South Street in 1897.
Wincanton has one secondary school
, King Arthur's Community School
, which is Somerset's first specialist Sports College
.
The Balsam Centre is a Healthy Living Centre and also a Children's Centre. Since 2005 it has received grants for the re-fitting of the training kitchen and construction and refurbishment to create a dedicated teaching area, counselling and interview rooms and a studio space for physical and community activities.
The Church of St Peter and St Paul was almost totally rebuilt 1887-91 by J. D. Sedding
, however parts of the tower may be remnants form an earlier church, dating from 1313, on the same site. In 1793 the tower was raised by 12 feet (4 m) making it 50 feet (15 m) high, five bells were cast and a sixth added. The additional carving and north porch were added in subsequent years. The churchyard include a self designed monument to the local architect Nathaniel Ireson
who died in 1796.
The Roman Catholic Church and Presbytery of St Luke and St Teresa was built in 1881 by the priest/architect A.J.C Scoles.
There are also places of worship for Methodists, Baptists and Quakers in the town.
is a small local museum
in the High Street. It is housed in a late 18th or early 19th century cottage, which is a Grade II listed building, which is owned by the Quakers. The Museum has a collection of artefacts, documents, posters and photographs related to the social history of Wincanton and the surrounding district. There is also a replica of a Victorian
kitchen and a collection of 19th and 20th century farm implements. A separate room is devoted to World War I
and World War II
when American soldiers were stationed in the town prior to the D Day landings. The museum closed in 2009, due to increased rents and the need for renovations to the building, but reopened in 2010 only to close again in September 2010.
The cartoonist Tony Weare
was born in Wincanton.
The town is the home of Wincanton Racecourse
even though it is technically in the neighbouring parish of Charlton Musgrove
.
The track stages several big races, including the Kingwell Hurdle
in February, and the CGA Chase on the same day; these races can be significant trials for the Champion Hurdle
and Cheltenham Gold Cup
respectively. Several of the races at the course are shown on Channel 4
.
Wincanton Sports Centre was opened in 2001, funded by National Lottery grant.
The Sports Ground in Moor Lane provides facilities for tennis
, football and bowls
.
The cricket club have 2 Saturday teams, 1 Sunday team and play in the recreation ground.
The rugby club play at King Arthur's Community School
in the town. In 2010 they won their Dorset & Wilts division of the English Rugby Union South West Division
.
There is also a Youth Football Club which plays at Moor Lane.
. As well as Gennes
/ Les Rosiers
in France and Lahnau
in Germany, Wincanton is twinned with Ankh-Morpork
, a fictional city state near the Circle Sea on Terry Pratchett
's Discworld
. On 5 April 2009, a number of roads were retitled with names taken from Ankh-Morpork, such as Peach Pie Street and Treacle Mine Road, after a short-list was voted upon by fans.I Name This Street... - alt.fan.pratchett.announce - Google Groups There is a shop in High Street called The Cunning Artificer, which sells collectors items relating to the Discworld.
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 south Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, southwest 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 town lies on the A303 road
A303 road
The A303 is a 92-mile long trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The M3, the A303 and the A30 together make up one of the main routes from London to South West England, running from London to Land's End in Cornwall...
, the main route between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, and has some light industry
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
. The town has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 4,643.
History
Windmill Hill was the site of a Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
Beaker culture
Beaker culture
The Bell-Beaker culture , ca. 2400 – 1800 BC, is the term for a widely scattered cultural phenomenon of prehistoric western Europe starting in the late Neolithic or Chalcolithic running into the early Bronze Age...
burial, and contemporary artefacts have been found on the Selwood Ridge.
Prior to the Norman Conquest Wincanton and was frequently the scene of battles between the Britons
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
, Danes and Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
. During the reign of Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside or Edmund II was king of England from 23 April to 30 November 1016. His cognomen "Ironside" is not recorded until 1057, but may have been contemporary. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it was given to him "because of his valour" in resisting the Danish invasion led by Cnut...
, the English
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...
, under his command, defeated the Danes forcing them to leave England.
In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
the name of the town was spelled as Wincaleton thought to mean Pleasant town on the Cale. Cockroad Wood Castle
Cockroad Wood Castle
Cockroad Wood Castle was a castle near Wincanton but now in the parish of Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, England.-History:Cockroad Wood Castle was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England in 1066...
, which is now in the parish of Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Wincanton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 375...
, was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066. The castle sits close to the contemporary Norman castles of Ballands
Ballands Castle
-History:Balland Castle was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, near the village of Penselwood in Somerset...
and Castle Orchard, and may have been built a system of fortifications to control the surrounding area. By 1086 the surrounding land was held by Walter of Douai
Walter of Douai
Walter of Douai was a Norman knight, probably at the Battle of Hastings, and a major landowner in South West England after the Norman Conquest. He is given various names and titles in different sources including: Walter de Douai. Douai is sometimes written as Dowai...
, although no documentary evidence of the castle remains.
The parish of Wincanton was part of the Norton Ferris
Norton Ferris (hundred)
The Hundred of Norton Ferris is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which...
Hundred.
Wincanton was probably the site of a market in the medieval period but did not gain a market and fair charter until 1556.
The town is also the point where the William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
gained his first advantage over King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, in 1688. A great part of the town was destroyed by fires in the years 1707, and 1747. In the early 19th century Wincanton was a depot for 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...
officers, during the Napoleonic Wars.
Governance
Wincanton is within the area of Somerset County CouncilSomerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
and the Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of South Somerset
South Somerset
South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England.The South Somerset district covers and area of ranging from the borders with Devon and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 158,000...
, with its own town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
. The town council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The town council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch
Neighbourhood Watch (UK)
The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their...
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic; their role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. The South Somerset district council is responsible for local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
, market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
, social services, the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, roads, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, trading standards
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.-History:...
and waste disposal.
It is part of the Somerton and Frome a constituency of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. The current member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is the Liberal Democrat politician David Heath CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. He is the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons
The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is a United Kingdom government department. This relatively recently created office provides support for the Leader of the House of Commons in his or her duties to the House...
.
Residents of Wincanton also form part of the electorate for the South West England
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
constituency for elections to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
which elects six MEPs using the d'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
.
Services
Wincanton Community Hospital in Dancing Lane was formerly known as Verrington Hospital and has 34 beds on two wards plus intermediate care unit. It opened as an Isolation Hospital in September 1910 for patients with Scarlet FeverScarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
.
The Balsam Centre is a Healthy Living Centre and also a Children's Centre for Wincanton and South East Somerset.
The (War) Memorial Hall was opened on 9th. January 1959 has a stage as well as facilities for dancing or to seat 250. It also has a separate committee room that can sit 50.
Fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the counties of Devon and Somerset, including the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, in South West England...
, Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the territorial police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset, the city & county of Bristol and the unitary authorities of South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset; before 1996 these districts...
and the South Western Ambulance Service
South Western Ambulance Service
The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is the authority responsible for providing ambulance services for the National Health Service in the English counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset...
.
Geography
Wincanton is situated on the north east edge of Blackmore ValeBlackmore Vale
The Blackmore Vale is a vale, or wide valley, in north Dorset, and to a lesser extent south Somerset and southwest Wiltshire in southern England. The vale is part of the Stour valley...
, 15 miles (24 km) north east of Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
, and 12 miles (19 km) north west of Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
on the extreme southeast of Somerset close to the borders of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
Climate
Along with the rest of South West EnglandSouth West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, Wincanton has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal
Diurnal motion
Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two celestial poles. It is caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis, so every star apparently moves on a circle, that is called the diurnal circle. The time for...
variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (33.8 °F) and 2 °C (35.6 °F). July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (69.8 °F).
The south-west of England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer. Convective cloud often forms inland however, especially near hills, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
or with convection. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average rainfall is about 725 millimetres (28.5 in). November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.
Economy
Wincanton has given its name to Europe's second largest logisticsLogistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
company, Wincanton PLC
Wincanton PLC
Wincanton plc is a British provider of logistics with its origins in milk haulage. The company provides transport and logistics services including specialist automated high bay, high capacity warehouses, and supply chain management for businesses. Wincanton's specialist markets include water,...
, where it still has a base, although its head office function moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located east of Bath and west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065....
in 2005.
Wincanton is also home to Adams Foods Ltd., producer of the Pilgrim's Choice
Pilgrim's Choice
Pilgrims Choice is a cheese brand owned by Adams Foods Ltd , based in Wincanton, Somerset, England. It is the UK's number two cheddar brand, worth £72 million, with year on year growth of +60%*...
brand of Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
, the second best selling brand in the UK.
There has been an influx of foreign nationals in the last two years, especially Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
citizens.
Landmarks
The DogsThe Dogs, Wincanton
The Dogs in Wincanton, Somerset, England was built around 1650 and has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
(also called The Old House) was built around 1650, and was reshaped internally by Nathaniel Ireson
Nathaniel Ireson
Nathaniel Ireson was a potter, architect and mason from Wincanton working in Somerset, England.He rebuilt much of the centre of Wincanton following a fire in 1707....
in 1740-50. It is a grade I listed building.
Transport
The town had a railway stationWincanton railway station
Wincanton railway station was a station in the county of Somerset, in England. It was located between Templecombe and Cole stations on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Sited on a double line stretch of the S&D, the station had two platforms with a station building...
on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
but this closed on 7 March 1966.
The town lies on the A303 road
A303 road
The A303 is a 92-mile long trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The M3, the A303 and the A30 together make up one of the main routes from London to South West England, running from London to Land's End in Cornwall...
, one of the main routes between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
.
Education
Primary education, up to the age of 11 is offered by Wincanton Primary School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School.The history of Wincanton Primary began in 1833 when an appeal was launched to provide a National school in Wincanton and after a number of difficulties the school was built in North Street in 1838, although this had very few pupils. A school board was formed in 1871 and opened a school in the former National school buildings with over 200 pupils. In 1875 there were 206 children attending. In 1894 the board raised money for a new school to accommodate 445 children, which opened in South Street in 1897.
Wincanton has one secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, King Arthur's Community School
King Arthur's Community School
King Arthur's Community School is a non-denominational secondary school in Wincanton, Somerset, England. It has 581 students between the ages of 11 and 16 years....
, which is Somerset's first specialist Sports College
Sports College
Sports Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, PE, sports and dance. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Sports...
.
The Balsam Centre is a Healthy Living Centre and also a Children's Centre. Since 2005 it has received grants for the re-fitting of the training kitchen and construction and refurbishment to create a dedicated teaching area, counselling and interview rooms and a studio space for physical and community activities.
Religious sites
J. D. Sedding
John Dando Sedding was a noted Victorian church architect, working on new buildings and repair work, with an interest in a ‘crafted Gothic’ style. He was an influential figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, many of whose leading designers studied in his offices...
, however parts of the tower may be remnants form an earlier church, dating from 1313, on the same site. In 1793 the tower was raised by 12 feet (4 m) making it 50 feet (15 m) high, five bells were cast and a sixth added. The additional carving and north porch were added in subsequent years. The churchyard include a self designed monument to the local architect Nathaniel Ireson
Nathaniel Ireson
Nathaniel Ireson was a potter, architect and mason from Wincanton working in Somerset, England.He rebuilt much of the centre of Wincanton following a fire in 1707....
who died in 1796.
The Roman Catholic Church and Presbytery of St Luke and St Teresa was built in 1881 by the priest/architect A.J.C Scoles.
There are also places of worship for Methodists, Baptists and Quakers in the town.
Culture
Wincanton MuseumWincanton Museum
Wincanton Museum was a small local museum in the High Street, Wincanton, Somerset, England.It was housed in a late 18th or early 19th century cottage, which is a Grade II listed building, which is owned by the Quakers....
is a small local museum
Local museum
A local museum is a museum that covers local history. Its collection normally includes objects with a local connection of some sort. Such museums are often small in nature and have a low budget for their running costs...
in the High Street. It is housed in a late 18th or early 19th century cottage, which is a Grade II listed building, which is owned by the Quakers. The Museum has a collection of artefacts, documents, posters and photographs related to the social history of Wincanton and the surrounding district. There is also a replica of a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
kitchen and a collection of 19th and 20th century farm implements. A separate room is devoted to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when American soldiers were stationed in the town prior to the D Day landings. The museum closed in 2009, due to increased rents and the need for renovations to the building, but reopened in 2010 only to close again in September 2010.
The cartoonist Tony Weare
Tony Weare
Tony Weare was a comics artist best known for drawing Matt Marriott, a daily western strip written by Jim Edgar, which ran in The Evening News from 1955 to 1977....
was born in Wincanton.
Sports
Wincanton Racecourse
Wincanton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wincanton, Somerset, England.The steeplechase fences are large, making it a good test of a chaser...
even though it is technically in the neighbouring parish of Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Wincanton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 375...
.
The track stages several big races, including the Kingwell Hurdle
Kingwell Hurdle
The Kingwell Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Wincanton over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in...
in February, and the CGA Chase on the same day; these races can be significant trials for the Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
and Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
respectively. Several of the races at the course are shown on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
Wincanton Sports Centre was opened in 2001, funded by National Lottery grant.
The Sports Ground in Moor Lane provides facilities for tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, football and bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
.
The cricket club have 2 Saturday teams, 1 Sunday team and play in the recreation ground.
The rugby club play at King Arthur's Community School
King Arthur's Community School
King Arthur's Community School is a non-denominational secondary school in Wincanton, Somerset, England. It has 581 students between the ages of 11 and 16 years....
in the town. In 2010 they won their Dorset & Wilts division of the English Rugby Union South West Division
English Rugby Union South West Division
The Rugby Football Union South West Division is the rugby union governing body for South West England. It organises the following leagues: It is part of the Rugby Football Union.* South West 1* South West 2 East* Tribute South West 2 West...
.
There is also a Youth Football Club which plays at Moor Lane.
Twinning
Wincanton is unique in the fact that it was twinned in 2002 with a town which can only be found in fictionFiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
. As well as Gennes
Gennes, Maine-et-Loire
Gennes is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-History:Gennes was the scene of a World War II battle in June 1940, during the last stages of the Battle of France...
/ Les Rosiers
Les Rosiers-sur-Loire
Les Rosiers-sur-Loire is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
in France and Lahnau
Lahnau
Lahnau is a community in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany, and lies about midway – about 6 km each way – between the towns of Wetzlar and Gießen.-Neighbouring communities:...
in Germany, Wincanton is twinned with Ankh-Morpork
Ankh-Morpork
Ankh-Morpork is a fictional city-state which prominently features in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of fantasy novels. As cities go, it is on the far side of corrupt and polluted, and is subject to outbreaks of comedic violence and brouhaha on a fairly regular basis...
, a fictional city state near the Circle Sea on Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's Discworld
Discworld (world)
The Discworld is the fictional setting for all of Terry Pratchett's Discworld fantasy novels. It consists of a large disc resting on the backs of four huge elephants which are in turn standing on the back of an enormous turtle, named Great A'Tuin as it slowly swims...
. On 5 April 2009, a number of roads were retitled with names taken from Ankh-Morpork, such as Peach Pie Street and Treacle Mine Road, after a short-list was voted upon by fans.I Name This Street... - alt.fan.pratchett.announce - Google Groups There is a shop in High Street called The Cunning Artificer, which sells collectors items relating to the Discworld.