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Bed And Breakfast In Chippenham
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The Pines Bed and Breakfast
The Pines Hotel is fully licensed and prides itself on its home cooking and friendly atmosphere. There are facilities for small conferences, Wedding receptions and Private Functions. Car parking available. We offer Single, Twin, Double & Family rooms. All Rooms have Central Heating, Washing facilities and Satellite Tv, Many rooms have full en suite facilities and mini bar. also now Available FREE wireless Broadband internet connection! Situated on the A420 approximately Three miles from the Motorway (Junction 17), The Pines Hotel is only a short walk from the centre of the Town and Chippenham Train Station. The Historic market town of Chippenham stands on the River Avon and is ideally placed for touring the Cotswolds, Bath, Marlborough, Stonehenge, Cheddar Gorge, Lacock Abbey, Castle Combe and more! We can arrange for you to be picked up from any Airport or Train station
Telephone: 01249 740280
Barnbridge B & B
Telephone: 01249 758377
Arch House
Telephone: 01249 720401
Bell House Hotel & Restaurant
Telephone: 01249 656828
Chippenham Self Catering Bed & Breakfast
Telephone: 01249 650306
Diana Lodge B & B
Telephone: 01249 782507
Garden House Bed and Breakfast
Telephone: 01249 661444
Lanhill Stables
Telephone: 01249 656828
London Road Guest Accommodation
Telephone: 01666 840271
Manor Farm
More Information About Chippenham
Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located at grid reference ST919733, some 21 km (13 miles) east of Bath and 163 km (96 miles) west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065. The town was established on a crossing of the River Avon and is believed to have existed as some form of settlement since before Roman times. It was a royal vill, and probably a royal hunting lodge, under Alfred the Great. The town continued to grow when the Great Western Railway arrived in 1841, and while historically a market town the economy has changed to that of a commuter town. Cultural festivals such as the Chippenham Folk Festival are hosted by the Chippenham Folk Festival Association & Organised by the Festival Team who are all volunteers. Chippenham is twinned with La Fleche in France and Friedberg in Germany. The town motto is "Unity and Loyalty". Geography Situation Chippenham is set on a prominent crossing of the River Avon and lies between the Marlborough Downs to the east, the Cotswolds to the north and west and Salisbury Plain to the south. The town is surrounded by sparse countryside and there are several woodlands in or in close proximity to the town, for example, Bird's Marsh, Vincients Wood and Briars Wood. Transport Chippenham lies 7 km (4 miles) south of the M4 motorway, which links the town to Bristol, Swindon, South Wales and London. The A4 former coach road, A420 and B4069 provide further road links to Bristol and Oxford. The town is bypassed to the west by the A350, which links the M4 motorway with Chippenham and nearby towns to the south, such as Melksham and Trowbridge. The A4 national route crosses the southern part of the town, and residents have called for an eastern extension linking the A4 to the A350 north of Cepen Park. Chippenham railway station is on the main line rail route from London Paddington to the West Country and is famous for its railway arches and other buildings engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel as part of the Great Western Railway development. National Coach services connect at Chippenham to London, Wales, South West England, the Midlands and East Anglia. Bus and minibus services connect the town to Bath, Calne, Devizes, Trowbridge, Swindon, and nearby villages. Population and demographics Chippenham's population has grown rapidly in recent years to 28,065 (2001 census), an increase of 11% from the 1991 figure of 25,376.[4] This rapid expansion can be attributed to the development of large housing estates (indeed, entirely new suburbs) such as the vast Cepen Park district to the west of the town, and the Pewsham development to the east (Pewsham is also the name of a small village just to the east of Chippenham). Further housing developments are also currently progressing, though on a smaller scale. Chippenham's population in 2007 was estimated at about 35,000 inhabitants.[5] This makes Chippenham Wiltshire's third largest town. The draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy, published in 2008, recommended the building of 13,700 additional dwellings within the District of North Wiltshire during the period 2006 – 2026. Of these, 5,500 new homes are to be built at Chippenham. History There are believed to have been settlements in the Chippenham region since before Roman times. Remains of Romano-British settlements are visible in the wall behind the former magistrates court and recent redevelopments of the town have shown up other evidence of the earliest settlements. Name The town proper was believed to have been founded by Anglo Saxons around 600. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the town as Cippanhamme and this could refer to Cippa who had his Hamm, an enclosure in a river meadow. An alternative theory suggests that the name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Ceap, meaning market.[7][8] The name is recorded variously as Cippanhamm (878), Cepen (1042), Cheppeham (1155), Chippenham (1227), Shippenham (1319) and Chippyngham (1541). (There is another Chippenham, Cambridgeshire and Cippenham, Berkshire near Slough). Early History In AD 853, Ethelswitha (sister to Alfred the Great) married the King of Mercia in Chippenham. Alfred was then a boy of four and the wedding is believed to have been held on the site of St. Andrew's church. According to Bishop Asser's Life of King Alfred Chippenham was, under Alfred's reign, a royal vill; historians have also argued, from its proximity to the royal forests at Melksham and Barden, that it was probably a hunting lodge. Alfred's daughter was also married in Chippenham. Chippenham was successfully besieged by Danish Vikings in 878, though Alfred escaped. Later that year Alfred decisively defeated the Danes at the Battle of Ethandun, whose forces then surrendered to Alfred at Chippenham (ushering in the establishment of the Danelaw). In 1042 the Royal holding in Chippenham makes mention of a church. The Domesday Book listed Chippenham as Cepen, with a population of 600-700 people in 1086. In Norman times the Royal properties were separated into the manors of Cheldon, Rowden and Lowden. Records show that the town expanded into Langstret (now the Causeway) from 1245 onwards and in 1406 onwards the town pushed into Le Newstret (now the New Road) area of town. Throughout this period Chippenham continued to have a thriving market in the town centre. The A4 that runs through Chippenham (from London to Bristol) incorporates parts of the 14th century medieval road network that linked London to Bristol through Chippenham. This was an important road for the English cloth trade and its upkeep was funded in part by cloth merchants from Bristol due to its importance to the trade. Chippenham was represented in Parliament from 1295 onwards and Queen Mary granted the town a Charter of Incorporation in 1554. Analysis of the wood used to build the Yelde Hall indicates that the market hall was built after 1458. The Shambles and Buttercross were built after 1570. The Shambles were destroyed in a fire in 1856, the Yelde Hall survived. Chippenham encompasses the deserted medieval village of Sheldon, devastated by plague; all that remains today is Sheldon Manor, Wiltshire's oldest inhabited manor house, dating from 1282. The wool industry took off in the 16th century due, in part, to the river. The plague hit the town hard in 1611 and 1636. This, a recession in the woolen industry, and a drop in corn production in 1622 and 1623, caused massive hardship for the town's population. The trade in cloth faced further problems during the English Civil War due to a Royalist proclamation that prohibited the sale of cloth to the Parliamentarian controlled London. In 1747 a bribery and corruption scandal (involving two members of parliament for Chippenham) led to the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole's government. A spur off the Wilts & Berks Canal was built to Chippenham in 1798 with a wharf at the current site of the bus station (Timber Street) with the main commodity traded being coal. Pewsham Way now follows the line of the old canal. The Great Western Railway arrived in Chippenham in 1841 which in turn attracted many new businesses to Chippenham. The arrival of these businesses required new housing which led to the expansion of Chippenham into the land north of the railway line, which in turn led to the growth of further industries to support the building work. The arrival of the railway promoted the growth of industrial agricultural businesses. In the middle of the 19th century Chippenham was a major centre for the production of dairy and ham products this led, later, to Nestle and Matteson's to have factories in the town centre. The railway also led to the growth of railway engineering works in Chippenham. The first of these was the Rowland Brothers in 1842. A variety of companies then took over part or all of the business on the site until in 1935 Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company Ltd took over the business site fully. Until recently Westinghouse remained a major employer in the town. The singer Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent were involved in a car crash in Chippenham on 17 April 1960 on Rowden Hill. Cochran died as a result of the crash.[12] A memorial sits near the crash site and Chippenham hosts an Eddie Cochran festival annually (see below). On Friday the 13th February 1998 two unexploded Nazi German Luftwaffe bombs from World War II were discovered in the field behind Hardens Mead during preparations for the building of Abbeyfield School. About 1,100 residents living in the east of Chippenham had to be evacuated for two nights to friends and relatives or emergency accommodation until the Army carried out a controlled explosion.[12] The Army initially attempted to defuse the larger 750 kg device but it was decided that owing to the bomb's orientation in the ground it would be too dangerous Landmarks - Buttercross
The original Buttercross, a stone structure, was erected in c. 1570 and stood in the current location of Barclays Bank, where it served as the centre of the Shambles. The Buttercross was used for the sale of meat and dairy products. In 1889 Mr E.C. Lowndes bought the Buttercross for £6. He re-erected it as a gazebo in the kitchen garden of the Castle Combe Manor House, where it subsequently fell into disrepair. The Buttercross was re-erected in 1995 by the Chippenham Civic Society with funding provided by a wide range of local individuals and organisations. It currently stands as the centre-piece of the pedestrianised area of the town centre, where a market is held each Friday and Saturday.[14] - Yelde Hall
The Yelde Hall is currently the site of the Tourist Information Centre in Chippenham. It is run jointly by Chippenham Town and North Wiltshire District Councils and is the largest Tourist Information Centre in North Wiltshire. The hall is one of very few remaining medieval timber framed buildings in the town. It was originally divided up internally for use as a market hall. Both the hall and its meeting room upstairs were used by the burgess and bailiff for a variety of meetings and trials as well as being used for Council meetings. The space under the Council Chamber was used as the town gaol. The hall was also used in this time for fund raising events for the local church. After the Council and Burgess (now Mayor) moved to the Town Hall (High Street, Chippenham) in 1841 the hall had many different uses: - Chippenham Savings Bank
- Chippenham Volunteer Rifle Corps (stationed in Chippenham from 1846 to 1911)
- Chippenham Fire Station (from around 1910 until 1945 when they moved to their current location in Dallas Road) this led to substantial changes to the interior structure to accommodate the engines and the addition of two large doors to the end gable
- Chippenham Museum (the Borough Council started work on this in the 1950s but the museum didn't open until 25 October 1963. The museum outgrew the site and closed in this location in 1999)
- North Wiltshire Tourist Information Centre (since March 2003 following substantial restorations)
Culture Chippenham Folk Festival The Chippenham Folk Festival takes place every year, usually from the 26–30 May. The event is featured on programming on the town's own Chippenham Hospital Radio. Chippenham Cantata Chippenham Cantata [1] is a community choir that practices every Thursday during term time in St Andrew's Parish Church Hall. They put on three concerts a year and new members are always welcome. [edit] Eddie Cochran FestivalThe town holds an annual festival to mark the death of singer Eddie Cochran, who died on 17 April 1960 following a car crash in Chippenham. [edit] MuseumFrom 25 October 1963 until 1999 the Town Museum was housed in the Yelde Hall. The museum had, by this time, outgrown the site and moved to the former Magistrates' Court in the Market Place (opening on 23 March 2000). The museum charts the history of the town from Neolithic times until today. By 2005 the museum had attracted over 90,000 visitors.[15] [edit] MediaChippenham is served by the following media providers - - Gazette and Herald - Weekly newspaper
- Wiltshire Times - Weekly newspaper
- Heart Wiltshire - Local radio
- BBC Radio Wiltshire - Local radio
- Chippenham Hospital Radio - Local Hospital/Internet Based Radio
Bird's Marsh Bird's Marsh is a large woodland, approximately 24 hectares in size, to the north of the town. It is home to many kinds of wildlife, and a popular place for walkers, due to its fairly large size and surrounding countryside. One entrance into Bird's Marsh can be found through a field close to the Morrisons supermarket, just south of the roundabout on the A350 Malmesbury Road. There are also access points off Hill Corner Road (via fields) and Jacksom's Lane. Although not technically a marsh, the ground can be very boggy off the well-marked paths, a feature which has protected this area from housing development. In 2008, developers made a planning enquiry about building 800 homes around the Bird's Marsh area. Sport and leisure Chippenham is well served with sports clubs and leisure facilities. The Olympiad Centre caters for a wide range of interests and has a variety of swimming pools and full gym facilities.[19] It also plays host to many events including the popular annual CAMRA beer festival.[20] Chippenham Sports Club [2]located on the Bristol Road is a members sports club. The Sports Club facilities include a two storey pavilion that overlooks the six hard surface Floodlit Tennis Courts and the cricket [21] square and field. A newly built Bowls [22] pavilion accompanies the best bowling green in the county that hosts the Wiltshire Middleton Cup Team. The all weather hockey pitches support thriving Ladies and Mens teams. The latest Sports Club development, due to complete in May 2009, is an indoor, all year round, sports inflated dome that will provide much needed amenities for Ladies Netball, the Cricket sections Winter nets and a 5-a-side indoor football league to name but a few. Next door to the sports Club is Chippenham Town F.C..[23] The football club was established in 1873, and played in the last ever FA Vase final at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000. The manger of the club in 2000, Thomas Saunders, remains, at the age of 28, the youngest ever manager to lead a side in an FA final. Chippenham Rugby Club is on the western outskirts next to the A350 bypass.[24] Chippenham Golf Club[25] is situated on the Northern edge of the town very close to the A350. The club was formed in 1896 and is looking forward to a bright future with plans for a new clubhouse and redeveloped course well underway. There is also a small cinema on the western edge of the town centre. However, Chippenham has been identified as a perfect location for a future major multiplex complex as it is central to an area covering the towns of Trowbridge, Calne, Melksham, Corsham and Malmesbury which are all devoid of cinemas, the alternative being to travel to congested Bath or further-afield Swindon. The Severn and Thames cycle route (part of Route 4) of the Sustrans National Cycle Network passes through the town. There is also a night-life scene, with the New Inn, Elevens, Jax and Karma(Formerly known has Buds2000), being late-night venues, although many people travel to Bath, 21 km (13 miles) to the west. Economy Historically a market town, Chippenham's economy has since changed to that of a commuter town with residents travelling to workplaces in Bath, Bristol, Swindon and London. Several large businesses have been located in the region, with the biggest former employer being Westinghouse, now owned by Invensys, whose factory complex lies next to the railway station. The company undertakes railway signalling contracts for Network Rail, London Underground as well as railway operators is other parts of the world, e.g. Beijing Subway, Oslo Public Transport Administration, SMRT Corporation, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, MTR Corporation and many others. Parts of the Westinghouse site are occupied by a range of companies. There are a number of other industrial sites around the town, Bumpers Farm being the largest. It is home to many businesses of all sizes, including IT Solutions Ltd(ITS),CPI Antony Rowe Ltd.[3][4], Bechtle Direct Ltd, The Land Rover Orphanage, Multiquip, Blade, Chippenham Accident Repairs, Bathwick Tyres, LF Windows, Avon Rubber, "Home James" taxis and Norman E Webb. In 2005, Europe's second largest logistics organisation, Wincanton PLC, consolidated its head office operations and moved to the newly developed Methuen Park office development in west Chippenham, where it employs around 350 people. Shopping Chippenham's major retail area surrounds the pedestrianised High Street and Market Place, which consists of numerous shops of various categories. Two shopping centres lie on either side of the High Street; the enclosed Emery Gate Shopping Centre and the open air Borough Parade Shopping Centre [5]. Of all the shops in the High Street and nearby alleys there are very few independent stores as franchises dominate, however some independent stores (Jewellers, Florists, Bridal Gowns, Hairdressers, Photographers) are located along The Causeway and the Upper Market Place. Retail parks, such as the Hathaway Retail Park, are located on the edge of town containing larger superstores and fast-food outlets. Local shoppers founded Chippenham Co-operative Society in 1890, and for most of the twentieth century, its department store dominated the lower end of the High Street. In the 1960s, it united with other co-operatives in the district to merge with a national co-operative, that later formed The Co-operative Group. As of 2008, the co-operative operates a convenience store in the Broomfield district Market Chippenham is a market town, with street markets taking place most Fridays and Saturdays around Market Place. A Farmers' Market for the sale of fresh, locally produced foodstuffs is also held here once a fortnight.[28] The original Cattle Market, which closed in 2004, is now being redeveloped by Linden Homes Western Limited as one of the UK's largest eco-housing projects. Tourism Surrounding the town are a number of stone-built villages, including Lacock (National Trust), Biddestone, Bremhill and Castle Combe. The great house and art treasures of Longleat, Bowood House, Lacock Abbey, Sheldon Manor and Corsham Court are within easy reach. Twinned towns Chippenham is twinned with La Fleche in France and Friedberg in Germany.  La Fleche lies on the banks of the Loir, 42 km (26 miles) from Le Mans and 72 km (45 miles) from Tours. Set amongst woods and farmland, La Fleche offers a wealth of recreational facilities including a Zoological Park. "Le Prytane Militaire" public school dates back to the time of the French King Henri IV and consequently La Fleche enjoys the status of a University Town. In 1630 people from La Fleche founded Montreal in Canada.
 Friedberg is 64 km (40 miles) from Munich and the Bavarian Alps. Herzog Ludwig the First and his nephew Konradin founded the town in 1264. The magnificent Town Hall follows the architectural style of Elias Holl's Town Hall, built in 1674, in neighbouring Augsburg. Friedberg is a walled town, renowned for its many sporting and cultural events such as the 17th century Street Festival.
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