Biddestone

Biddestone is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Biddestone and Slaughterford, in northwest Wiltshire, England, about west of Chippenham and north of Corsham. The parish includes the smaller settlement of Slaughterford.

Biddestone is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Biddestone and Slaughterford, in northwest Wiltshire, England, about west of Chippenham and north of Corsham. The parish includes the smaller settlement of Slaughterford. ==Geography== The Bybrook River forms the western boundary of the parish, while the northern boundary follows approximately the Bristol to Chippenham road, now the A420. The parish is just inside the eastern boundary of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sites of Special Scientific Interest include Honeybrook Farm and Colerne Park and Monk's Wood, both near Slaughterford. ==History== The name Biddestone derives from the Old English Biedinstūn or Biedestūn, meaning 'Biedin/Biede's settlement'. A settlement at Bedestone, with four households, was recorded in Domesday Book in 1086. The Grade II* listed Manor House (at the southeast entrance to the village) and Manor Farmhouse are from the 17th century, as are Pool Farmhouse and Elm Cottage (both south of the village green). Willow House, north of the green, is dated 1730: a three-storey house with a formal five-bay south front. ==Local government== The civil parish elects a parish council. It is in the area of Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions. The parish of Biddestone was formed on 25 March 1885 from Biddestone St Peter and Biddestone St Nicholas. On 1 April 1934, the parish of Slaughterford was abolished and its area added to Biddestone; at the 1931 census, a population of 67 had been recorded for Slaughterford and 420 for Biddestone. On 1 July 2022, the merged parish was renamed "Biddestone and Slaughterford". ==Religious sites== ==Amenities== The village has one pub, the White Horse. The Crown Inn at Giddeahall on the A420 is just outside the parish. There is no primary school; most children travel to By Brook Valley CE Primary School in nearby Yatton Keynell, which was built to amalgamate the small primary schools in Biddestone, Yatton Keynell, Castle Combe and Nettleton. The school at Biddestone, which also served Slaughterford, was built in 1844 and enlarged in 1875, and took children of all ages until 1945. It was closed in 1998 owing to falling pupil numbers. Honeybrook Farm, in the Bybrook valley in the west of the parish, is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. ==Film location== Biddestone was a filming location for the TV film Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (2014), and for The Christmas Candle (2013). ==References==

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330443797 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.