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

Contents

Location

Local government

History

Bridge

Churches

Trivia

See also

External links

Location

Bidford-on-Avon village is, as its name suggests, situated on the River Avon, some 7 miles downstream of Stratford-upon-Avon and about the same distance upstream of Evesham. The village grew up around an ancient ford, now replaced by a narrow stone bridge, on the Ryknild Street roman road, now a minor country road to Honeybourne 4 miles to the south. To the north Alcester is about 4 miles away, Redditch 10 miles away and Birmingham 25 miles away.

Local government

Bidford-on-Avon is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It falls within the areas of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Warwickshire County Council. All three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government.

History

William Shakespeare mentions "Drunken Bidford" in one of his plays.
William Shakespeare once had a drinking competition and then wrote a poem about 'Drunken Bidford' and 'Papist Wixford', to name but a few. There is also an ancient Saxon burial ground under the free car park located just behind Spice Avon, Formerly the pub "The Anglo-Saxon".

Bridge

lt is wider than a pack-horse bridge, suggesting that Bidford was an important river crossing. The bridge dates from the early 15th century but has been repaired many times; in the 16th century stone from Alcester's demolished priory was used. There are eight arches, with cut-waters on the upper side. In 1644 Charles I demolished the bridge to cover his retreat from Worcester to Oxford - this was repaired in 1650 by Quarter Sessions, for whom Bidford Bridge was a 'county bridge' under its control.The narrow stone bridge that replaced the ford underwent repairs as a combine harvester got stuck on the bridge and the sides had to be demolished for it to free.

Churches

★ St Lawrence (Anglican)

★ Bidford Methodist Church

★ St Joseph The Worker (Catholic)

★ Bidford on Avon Baptist Church

Trivia

★ The village was featured on the motoring programme ''Top Gear'' when the presenters resurfaced a local road in a day, a task that would have usually taken a whole working week.

See also

★ List of places in Warwickshire

★ List of civil parishes in England

External links

★ Bidford on Avon Baptist Church website

★ A few Old Postcards of Bidford

★ Gallery and info on the fallen of Bidford ww1 website