KEYNSHAM

'Keynsham' (pronounced "CANE-sh'm"), is a town between Bristol and Bath in south west England.
It was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ''Cainesham'', meaning St Keyne's home. It is believed that Saint Keyne lived in the 5th century. Her father was named as Brychan.^[2]

Contents

History and geography

Industry

Education

Fame

Outskirts

Rugby club tragedy

Twin towns

Sport

Keynsham Town Football Club

Keynsham Town Ladies Football Club

References

History and geography

Traditionally a town in the county of Somerset, Keynsham was administered as part of the shortlived county of Avon between 1974 and 1996 and now resides in the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset which, along with North Somerset and the non-metropolitan county of Somerset, forms the ceremonial county of Somerset. At Keynsham, the River Chew meets the River Avon, at the Keynsham Lock and weir.
Keynsham is scattered with Roman remains, such as the Roman villas at Somerdale and Durley Hill and a burial site between Keynsham and Saltford.The settlement, said to be named after Saint Keyne, developed into a mediaeval market town, its growth prompted by the foundation of an influential and prosperous abbey, founded by the Victorine order of Augustinian monks founded around 1170. It survived until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 and a house built on the site. The remains have been designated a s grade I listed building by English Heritage.^[3] The town was the site of a battle between royalist forces and the rebel Duke of Monmouth.
According to local legend, St Keyne was warned by the local King that the marshy area was swarming with snakes, which prevented habitation. St. Keyne prayed to the heavens and turned the snakes to stone. Folklore has it that the fossilised ammonites that are very prevalent in the town are the remains of the snakes.
Described in a dictionary published in 1752 as 'a foggy smoaky town, whose market is weekly on Thursday; it has fine stone bridge over the River Avon, and its principal trade is malting; in the neighbourhood of this town is a quarry in which are frequently foundstones inform of serpents, but generally without any representation of a head' These fossil Ammonites have become the symbol of many institutions connected with the town.
Research by the University of Bristol Department of Archaeology suggests that early settlement may have been at Oakleaze Farm between Keynsham and Stockwood.
Before the creation of Chew Valley Lake and river level controls, Keynsham was prone to flooding. The "Great Flood" of 1968 flooded large parts of the town, destroyed the town's bridges and private premises the Dapps Hill. The Duke of Edinburgh came to view the damage created by the "Great Flood".
Keynsham did play a part in the Civil War as the roundheads saved the town and also camped there for the night.
The town also has links to the Mormen, the hostile forebarers to the Angles, the original settlers in the area are said to have been allied with the Mormen and it is due to this alliance that Keynsham survived the 1147 Angle sacking.

Industry

An important industry in the town is Cadbury's chocolate factory, formerly ''Fry's'' which was merged with Cadbury's in 1989. Keynsham Cadbury is the home of Fry's Chocolate Cream, the Double Decker, Dairy Milk, Chocolate Buttons, Mini Eggs, Cream Eggs, Fudge, Chomp and most importantly, the Crunchie. According to Cadbury Employees (or 'Chocolate Welders' as they are locally known), the Crunchie Machine makes enough bars to stretch to The Moon and back ''every week!''

Education

Keynsham is home to many schools. There are 2 secondary schools, being Wellsway School and Broadlands School. There are also several Primary Schools, the largest of which is Chandag Junior School and Chandag Infants School which share the same site as Wellsway.

Fame

In 1969, the town featured as the title of the fourth album by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. The title was chosen after Keynsham rose to fame after featuring on an advert on Radio Luxembourg for Horace Batchelor's Infra-draw betting system. The name of the town was spelled out, "Keynsham – spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M – Keynsham, Bristol".
On February 2, 2005, Keynsham was granted Fairtrade Town status.
Famous people from Keynsham including England & Somerset cricketer Marcus Trescothick, who was made Freeman of Keynsham and after whom a new close was named.
Bill Bailey was raised in Keynsham and is now a famous comedian.
Beth Gibbons is lead singer of Portishead and is a solo artist.
Mark Regan is a professional rugby player and a former player at Keynsham RFC, he also won the rugby world cup with England in 2003. And is currently playing for Bristol Rugby. Hoping to follow in his footsteps is local homegrown talent Neil Wilmer, a long time member of the club, who is hoping to be leading England to glory in future world cups.
Bassist Charlie Jones, member of Goldfrapp and worked with Page and Plant was born here.
Lancashire wicket keeper and batsman Luke Sutton is also from Keynsham. Gareth Andrew of Somerset County Cricket Club played for Keynsham cricket club.
Young Snooker Professional Judd Trump is 17yrs old and resides in Keynsham. Also Andrew Norman a pro snooker player was Trumps practice partner at Keynsham snooker club.
Local Legend Jonny Bodman Who at the grand old age of 72 still pushes a wheelbarrow daily for a rumoured 5 miles
The Queen has been to Keynsham in 1970 and Silver Jubilee year 1977.
Bath City F.C. captain Jim Rollo who resides in Keynsham, could be the first person to pick up a trophy for them in 30 years

Outskirts

On the outskirts of Keynsham lies Keynsham Humpy Tumps, one of the most floristically rich acidic grassland sites within the Avon area. Between Keynsham and Saltford, an area of green belt has been planted as the Manor Road Community Woodland and was designated as a Nature Reserve in 2005. Nearby is the Avon Valley Country Park tourist attraction.

Rugby club tragedy

Tragedy struck Kenysham in the early hours of Christmas Day 1992, when ten people were hit by a drunk driver in a taxi queue outside the town's rugby club. One of the people, Sarah Monelle, a 21-year-old mother-of-one, was killed instantly. Richard Barnett, a 24-year-old player, died in hospital the following day as a result of his injuries. The eight other people who were run over recovered from their injuries.
Clive Sutton, 24, who at the time of the crash was twice over the alcohol limit was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving in connection to the tragedy on 8 September 1993. Sutton, a Royal Engineer, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Twin towns

Keynsham has one official twin town:

★ - Libourne, France

Sport

Keynsham has a successful rugby club, Keynsham Rugby Football Club[1] which play at The Crown Field as does Keynsham Town F.C. Keynsham CC (Cricket Club) which has produced Marcus Trescothick. There is a bowls club situated at the memorial park. There are plenty of martial arts clubs and there is a tennis club. There are two football clubs in Keynsham, Keynsham F.C. and Frys colts Club a club which disintergrated are the Lily Whites who played on the rec, which is having a redevelopment of a care home at the moment. Fry's Hockey Club runs 4 ladies' teams, a men's team and a mixed team and is closely linked with Wellsway School. Sport at Wellsway School.

Keynsham Town Football Club

Keynsham Town was established in 1896 and play at the Crown Fields. They play in amber and black. In the 1988-89 season Keynsham Town hosted Chelsea and achieved a record attendance of 3,000. Stuart Nethercott was recently appointed their new manager.Liam Southall has recently taken charge of the under 9-s team.

Keynsham Town Ladies Football Club

Keynsham Town Ladies were established in 1993 as an under 11s girls six-a-side club. They play in green and white hoops. Remarkably, they have risen through many leagues to currently (2006/07) play in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, just one step below the top level, competing against women's clubs such as West Ham, Portsmouth and Millwall. They also have reserve team playing in the South West Women's Football League Division One North, and a development squad plus various age group teams.

References

1. Parish Census 2001
2. Somerset Place Names, , Stephen, Robinson, The Dovecote Press Ltd, 1992,
3. Keynsham Abbey

=External links=

★ Keynsham On-line - a website with information about the town.

★ St Keyne

★ Cane Shum - lighthearted view of the town.

★ Keynsham Town Council

★ Proposed housing on greenbelt land.

★ panorama including the church