Chipping Sodbury

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chipping Sodbury
Chipping Sodbury shown within Gloucestershire
Population	5,066
OS grid reference	ST726822
Unitary authority	South Gloucestershire
Ceremonial county	Gloucestershire
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BRISTOL
Postcode district	BS37
Dialling code	01454
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Avon
Ambulance	Great Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Northavon
List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire

Coordinates: 51°32′17″N 2°23′40″W / 51.538, -2.3943

Chipping Sodbury is a market town in South Gloucestershire, south west England, founded in the 12th century by William Crassus. The small villages of Old Sodbury and Little Sodbury are nearby. At the 2001 census the population of Chipping Sodbury was 5,066, but in the last two or three decades the town has become part of a much larger built-up area due to the rapid expansion of nearby Yate. At the census the combined population of Yate and Chipping Sodbury was 26,855.

In the 18th century Edward Jenner started his medical training in Sodbury, observing people catching cowpox, and then not catching smallpox.

East of the town is the Chipping Sodbury Tunnel a railway tunnel under the Cotswolds, 2 miles 924 yards (4.06 km) long, which was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1902. The Chipping Sodbury tunnel is notorious for flooding in wet weather, often leading to disruption of services on the main railway line to and from South Wales. Chipping Sodbury had a railway station from 1903 to 1961. Yate station, on the Bristol to Birmingham main line, originally closed in January 1965 but reopened in May 1989.

Chipping Sodbury supposedly has the widest street of any town in England, though Stockton-on-Tees is another strong contender for that distinction. Chipping Sodbury does have the widest working high street in Europe.

The Mayor of Sodbury is Paul Robins, who is also chairman of Sodbury Town Council. The Council covers both Chipping Sodbury and neighbouring Old Sodbury.

Chipping Sodbury hosts a twice yearly Mop Fair, usually the last weekends of March and September. The town also holds a Festival Week in early June. There is a farmers' market twice a month, on the second Saturday and last Thursday. A Victorian Evening is held in early December (except in 2006).

The name Chipping Sodbury is considered humorous by those unfamiliar with it. Locals often call it "Sodding Chipbury". The name is believed to have inspired "Effing Sodbury", a place name associated with the satirical pseudo-newspaper The Framley Examiner.

1 The Placename
2 High Street Pubs
3 Famous Inhabitants (including Yate)
4 Gallery
5 External links

[edit] The Placename

Its name is recorded in Anglo-Saxon (in the dative case) as Soppanbyrig = "Soppa's fort". "Chipping" means that a market was held there.

[edit] High Street Pubs

The Squire - this pub, set in a 17th century coaching house, is in the High Street, with an original wooden-beamed ceiling.
The Portcullis - the only pub in the street with a jukebox.
The George - has a disco at the rear.
The Oak - the only two-floored pub, with a lounge and pool tables upstairs.
The Beaufort.

[edit] Famous Inhabitants (including Yate)

J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling was born in the Chipping Sodbury Maternity hospital (in the adjacent town of Yate), which is now an antenatal clinic.
RC "Jack" Russell - the former England cricket wicket keeper and artist.
Edward Jenner - discoverer of the cure for smallpox.
Chris Sawyer - creator of the Rollercoaster tycoon and Transport Tycoon games and Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
Dr Alfred Grace, brother of legendary England cricketer W. G. Grace, was a resident of Chipping Sodbury in the late 19th century. He captained Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club, as did his son Alfie ( W.G. played some of his early cricket for the club).