Pewsey

History

Archaeological excavations on Pewsey Hill show evidence of a settlement in the 6th century. In the Tudor era the Manor of Pewsey belonged to the Duchess of Somerset. Several of the village's houses were built in this era: the timber framed cruck house at Ball Corner, Bridge Cottage on the Avon and the Court House by the Church.

In 1764 the founder of the Methodist movement John Wesley (1703–1791) preached at Pewsey's Church of England parish church. The rector at that time, Joseph Townsend, was responsible for building of the first bridge over the River Avon.

The Kennet and Avon Canal reached Pewsey in 1810. Of more lasting effect for the village was the arrival of the Great Western Railway in 1862 which allowed fast travel to London and to the West Country.

In 1898 Pewsey Carnival was first held, a tradition that flourishes today with a fortnight of events, including The Feaste, culminating in an illuminated procession in mid to late September.

A prominent statue of King Alfred the Great, the former Anglo Saxon King of Wessex and a local landowner, stands in the middle of the village.

Pewsey White Horse

The Pewsey White Horse hill figure is located on a steep slope of Pewsey Hill about a mile south of the village, and can be viewed from several places in the surrounding area. It was cut in 1937 and is one of the smaller Wiltshire white horses. It replaces an earlier one which was possibly cut in 1785.

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. The ward starts in the west at Pewsey and stretches east to Easton Royal. The total population of the ward at the 2011 census was 4,649.

Education

Pewsey has a state secondary school, Pewsey Vale School, an Academy which is a specialist Arts College. It is adjacent to the village's leisure centre and indoor swimming pool.

It has a state Primary Academy, Pewsey Primary School. The OFSTED [1] of 2012 rated it as good with scope to use mathematics more across the school. It has achieved good Key Stage Two SATS results for Wiltshire. It appeared in the 100 Most Improved Schools table for its 2013 results and its 2014 results put it in the top 100 schools nationally.

St. Francis School, an independent preparatory school, is just outside the village.

Churches

The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist is Grade I listed. It was built in the 12th and 13th centuries with many later additions, culminating in an 1890 restoration by Charles Ponting.

A Methodist chapel was built in 1873 and became a church in 1932.

The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family was built in 1964.

Amenities

Pewsey has a Post Office, a petrol station, and a Co-op supermarket. The village has one restaurant/wine bar and five pubs (the Royal Oak, the Crown Inn, the Moonrakers, the Coopers Arms, and The Shed Alehouse micropub). At Pewsey Wharf, north of the village, are the French Horn pub and the Waterfront bar and bistro.

There are two main public parking areas: at the Co-op and around the village's Bouverie Hall, near the Post Office. There is a public convenience (toilet) at the latter parking area.

Pewsey Sports Centre, run by Wiltshire Council, is next to Pewsey Vale School. Its facilities include a 25m heated indoor swimming pool, squash courts and a large multi-sport hall.

Jones's Mill is a wetland nature reserve by the Avon.

Notable residents

Sport and leisure

Pewsey has two rugby teams and a junior club. For the 2015/16 season, Pewsey Vale 1st XV plays in the SSE South West Division, Dorset & Wilts 2 North League. PVRFC have a joint second team called Alfred's Nomads, shared with Marlborough RFC; they play in Dorset and Wilts 3 North.

Pewsey has a Non-League football team Pewsey Vale F.C. who play at The Recreation Ground. In July 2014 Pewsey Vale Youth FC was awarded 'FA Chartered Standard' Club of the year by the Wiltshire Football Association.

Wiltshire Council run Pewsey Leisure Centre which is next to Pewsey Vale School. Its amenities include a 25m heated indoor swimming pool (used for swimming, float play, kayaking and snorkelling), squash courts and a multi-sport hall (used for Badmington, indoor cricket/football/rugby, basket ball, volley ball, circuit training, archery and martial arts (Judo, Taekwondo and kung fu)).

Pewsey has a running club. A Bowls Club is located next to the Tennis club. A swimming pool and gym offer a range of courses including spinning and aqua-aerobics.

Pewsey Music Festival, established in 2007, is a celebration of live music held each August in Cooper's Field, behind the Cooper's Arms pub.