OS grid reference SU072432 Country England Post town SALISBURY Dialling code 01980 Civil parish Shrewton | Region South West Sovereign state United Kingdom Postcode district SP3 Ceremonial county Wiltshire UK parliament constituency Salisbury | |
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Rollestone is a small village and former civil parish on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. It is near the River Till. Its nearest town is Amesbury, about 5 miles (8.0 km) away to the east.
Contents
Map of Rollestone, Shrewton, Salisbury, UK
For local government purposes, Rollestone was added to Shrewton parish in 1934.
History
The name Rollestone was first used in the 13th century. In 1947 the Ordnance Survey map showed Rollestone as a hamlet south of the A360 Devizes to Salisbury road, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southeast of Shrewton. As Shrewton expanded in the 20th century, Rollestone became an area of Shrewton.
Rollestone Manor was built in the 18th century and is Grade II listed. As of 2015 it is a privately owned hotel and restaurant.
Church
The small 13th-century Anglican Church of St Andrew is Grade II* listed. It was declared redundant and is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Rollestone Camp
The military camp is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) to the northeast at grid reference SU 095 449 on the B3086 from Shrewton to Larkhill.
Military usage of land to the northeast of Rollestone began in the early 20th century, as artillery firing ranges which were later used by the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill Camp. Rollestone Camp was established in 1916 by the Royal Flying Corps for observation balloon training. Around this time the Amesbury and Military Camp Light Railway was extended from Larkhill to Rollestone and beyond; this extension remained in use until about 1923. Balloon-related usage of Rollestone Camp continued until 1939 when the site became a Royal Air Force Anti-Gas School, which closed in 1945.
For several months in 1980–81 the camp was used as a temporary prison (HMP Rollestone Camp) during industrial action by prison officers.
The camp continues in use as part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area. In 2009 part of the site was owned by Serco, a defence contractor.