Population 103 (in 2011) Unitary authority Country England Dialling code 01666 Post town Chippenham | OS grid reference ST827863 Region South West Sovereign state United Kingdom Ceremonial county Wiltshire UK parliament constituency North Wiltshire | |
 | ||
Sopworth is a small village and civil parish in northwest Wiltshire, England, on the county's border with South Gloucestershire. The village lies about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) west of Sherston and 6.5 miles (10 km) west of Malmesbury. The parish is within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Contents
Map of Sopworth, Chippenham, UK
The poet Thomas Yalden (1670-1736) was briefly rector of the parish.
The parish registers survive in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre for christenings (1697-1991), marriages (1698-1992), and burials (1697-1992).
Domesday entry
Sopworth is mentioned in the Domesday Book, its entry falling under section XXXII, The Land of William Deu. It reads:
Hugh holds SOPWORTH of William. Ælfric held it TRE, and it paid geld for 5 hides. There is land for 6 ploughs. Of this 3½ hides are in demesne, and there are 2 ploughs, and 6 slaves; and 3 villans and 5 bordars with 3 ploughs. It was worth £6; now £4.
Local government
The civil parish does not elect a parish council; instead the first tier of local government is a parish meeting, which all electors are entitled to attend. The parish is in the area of Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions.
Notable buildings
The Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin is Grade II* listed. Probably begun in the 13th century, it was altered and extended in the 15th century, and restored in 1871 by T.H. Wyatt. Pevsner describes the church as "drastically restored". Today the church is part of the Badminton Benefice, a grouping of largely Gloucestershire churches.
The Old Manor House is from c. 1700, altered c. 1840. Street Farmhouse is a 16th-century building while Manor and North End Farmhouses date from the 17th century. They, and several cottages in the village are all Grade II listed buildings.