Population 836 (in 2011) Civil parish South Marston Country England Local time Tuesday 3:40 AM Ceremonial county Wiltshire | OS grid reference SU194879 Region South West Sovereign state United Kingdom Dialling code 01793 UK parliament constituency North Swindon | |
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Weather 5°C, Wind E at 10 km/h, 92% Humidity | ||
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South Marston is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The village is about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of central Swindon.
Contents
- Mercure swindon south marston hotel spa local secrets what to do locally
- Map of South Marston Swindon UK
- History
- Aircraft and car manufacture
- Notable resident
- Demography
- References
Map of South Marston, Swindon, UK
History
The earliest documentary evidence for continuous settlement in the parish is from the 13th century, but there is fragmentary evidence for earlier occupation from as far back as the Bronze Age. It is claimed that there were Roman remains just outside South Marston on a field of Rowborough Farm, which have long disappeared. Ermin Way, the major Roman road linking Silchester and Gloucester, ran close to the southwest side of the village, separating it from Stratton St Margaret. There was a Roman station at Durocornovium (now Covingham) one mile south of the village.
The name "Marston" derives from a common Old English toponym meaning "marsh farm". This suggests the village was founded prior to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, but it is not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Documentary evidence exists from about 1280, when the village is mentioned as part of Highworth Hundred.
Aircraft and car manufacture
Early in the Second World War, a Ministry of Aircraft Production shadow factory and airfield were built for Phillips & Powis Aircraft Ltd, and 1,090 Miles Master training aircraft were built there. Short Brothers Ltd also used another part of the airfield for final assembly and testing of locally-built Short Stirling bombers. Vickers-Armstrongs-Supermarine acquired the site later in the war and produced Supermarine aircraft including Spitfire, Seafire, Attacker, Swift and Scimitar there until the early 1960s.
In 1985 Honda bought and closed the airfield and reassigned it to car manufacture.
Notable resident
Demography
A large residential development was built on the site of the Manor House in the mid-1980s.