Just outside of bath is a small village called lacock. Sat in the beautiful county of wiltshire, it is a village almost frozen in time which is probably why it has been the setting for many a bbc tv series and movie, including. There was another saxon settlement at lackham, whose name could be old english for the village where leeks, or garden plants generally, grew. It then became a country house, lacock abbey, notable as the site of fox talbots early experiments in photography. It was a photo tour of lacock abbey, by clare at suitcases and sandcastles, that inspired me to add the abbey to the list of places i planned to visit during my trip to england last year. Ela, the countess of salisbury, was a wealthy heiress who became the. At the time of the domesday book, 1086, the settlements at lacock and lackham were roughly similar. Lacock is situated in the county of wiltshire in an area of outstanding natural beauty with a rich tradition and heritage. One of the most powerful women of the middle ages, she had previously served as sheriff of wiltshire and her 1225 copy of magna carta was kept at lacock until 1946 when it.
Ela, the countess of salisbury, was a wealthy heiress who became the countess suo jure or in her own right, and not by marriage, in 1196. Lacock abbey, dedicated to st mary and st bernard, was founded in 1229 by ela, countess of salisbury, widow of william longespee, an illegitimate son of king henry ii. The first of the augustinian nuns were veiled in 1232, and ela joined the community in 1228. The earlymiddle ages saw lacock as a flourishing woollen mill village. So, j k rowling has waved her magic wand once more and produced a fifth novel in the harry potter series and it appears the potter magic is alive and well in wiltshire, no more so than at lacock abbey. The car park is a good size and on the edge of the village and again is free to trust members. Lacock abbey was officially founded on 16 april 1232 by ela, countess of salisbury. Lacock is a village in the rural county of wiltshire, england, 3 miles 5 km from the town of chippenham.
Lacock village wiltshire britain all over travel guide. The name lacock dates from saxon times when the earliest permanent settlers lived by the bide brook, which runs through the middle of the. Its the wiltshire village thats wholly owned by the national trust and preserved as a perfect prospect of limestone and timber framing. As it was a sunday many of the people who live in the village were at home so there were lots of cars in the streets which did detract from the houses a little, so id suggest going in the week if you can. The medieval landscape was dominated by melksham forest. However, if you do want to make a day of it, you can always go for a nice stroll around the grounds if you have a dog its welcome, wander around the village and look at the gorgeous shops and scenery.
Written by popular architectural historian kathryn ferry, lacock wiltshire unravels the long and complex history of a medieval abbey turned country home. Entrances and approaches the entrance to lacock abbey is situated in the southwest corner of the site on london road and is approached either from lacock village situated to the west, or from lacock bridge listed grade ii adjacent to the far southeast corner of the site. The foundress of lacock abbey was ela, daughter and sole heiress of william. London had the highest population of lacock families in 1891. All that and jesting aside, lacock is a visual delight. Lacock began life as an augustinian nunnery, and many of the underpinnings of the house show its monastic origins. You will see harry potter locations including sites which were either used in actual scenes from hogwarts school or. Situated on the cloth road from london and the river avon, it had access to the sea at avonmouth near bristol. As part of the lacock community archive the wiltshire and swindon history centre and a team of volunteers have been interviewing local residents about their fantastic memories of the village and surroundings.
Lacock abbey was founded on the manorial lands by ela, countess of salisbury and established in 1232. Lacock was first mentioned in the domesday book in 1086 with a population of less than 200. This page is one of 261 pages covering every community in wiltshire, and is provided by wiltshire council libraries and heritage. The lacock unlocked project is centred on the archive for the lacock abbey.
Youve probably never heard of it, but there are in fact many harry potter filming locations in this tiny british village. In this small wiltshire village of about 350 souls, there are few overt trappings of the 21st century. Laycock, or lacock, a village and a parish in chippenham district in the county of wiltshire. It was a photo tour of lacock abbey, by clare at suitcases and sandcastles, that inspired me to add the abbey to the list of places i planned to visit during my trip to england last year lacock abbey has a very fascinating history. Lacock village provides the best kind of history lesson for children and wandering around the. Lacock wiltshire community history wiltshire council. Lacock was mentioned in the domesday book of the norman period, with a population of just 160 190 people.
At certain times the village folk might be granted milk from one cow for eight days. Some may be available from libraries or bookshops but others are offered for reference by their owners. Bath, avebury and lacock village smallgroup day tour from london 35. Wiltshire genealogy books, etc this page lists useful books on wilthire in particular and geneaolgy in general. Lacock abbey, village and fox talbot museum visit wiltshire. Its not difficult to find fantastic beasts and harry potter in lacock. Cranford at lacock the popular bbc1 period drama cranford is filming once again in 2009 at the national trust owned village of lacock near chippenham. You can still see some of the original th century structure in the cloisters, as well as traces of the original medieval wall paintings.
Theres a few good cafes and pubs in the village so theres no excuse for being hungry or thirsty. In its 800 years of history, lacock has been been many things. The village is owned almost in its entirety by the national trust, and attracts many visitors by virtue of its unspoiled appearance. Scenic village of lacock in wiltshire with famous abbey. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Lacock is one of the oldest villages in england and almost entirely owned by the national trust.
Lacock abbey was established as a nunnery in 1232, then became the private home of william sharington in 1539. The river avon runs north to south through the middle of the parish giving a broad valley of alluvium with clay on either side. A project to provide a fuller picture of each community is in progress, working on the larger communities first. Lacock village is owned by the national trust and is famous for its picture postcard cottages, as well as having been the location for harry potter and the halfblood prince, downton abbey and the bbc productions of pride and prejudice and cranford. Ela laid the abbeys first stone in snails meadow, near the village of lacock on 16 april 1232.
Lacock archive wiltshire and swindon history centre. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building. Lacock abbey is in wiltshire but close to the furthest point in wiltshire from our home in hampshire so a not unsubstantial drive to get there. The nunnery was founded in 1232 by ela, countess of salisbury, in memory of her husband william longespee, the illegitimate son of henry ii and halfbrother of richard the lionheart. The studded door into the lockup itself is in a chamfered surround, and inside is a lavatory and modern timber bed. Cotswold village of lacock and lacock abbey for those who have always wanted to visit a typical southern english village then, youd have to go a long way to beat lacock. I found it an extremely interesting place full of history with friendly volunteers to hand ready to answer questions. Lacock project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read.
We visited lacock village on a grey, rainy day in early april. Nine hundred years ago, the countess of salisbury founded lacock abbey, the focal point of the area, from which the village you see today sprang into life. In 1891 there were 63 lacock families living in london. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your first box. The village centre, with its range of houses from medieval to 19th century, its stone barn, its medieval church, is almost too perfect. Cranford is based on the books of author elizabeth gaskell. It was seized by the crown in 1539 during the dissolution of the monasteries under henry viii. Laycock or lacock, a village and a parish in wilts. Introducing lacock, one of the oldest villages in england. The medieval abbey dates back to 1232, and during the middle ages the small village became a prosperous and thriving community through its wool industry. Of course it was also interesting to see where some of the scenes from harry potter were filmed, as we are huge fans.
The village and parish of lacock lies between the towns of melksham and chippenham. The name lacock dates from saxon times when the earliest permanent settlers lived by the bide brook, which runs through the middle of the village. On the trail of fantastic beasts and harry potter in lacock. The two manuscripts from lacock abbey are the only known survivors from its. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Since that time, the national trust has attempted to maintain the 17th and 18th century character of the village by avoiding obtrusive modernization. Lacock, wiltshire genealogy genealogy familysearch wiki. Fans will recognize the alley from scenes in both harry potter and the chamber of.
Lacock village is a firm favourite for film and tv producers, most notably for its picturesque streets and historic cottages, untouched by modern alterations. The village is located in hundreds of chippenham, chippenham and calne. The village of lacock is quintessentially old english in appearance with much of it being owned by the national trust were members. Lacock is mentioned in the domesday book, with a population of 160190. It is always a favourite of madmax tours to travel to the beautiful village of lacock which has a history that goes back before the domesday book. Lacock abbey, founded as a nunnery in 1229, flourished through the later middle ages. In 1944, miss matilda talbot gifted lacock village to the national trust. National trust village of lacock jane austens world. The perfectly preserved village is popular with visitors and it and the nearby lacock abbey have also been used for many film shoots, not least harry potter and the philosophers stone and. She has been looking for ages for a book on lacock and enjoyed reading about the village and its history. However, lacock is one of those places that are almost frozen in another time. The fox talbot museum is only small but well laid out with interesting exhibits, a must for a history fan or camera club member. The lacock family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920.
British library puts rare historical globes online. The medieval village of lacock in wiltshire, with its timberframed cottages and stunning abbey, has to be one of the prettiest villages in england. The saxons called the bide brook, which flows through the village, lacuc meaning little stream. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Lacock abbey, fox talbot museum and village national trust. This was about 32% of all the recorded lacocks in the uk. Bbc wiltshire villages harry potter magic at lacock.
Lacock abbey was a monastery founded at lacock, in the county of wiltshire in england, in the early th century by ela, countess of salisbury, as a house of augustinian canonesses regular. At the time of the domesday book, 1086, the settlements at lacock and lackham. Written by popular architectural historian kathryn ferry, lacock unravels the long and complex history of a medieval abbey turned country home. It was once a markettown, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under chippenham. The village is owned almost in its entirety by the national trust, and attracts many visitors by virtue of its. The national trust is primarily responsible for the vast majority of the houses located within but its the rich diverseness of the village and surrounding community that makes lacock so special.
The village hall is a grade ii listed building in lacock, wiltshire, england. Over 50 villagers took part with memories ranging from world war two to peggy butlers sweet shop and the filming that takes over the. Lacock abbey, england harry potter travel destinations. They were expected to perform various duties on the manor lands in return for their holdings, such as spreading dung over the fields. Cotswold village of lacock and lacock abbey stephen liddell. Harry potter filming locations in lacock you need to visit. Lacock is an historic village in wiltshire largely owned by the national trust.
Lacock abbey, located in the centre of the village was founded in the th century and dissolved in 1539. The harry potter tour of gloucester and lacock locations is a magical adventure to some of englands most historic places and scenic countryside. This includes the abbey rooms, courtyard tearoom, high street shop, fox talbot museum, visitor reception, stables cafe and abbey grounds. Lacock abbey was founded in the early thirteenth century and most of the inhabitants of the village were tenants of the abbey. The village later grew alongside the abbey, flourishing as a wool producer conveniently. My family and i visited lacock a few years ago and it was beautiful. The villages most famous appearances include downton abbey, the bbcs pride and prejudice and cranford, and the films harry potter and the halfblood prince and wolfman.
The most lacock families were found in the usa in 1880. The filming is for a twopart cranford special due to be shown at christmas 2009. Lacock abbey 2020 all you need to know before you go with. The village and parish of lacock lies between the towns of melksham and.
Lacock abbey, founded in the early th century, is located in the village of lacock, wiltshire, england. The villages main attraction lacock abbey was founded on the manorial lands by ela, countess of salisbury and established in 1232. Once prosperous thanks to the wool trade, today the costsolwds settlement is bestknown as being the birthplace of photography william henry fox talbot created the earliest surviving photographic negative in 1835. Harry potter tour of gloucester and lacock brit movie tours. The domesday book mentions lacock as having a population of 160190, with a. The village stands on the river avon, near the wilts and berks canal, 3 miles from melksham station on the g. Lacock conservation management plan prepared for the national. Wiltshire genealogy books, etc moonrakers wiltshire. Exploring medieval lacock village and lacock abbey kids. Close to the equally beautiful castle combe and not far from the city of bath, lacock is a medieval village frozen in time.
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