Rollestone

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.

This article is about the village in Wiltshire. For the district of Sheffield, see Gleadless Valley.

Rollestone
Rollestone is located in Wiltshire
Rollestone
Rollestone
Location within Wiltshire
OS grid referenceSU072432
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSALISBURY
Postcode districtSP3
Dialling code01980
PoliceWiltshire
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament

For local government purposes, Rollestone was added to Shrewton parish in 1934.[1]

History

The name Rollestone was first used in the 13th century.[1]

In 1947 the Ordnance Survey map[2] 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.[3] As of 2015 it is a privately owned hotel and restaurant.[4]

Church
Main article: St Andrew's Church, Rollestone

The small 13th-century Anglican Church of St Andrew is Grade II* listed.[5] It was declared redundant and is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.

Near the church is the former rectory, a mid-17th-century building altered in the 19th century.[6]

Rollestone Camp

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[1] by the Royal Flying Corps for observation balloon training. Situated in an upland area of Wiltshire, it was described by one soldier stationed there as 'a bit bleak', especially for Australians used to a warmer climate. The water froze around Christmas time, and one night the troops' corrugated iron cinema was blown away.[7]

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.[8]

For 8 months in 1988, the camp became HMP Rollestone once more when it was used to relieve overcrowding in civilian prisons. The prison housed 360 category C prisoners. The prison governor was a HMP graded officer, the wing commanders were Military Provost staff (from Colchester military prison) and the wing staff were Royal Military Police NCOs, provided by the local Provost companies in nearby Tidworth and Bulford.

The camp continues in use as part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

References
  1. Baggs, A. P.; Critall, Elizabeth; Freeman, Jane; Stevenson, Janet H. (1980). "Parishes: Rollestone". In Crowley, D. A. (ed.). A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 11. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 208–212. Retrieved 29 April 2023 – via British History Online.
  2. "Sheet 167". New Popular Edition Maps. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  3. Historic England. "Rollestone Manor (1023992)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. "Rollestone Manor Bed & Breakfast". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  5. Historic England. "Church of St Andrew, Rollestone (1181917)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  6. Historic England. "The Old Rectory, Rollestone (1284770)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  7. Bullock, Arthur (2009). Gloucestershire Between the Wars: A Memoir. The History Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7524-4793-3.
  8. "2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers, Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Rollestone Camp". The Royal Irish. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
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