Stratford-sub-Castle

Stratford-sub-Castle in Wiltshire, England, was anciently a separate village[1] and civil parish, but since 1954 has been a northern suburb of the city of Salisbury. At approximately 170 ft above sea level, it is dominated to the east by the remains of an Iron Age hillfort within the boundaries of which a Norman castle was built. This now-ruined castle led to the village taking the name Stratford-under-Castle,[1] later changing to Stratford sub Castle. Stratford lies south-west of the abandoned medieval settlement of Old Sarum which was also built within the area of the hill fort. It is approximately twenty one miles from Southampton.

Stratford-sub-Castle
The Manor House, Stratford sub Castle
Stratford-sub-Castle is located in Wiltshire
Stratford-sub-Castle
Stratford-sub-Castle
Location within Wiltshire
OS grid referenceSU133323
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSALISBURY
Postcode districtSP1
Dialling code01722
PoliceWiltshire
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
WebsiteCommunity website
Mawarden Court, Stratford-sub-Castle

Stratford sub Castle is within the current city boundaries. There is a primary school; the nearest secondary school to the village is South Wilts Grammar School, a five-minute walk away from the southern boundary of Stratford sub Castle, on Stratford Road.

The oldest building in the area is the Church of St Lawrence, which dates from the 13th century and is a Grade I listed building.[2] The west tower was restored by Thomas Pitt in 1711. A section of the churchyard contains war graves from World War I and World War II that are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[3] Before his conversion to Roman Catholicism, the hymnist Edward Caswall served as a curate.

Stratford-sub-Castle cannot expand to the east or the west, being bounded by Old Sarum on one side and the River Avon on the other: it has thus become a linear settlement.

Areas within the ward

Stratford-sub-castle is in the St Francis and Stratford ward.[4] Arguably the boundary between the two is the A345 road with Stratford-sub-castle to the west and St Francis to the east. Nowadays, the two areas are prosperous, largely residential suburbs north of the A36 road. The ward of St Francis and Stratford is the least ethnically diverse ward in Salisbury being 94.5% White British in 2011, out of the ward's population which was 5,586.[5]

Also within the ward is the suburb of Paul's Dene which is a housing estate and terminus of a Salisbury Reds bus route.[6] Paul's Dene is on the northern edge of Salisbury, being north-east of Stratford-sub-castle and north of St Francis. Main amenities in the ward are Hudson's Field, Old Sarum historic monument, Mawarden Court, Victoria Park and Five Rivers leisure centre.

A historical feature formerly within the area was the recently demolished Salisbury gasholder on Coldharbour Lane, to the north of the A36 Salisbury ring road. Built in 1928, it was taken apart in 2017 by Southern Gas because of high maintenance costs and some local residents considering it an eyesore.

The ruins of Old Sarum, managed by English Heritage, lie within the boundaries of Stratford sub Castle.[7] A modern housing and industrial development, confusingly also known as Old Sarum, is further to the east and outside the Salisbury city boundary.

References
  1. Crittall, Elizabeth, ed. (1962). "Stratford-sub-Castle". A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 6. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 199–213. Retrieved 25 April 2021 – via British History Online.
  2. Historic England. "Church of St Lawrence (1272953)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  3. CWGC Cemetery Report, Stratford-sub-Castle (St Lawrence) Churchyard. Accessed 26 June 2021.
  4. "Salisbury St Francis and Stratford - UK Census 2011". UK Census Data. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  5. "Salisbury St Francis and Stratford - UK Census 2011". UK Census Data. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  6. "Salisbury Reds Timetables". Salisbury Reds. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  7. "Places To Visit: Old Sarum". English Heritage. Retrieved 25 April 2021.

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