Regions Of England Codexery

Wiltshire

Rural county in South West England with Neolithic monuments.

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The county's name comes from the former county town of Wilton, written as Wiltunscir in the 9th century.[1] The ceremonial county in South West England known as Wiltshire is often shortened to Wilts.[2] People born in Wiltshire are called "Moonrakers" according to local tradition.[3][4]

Geography and history

Two-thirds of Wiltshire lies on chalk, forming a high downland landscape.[5][6] In the 6th and 7th centuries, Wiltshire was on the western edge of Saxon Britain.[7][8] In 1794, a meeting at the Bear Inn in Devizes raised ten troops of Yeomanry, forming the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.[9] The county has a temperate climate with an annual mean temperature of about 10 °C.[10]

Average rainfall for the county is around 800 mm.[10] Salisbury Plain, the county's biggest chalk expanse, is employed for crop cultivation and military exercises.[5][6] At 295 metres above sea level, the Tan Hill–Milk Hill ridge represents Wiltshire's loftiest point.[5][6] In 675, the Battle of Bedwyn occurred between Escuin and Mercia's King Wulfhere.[7][8]

The county experienced an invasion by Danes in 878.[7][8] Winds most frequently come from the south-west.[10]

What the cited sources add

The Wiltshire Community History website provides historical information for 261 civil parishes.[11] Wilton was the administrative centre of Wiltshire until the 11th century.[12] Wilton had a mint that was one of the earliest in the county, closing in 1250.[12] The excisemen left the smugglers alone, thinking they were simple country-folk.[4]

The Moonraker nickname can rightfully be claimed by anyone born in the county.[4]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Wiltshire Community History: Wilton", Wiltshire Council (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Wiltshire", Collins Dictionary (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Green and Crammer Pond, Devizes", Devizesheritage.org.uk; "Moonraking: The Folklore", Where I live: Wiltshire (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. "Moonraking: The Folklore", Where I live: Wiltshire. facts only, no text reused. bbc.co.uk
  5. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bathurst, "Walking the county high points of England", Summersdale, 2012, p. 138–147 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Open Library record, ISBN 9781849532396 ("Walking the County High Points of England"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pearson, "Kennet & Avon Middle Thames: Pearson's Canal Companion", Central Waterways Supplies, 2003 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Open Library record, ISBN 090786497X ("Pearson's Canal Companion (Pearsons Canal Companions)"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: British Army Website, "Royal Wessex Yeomanry", Regimental Page (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Wiltshire" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "South West England: climate", Met Office (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  11. "Community History", Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. facts only, no text reused. apps.wiltshire.gov.uk
  12. "Wiltshire Community History: Wilton", Wiltshire Council. facts only, no text reused. apps.wiltshire.gov.uk

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Wiltshire (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Named in this entry

Gloucestershire

Also in the Codexery

Wiltshire · English Counties

More in Regions Of England

WestmorlandWarwickshireSussexSurreySuffolkStaffordshireSomersetShropshireRutlandNottinghamshireNorthumberlandNorthamptonshire

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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