Box in Recent Times Alan Payne October 2023
Awards displayed on the Box Parish Council Offices (courtesy Carol Payne)
The history of Box is one of continuing change. In Box, there are virtually no shops or local industries left. But Box remains a village with a community feel in an undeniably beautiful part of the Cotswolds. This article explores how residents have developed the attributes of modern Box.
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Seen Above Left: Margaret Rousell outside Vine Court and winner's logo (courtesy John Currant); Above Right Top: Bob Hancock watering War Memorial and Bottom: At Parish Council offices (courtesy Bob Hancock)
Best Kept Village in Wiltshire
It would be remiss to ignore the council’s success in promoting the village. They entered Box in the county Best Kept Village Competition where it twice emerged as a winner in 1988 (when it was named as one of the country’s top villages in a national contest) and again in 1990. There were interim successes too: in 2009 Box came first in the North Wiltshire competition and in 1999 Littlemead, Ashley, competed in the North Wiltshire Flower Festival for the Best Kept Street and the Council Offices for Best Kept Public Building.
It would be remiss to ignore the council’s success in promoting the village. They entered Box in the county Best Kept Village Competition where it twice emerged as a winner in 1988 (when it was named as one of the country’s top villages in a national contest) and again in 1990. There were interim successes too: in 2009 Box came first in the North Wiltshire competition and in 1999 Littlemead, Ashley, competed in the North Wiltshire Flower Festival for the Best Kept Street and the Council Offices for Best Kept Public Building.
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For full list of village awards click drop-down button right
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The competitions weren't just a local authority initiative based on an enormous amount of work from the parish groundsman,
Bob Hancock. Rather it was an entire village effort with front gardens decorated as well as public areas. The photos above and below show the garden displays at Lyndale, Devizes Road (courtesy Ruby Eyles).
Bob Hancock. Rather it was an entire village effort with front gardens decorated as well as public areas. The photos above and below show the garden displays at Lyndale, Devizes Road (courtesy Ruby Eyles).
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Promoting the name of Box has encouraged several media events to show what we have to offer. These events included a centenery commemoration of Brunel's death on 15 September 1959. There were exhibitions in London, Cambridge and Bristol (unfortunately nothing in Box) but the television cameras came to the village to photograph outside Box Tunnel for part of the programme by Television Wales and the West (an ITV franchise).
The programme starred a youthful Peter Wyngarde (later well-known for being Jason King and also reputed to be the inspiration for Austin Powers, the spoof sartorial spy played by Mike Meyers). The television programme also included a number of local people such as railway ganger Arthur George Currant (seen on Peter Wyngarde's right). There have been other television films set in village locations over the years, including Larkrise to Candleford and McDonald & Dodds. These programmes all show-cased how attractive Box is as a setting because of the continuing efforts of villagers. |
Local newspaper attribution unknown
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The Lovar Water Garden and Nature Reserve
The Lovar Garden at the foot of the Lower Rec was the initiative of Ronnie Walker, chairman of Box NATS. The project was funded by a charity, the Lovar Foundation, of which Ronnie was also chairman.[1] It was opened on 3 June 1997 as a parish amenity for the enjoyment of nature.
The Lovar Garden at the foot of the Lower Rec was the initiative of Ronnie Walker, chairman of Box NATS. The project was funded by a charity, the Lovar Foundation, of which Ronnie was also chairman.[1] It was opened on 3 June 1997 as a parish amenity for the enjoyment of nature.
Lovar Water Garden in 1999 (courtesy Bob Hancock)
A number of agencies were involved in its creation including Box Parish Council, Cotswold National Landscape, Wessex Water and GWR. The site is complex because it had previously been a sewer bed and overflow for storm rainwater from houses on the High Street and frequently flooded. It was also in a difficult location to maintain at the foot of The Rec. However, it has a very broad range of wildlife habitats including wetland, woodland and banks. The flat access from Mill Lane offers tranquillity for those wanting to relax. It is also in an attractive location, close to the Brunel Underpass bridge which has recently been awarded a Grade II Historic Buildings Listing.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Most people know that Box Valley lies at the fringes of the Cotswolds, a range of Jurassic limestone rock running north-east from Dorset all the way to Yorkshire. The area is typified by rolling hills set around deep valleys, and dotted with attractive villages and their limestone buildings. Box lies on an escarpment on the southernmost boundary of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Most people know that Box Valley lies at the fringes of the Cotswolds, a range of Jurassic limestone rock running north-east from Dorset all the way to Yorkshire. The area is typified by rolling hills set around deep valleys, and dotted with attractive villages and their limestone buildings. Box lies on an escarpment on the southernmost boundary of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The village set in the bottom of the Box Valley (courtesy Carol Payne)
How Box remained consistent to its rural foundations is curious. Nineteenth century industry changed the village into a stone quarrying area which dramatically changed the structure of the topography underground with excavated tunnels and caves, and the appearance of the village overground with a huge range of buildings constructed in the late Victorian period in attractive Cotswold stone. But it remains true that almost every resident can walk out of their house into the countryside.
Historic Buildings
As this is a local history website, it would be remiss not to mention Box's 213 listed buildings. Part of the attraction in discovering these lies in the obscurity of many of them. The remarkable collection of Georgian chest tombs in the church yard arose because burials in the yard stopped suddenly after 1858 following the death of the Sudell sisters, the vicar's wife and sister-in-law. A similar sudden and surprising change occured in about 1841 when the old Market Place road was by-passed by the new A4 road, to allow stone trucks an easier route from the quarries to the Box Railway Station. These were the preservation of history by chance and the same random preservation applies to most of Box's historic buildings. To see more of these buildings, you can download the Box Heritage Trail map at: 20200319-Box-Heritage-Trail-Interactive-Map.pdf
As this is a local history website, it would be remiss not to mention Box's 213 listed buildings. Part of the attraction in discovering these lies in the obscurity of many of them. The remarkable collection of Georgian chest tombs in the church yard arose because burials in the yard stopped suddenly after 1858 following the death of the Sudell sisters, the vicar's wife and sister-in-law. A similar sudden and surprising change occured in about 1841 when the old Market Place road was by-passed by the new A4 road, to allow stone trucks an easier route from the quarries to the Box Railway Station. These were the preservation of history by chance and the same random preservation applies to most of Box's historic buildings. To see more of these buildings, you can download the Box Heritage Trail map at: 20200319-Box-Heritage-Trail-Interactive-Map.pdf
Box Today
Many people who live in Box regard it as a privilege and stay for decades to enjoy its charms. In many respects, modern Box is similar to other places with a school, pubs, a few shops and a pharmacy and surgery and our lives are unlike previous generations with domestic facilities including running water, sewage and waste disposal. But modern Box is losing many village attributes with fewer shops and pubs, lack of local employment, railway facilities, and serious traffic congestion.
Box has constantly rethought its role in providing residents' needs with waves of incomers: Georgians wanting health solutions at Bath, stone quarry workers, Methodist evangelists and World War II military services. In absorbing these changes, we have lost very little of the old village buildings or the road structure and the village still resembles its historic roots in the rural countryside surrounded by grassy fields and woodland, birds and wildlife. We enjoy a peaceful and stable society, sometimes composed of families going back generations giving us a largely unified society. We owe much to past generations who provided facilities for our benefit: The Rec is a gathering point, sports centre and also a beauty spot; Box School attracts young families and generation renewal; and the churches offer old traditions and continuity.
The village is now increasingly a residential location and the facilities we have generated through our clubs and societies unite us and shape the future direction of the village. Perhaps this is what people mean by referring to the community spirit in Box.
The village is whatever we, the community, want to make it.
Many people who live in Box regard it as a privilege and stay for decades to enjoy its charms. In many respects, modern Box is similar to other places with a school, pubs, a few shops and a pharmacy and surgery and our lives are unlike previous generations with domestic facilities including running water, sewage and waste disposal. But modern Box is losing many village attributes with fewer shops and pubs, lack of local employment, railway facilities, and serious traffic congestion.
Box has constantly rethought its role in providing residents' needs with waves of incomers: Georgians wanting health solutions at Bath, stone quarry workers, Methodist evangelists and World War II military services. In absorbing these changes, we have lost very little of the old village buildings or the road structure and the village still resembles its historic roots in the rural countryside surrounded by grassy fields and woodland, birds and wildlife. We enjoy a peaceful and stable society, sometimes composed of families going back generations giving us a largely unified society. We owe much to past generations who provided facilities for our benefit: The Rec is a gathering point, sports centre and also a beauty spot; Box School attracts young families and generation renewal; and the churches offer old traditions and continuity.
The village is now increasingly a residential location and the facilities we have generated through our clubs and societies unite us and shape the future direction of the village. Perhaps this is what people mean by referring to the community spirit in Box.
The village is whatever we, the community, want to make it.
The centre of the village showing the church, Box House and The Rec area (courtesy Carol Payne)
Reference
[1] Parish Magazine, July 1997
[1] Parish Magazine, July 1997