Box, Gloucestershire

Box is a small village in Gloucestershire, England. It is in the civil parish of Minchinhampton, and is located 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Stroud and 10 miles (16 km) west of Cirencester. Minchinhampton is about 1 mile (1.6 km) away and Nailsworth is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away. Box has a population of about 400.

Not to be confused with Box, Wiltshire.

Box

Church of St Barnabas, Box
Box
Location within Gloucestershire
PopulationAbout 400
OS grid referenceSO8600
District
  • Stroud
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
PoliceGloucestershire
FireGloucestershire
AmbulanceSouth Western
The Halfway House public house in 2010, now a cafe

Box lies at the edge of Minchinhampton Common, designated as a SSSI. The common is used for the grazing of cattle, and the absence of a cattle grid at the entrance to the village means cows are able to wander through its streets.

The village holds annual produce show, pantomime and open garden events.

Economy

Historically, the area of Box was used for agriculture (as evidenced by farms around the village).[1] Quarries were prevalent in the area, although by the turn of the 20th century the majority of those in Box had closed.[1]

Until the early 20th century, an inn was situated in the centre of the village.[1] It is now a private dwelling, let—like other properties in the village[2]—as a bed and breakfast.[3]

The village is served by the Halfway Café and Shop.[4]

Architecture

Many buildings in the village use Cotswold stone. Such buildings include the early 19th-century Box Terrace—a row of five (formerly six) terraced houses[5]—as well as numerous other private dwellings.[6][7] The 17th-century Box House[8] overlooks Box Wood and the Nailsworth Valley.

Education

Box has two schools. The co-educational Cotswold Chine School opened in 1954 to cater for students aged 7–19 with special educational needs.[9] Beaudesert Park School, a co-educational preparatory school, has been situated on the west side of the village since 1918.[10]

Religious sites

The first place of worship in the village was a mission church built in 1880. The corrugated iron building was originally used for an infant school.[11] After the First World War, the building began to house the village Sunday School and weekly Evensong service. The church lacked an altar and organ; musical accompaniment was played on a harmonium. The church was expanded in the 1920s by the rector of Minchinhampton, who oversaw the installation of a piano and provided the use of a portable altar, and the building itself was extended in the 1930s.[11] By the outbreak of the Second World War, the village had begun to fundraise to build a permanent church. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop of Gloucester Clifford Woodward in 1951, and the building completed the following October. The church was consecrated by Woodward's successor, Wilfred Askwith.[11] The church is dedicated to St Barnabas, and now offers a Eucharist service on Sundays and Holy Communion on Wednesdays.[12]

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References
  1. "Explore georeferenced maps - Map images - National Library of Scotland". maps.nls.uk. Nation Library of Scotland. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. "Box Village Bed & Breakfast". www.boxvillagebandb.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  3. "Box Inn Cottage". Sykes Cottages. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  4. "Halfway Cafe & Shop on the Common". Cotswold Chine School. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  5. "Box Terrace; Lavender Cottage,easter Cottage,wolde Cottage,wayland Cottage and Thimblepen". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  6. "The Beehive". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  7. "Broxmead and Malt House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  8. "Box House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  9. "About Cotswold Chine School". Cotswold Chine School. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  10. "History of Beaudesert". Beaudesert Park School. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  11. "St Barnabas Church History". Box Village, Gloucestershire. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  12. "St Barnabas, Box". minchchurch.org.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  • David Verey, Gloucestershire: the Cotswolds, The Buildings of England edited by Nikolaus Pevsner, 2nd ed. (1979) ISBN 0-14-071040-X, pp. 131–132
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