Quemerford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Quemerford | |
|---|---|
 Quemerford Post Office and Stores, 2008 | |
  Quemerford Location within Wiltshire | |
| OS grid reference | SU008697 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Calne |
| Postcode district | SN11 |
| Dialling code | 01249 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Quemerford is a southeastern suburb of the town of Calne in the county of Wiltshire, England. It is within both the Calne and Calne Without civil parishes, and lies on the A4 road towards Marlborough, which is some 12 miles (19 km) to the east.
The River Marden flows in a westerly direction to the south of Quemerford, then turns north and passes under the A4 on its way to Calne. A tributary of the Marden, the River's Brook, passes north of Quemerford.
According to etymologists, the name is derived from the Old English Cynemaeres-ford, meaning the ford at the royal (cyne) boundary (maere) or lake (mere). Ekwall notes the early variants of the name include Camerford (1204), Kemerford (1226-1228), Quemerford (1240-1245), Cameresford (1292), and Quemerforde (1294).[1]
Earthworks from a medieval rural settlement, including house platforms, are found on a site south of Quemerford Farm. The site is a scheduled ancient monument.[2] The track from the farm continues south to St Peter's church at Blackland (outside Calne parish), which dates from the late 12th century.[3] Later there was no clear nucleus of settlement, with dispersed farmsteads (ten in 1728) east of the Marden.[4]
The surname Comerford originated in Quemerford as a toponymic surname by the thirteenth century.[5]
By the mid-19th century, Quemerford had a population of 635.[6] Holy Trinity church, a chapel of ease for St Mary's, was built in 1852–3, and its churchyard became the graveyard for Calne parish.[7][8] In 1866-7 a school was built close to the church.[9]
From 1940 to 1964, RAF Compton Bassett, a technical training camp with no airfield, was about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Quemerford.[10]
