Atcham

Infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Atcham
latitude= 52.6796
longitude= -2.6799
civil_parish= Atcham
population = 249 (2001) [cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=798961&c=SY5+6QG&d=16&e=15&g=482487&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1206038726956&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779|title=Atcham Civil Parish|publisher=Neighbourhood Statistics|accessdate=2008-03-20]
shire_district= Shrewsbury and Atcham
shire_county= Shropshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Shrewsbury and Atcham
post_town= SHREWSBURY
postcode_district = SY5
postcode_area= SY
dial_code= 01743
os_grid_reference= SJ542092

Atcham is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is situated on the B4380 (the old A5), 5 miles south east of Shrewsbury. The River Severn flows around the village. To the south is the village of Cross Houses, and to the northwest the hamlet of Emstrey.

Local governance

It was once part of, and gave its name to, Atcham Rural District, before that district merged with the Borough of Shrewsbury in 1974 and the area is now administered by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. The Parliamentary constituency which covers the borough is also Shrewsbury and Atcham.

History

The only church in England to be dedicated to Saint Eata can be found in the village. Just why St Eata should have this one church bearing his name so far away from the area of his ministry is something of a mystery. There is no written record suggesting that he ever came so far south. There is, however, a crop photograph from the 1970s of a field in Attingham Park showing the ground-plan of a Saxon palace identical to one excavated near Hexham. Did a noble's daughter from Hexham move to Atcham to be married, bringing with her architect's plans and the memory of a favourite saint? 'Atcham' is a contraction of 'Attingham' which means 'the home of Eata's children.' The church dates back to the 11th century.

Ordericus Vitalis, the historian, was born in the village in 1075.

The local airfield (now returned to agriculture and light industry) was home to an American training unit for much of World War 2. They used P-47 Thunderbolts and, later, P-38 Lightnings for operational training for new fighter pilots posted in from the USA. Almost 50 pilots were lost in accidents flying from here.

The A5 London-Holyhead road once ran through the village, but now runs to the north on a new dual-carriageway.

Features

Famous landmarks of Atcham include Attingham Park, the seat of the Barons Berwick until that title became extinct in 1953. The hall at Attingham Park is now the regional headquarters of the National Trust and also on the estate is the Shropshire office of Natural England.

There are two bridges at Atcham, the older one, built in 1774, is commonly known as Atcham Bridge, while the new one, which was opened in 1929, carries the Old A5 (B4380) road over the River Severn. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/panoramic/atcham/index.shtml|title=Panoramic of Atcham Bridge|work=BBC Shropshire|accessdate=2008-04-26]

Nearby is the village of Wroxeter, formerly a Roman city, and the site of one of Shropshire's commercial vineyards.

There is a public house in the village called the "Mytton and Mermaid" but the school, Post Office and garage have all closed. The former garage remains as a small car sales and repair business.

Nearby is Atcham Business Park/Industrial Estate, on the site of the old airfield. Despite its name, it is in fact in the neighbouring civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington [http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/parish/wroxeteranduppington/ ] , although, since the Diocese of Lichfield made some parish boundary changes, it is now in the ecclesiastical parish of Atcham.

External links

* [http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/parish/atcham/ Shrewsbury and Atcham B.C. - parish profile]

References