Category: About Warminster: West Street

Residents At The End Of Their Tether Are “Shouting And Need To Be Heard” ~ Warminster Town Council To Meet With Wiltshire Council Highways Officers To Try And Solve Traffic Problems At West Street

Wednesday 2nd March 2016

West Street Residents Seek Traffic Solution

West Street, Warminster

The concerns raised included a myriad of issues – excess speed, vehicles mounting the pavement, damage to parked vehicles and properties, overweight HGVs, road rage and noise pollution. Children walking to the three primary schools in the vicinity were being put at risk from cars mounting the pavement to avoid oncoming traffic. Cyclists were being forced to use the pavement because the road was too dangerous.

 Photographs taken by Danny Howell
on Wednesday 2nd March 2016.

There was unanimous agreement that the Town Council should meet with Wiltshire Council Highways officers and the residents of West Street to discuss the issues raised and look at possible solutions.

Welcome To The Garden Of West House, Warminster

Saturday 4th July 2009

A page of notes given out to visitors to their garden on an open day (raising funds for charity) by Charles and Celia Lane, of West House, West Street, Warminster, gave the following details:

Welcome To The Garden Of West House

The glory of the garden is the tulip tree Liriodendron Tulipifera. It must be one of the first to have been planted in this country after its introduction from North America in the late 17th century when the house was built.

We have been here since 1984. We inherited from Dr. and Mrs. Falk a lovely garden with a collection of old roses which we have added to largely from the Quest-Ritson nursery which was in Corsley and which sold roses grown on their own roots (not grafted). These are at their best in June. It will be obvious that we do not spray them!

We have altered the layout of the garden. Apart from the  tulip tree and the yew hedge there was only lawn until the other side of the maple and from it ran two parallel beds to the gate. We made the shape of the beds freer to reflect the contours of the ground (Peter Swann kindly helped us in the planning) and planted the herbaceous border. This is allowed to do its own thing until July when it comes into its own.

The long grass in the top garden is full of bulbs, which are allowed to naturalise, but it will be mown very soon and then will look rather white and unsightly for a week or so.

To the left of the gate from the yard is an indigofera gerardiana. (It flowers all summer). Near this is the “winter garden” full of winter flowering plants and not looking at its best now, but from August onwards will be full of cyclamen. We have recently been given some wonderful daphnes and hellebores which belonged to our friend John Rennie.

Parts of the swimming pool area have been newly planted.

The bottom garden beyond the gate is almost entirely our own planting, except for the trees at the end which have been there since the early 1970s when Dr. Falk sold the fields beyond for development. The estate wasn’t actually built until the late 80s. Last year beds in this woodland part of the garden were laid out. The column was a millennium addition!

The latest project in the vegetable garden to the right of the gate in the bottom garden, fully netted to keep out pests. The garden on the other side is for cuttings, small plants and herbaceous plants that did not like being in our hot dry border, as well as the asparagus bed.

This spring we lost some big shrubs and small trees: viburnums and cytisus and also a rubus and a mimosa. We had very cold nights in April and May causing more damage than frost and snow in the winter.

We are helped one day a week each by David Coke and Neal Crowe.  

West Street, Warminster, Established 1325

West Wiltshire District Council’s Warminster Town Centre Conservation Area Character Assessment Informative Document, adopted in April 2007, noted:

West Street was established by 1325 and by the 16th century the town extended as far as what is now 34 Vicarage Street, (Vicarage Street formerly being part of West Street). By 1783 houses stretched along West Street on both sides for 0.8km beyond the High Cross (now The Obelisk in Silver Street), and along Pound Street further than the end of Princecroft Lane.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/warminster_conservation_area_character_assessment_april_2007.pdf

14 West Street, Warminster, Was Built In The 1680s

West Wiltshire District Council’s Warminster Town Centre Conservation Area Character Assessment Informative Document, adopted in April 2007, noted:

14 West Street [Warminster] is a Grade II listed building and was built in the 1680s. It has been altered substantially over the years but still retains animportant presence in the street. Its striking facade and elevated roofline give it grandeur over the surrounding area. 

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/warminster_conservation_area_character_assessment_april_2007.pdf