Bradford on Avon

Bradford on Avon Community Area is made up of 59km2 of urban and rural countryside in the west of Wiltshire. It is dominated by one large settlement, the ancient market town of Bradford on Avon.

The town has a history dating back far earlier than the Saxons, whose lasting legacy is the little church of St Laurence.  Excavations in the playing fields of St Laurence School have revealed one of the largest and certainly richest Roman Villa sites in Britain with a series of remarkably well preserved mosaics. The current town is characteristic of many market towns in Wiltshire which had their heyday during the 16th century with the booming woollen trade, with a series of old woollen mills dotted along the river overseen by rows of weavers’ cottages on the hill above the town. The surrounding area is one of small villages and farms and is rural in nature.

Bradford on Avon is the only town in the nine parishes across the community area. The countryside and its villages have a typical look with many buildings built of the local limestone that gives the area its Cotswold character. Bradford on Avon is a popular and expensive commuter town with easy access to Bristol, Bath, and London. Although the town provides a range of shops and facilities, the nearby city of Bath, only 6 miles to the north-west and Trowbridge, 3 miles away, both provide many nearby alternatives.