Wells

UK Hub Wells Somerset

Approximate Population: 10,406

Wells is a popular tourist destination, due to its historical sites, its proximity to Bath, Stonehenge and Glastonbury and its closeness to the Somerset coast.   Also nearby are Wookey Hole Caves, the Mendip Hills and the Somerset Levels. Wells is part of the West Country Carnival circuit.   Somerset cheese, including Cheddar, is made locally.

A walled precinct, the Liberty of St Andrew, encloses the twelfth century Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace, Vicar’s Close and the residences of the clergy who serve the cathedral.

The Bishops Palace has been the home of the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years.   The hall and chapel are particularly noteworthy, dating from the 14th century.  There are 14 acres (5.7 ha) of gardens including the springs from which the city takes its name.   Visitors can also see the Bishop’s private Chapel, ruined Great Hall and the Gatehouse with portcullis and drawbridge beside which the famous mute swans ring a bell for food.

The Church of St. Cuthbert – often mistaken for the cathedral, the church has a fine Somerset stone tower and a superb carved roof.   Originally an Early English building (13th century), it was much altered in the Perpendicular period (15th century).  The nave’s coloured ceiling was repainted in 1963 at the instigation of the then Vicar’s wife, Mrs Barnett.  Until 1561 the church had a central tower which either collapsed or was removed, and has been replaced with the current tower over the west door.  Bells were cast for the tower by Roger Purdy.

UK Hub Wells Somerset

High Wycombe

High Wycombe Buckinghamshire UK Hub

Approximate Population: 92,300

High Wycombe is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is 29 miles (47 km) west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town. According to the 2001 census High Wycombe had a population of 92,300, making it the largest town in the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire now that Milton Keynes is a unitary authority area, and the second largest in the ceremonial county. The High Wycombe Urban Area, the conurbation of which the town is the largest component has a population of 118,219.

High Wycombe is mostly an unparished area in the Wycombe district. Part of the urban area constitutes a civil parish of Chepping Wycombe, which had a population of 14,455 according to the 2001 census — this parish represents that part of the ancient parish of Chepping Wycombe which was outside the former municipal borough of Wycombe.

The name Wycombe comes from the river Wye, and the old English word for a wooded valley, combe. Wycombe appears in the Domesday Book and was noted for having six mills. The town once featured a Roman Villa (2 A.D) which was excavated three times, most recently in 1954. Mosaics and a bathhouse were uncovered at the site on what is now the Rye parkland. High Wycombe was the site of a minor English Civil War battle featuring John Hampden, and the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

High Wycombe is home to the main campus of Buckinghamshire New University (BNU). The university college had plans for expansion in the Hughenden area of High Wycombe, and while these plans fell through, there are now plans to enlarge the main campus which will provide more up to date facilities. The university has now achieved full university status, (summer, 07) and it is now called Buckinghamshire New University / Bucks New Uni for short.

High Wycombe Buckinghamshire UK Hub

Farnborough

Farnborough Hampshire UK Hub

Approximate Population: 57,147

Farnborough is a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England. It is best known as the home of the Farnborough Airshow which takes place once every two years. The town is home to Farnborough Aerodrome, Air Accidents Investigation Branch, and the international headquarters of BAE Systems and Cessna.

Farnborough is situated in the northeast of Hampshire and near to the boundary with Surrey. The River Blackwater forms part of the boundary. It is located 55 km (34 miles) southwest of London and 26 km (16 miles) east of Basingstoke, directly to the south of junction 4 of the M3 motorway. The town lies at the centre of the Blackwater Valley conurbation, which includes Aldershot, Camberley, Yateley, Sandhurst, Frimley and Farnham.

Farnborough has incorporated several sizeable villages as it has expanded, including Cove and Southwood, both of which are now considered suburbs. It is continuous with the garrison town of Aldershot to the south and with Frimley to the north. Based in the town is the council of the local government district of Rushmoor. The district has borough status and also covers nearby Aldershot.

Within Farnborough the only naturally occurring significant water feature is Cove Brook.

Adjacent to the airport, IQ Farnborough, the new name for Farnborough Business Park[9], is a major development which aims to have around 1,670,000 sq ft (155,000 m2) of new office space. There are plans to make this area not only a major business centre, but also a new centrepiece for Farnborough.

Farnborough Hampshire UK Hub