Compton Bassett

For the historic U.S. house, see Compton Bassett (house).

Compton Bassett
Compton Bassett  Compton Bassett shown within Wiltshire
Population	227 (in 2011)
OS grid reference	SU0353671993
Civil parish	Compton Bassett
Unitary authority	Wiltshire
Ceremonial county	Wiltshire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Calne
Postcode district	SN11
Dialling code	01249
Police	Wiltshire
Fire	Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	North Wiltshire
Website	http://www.comptonbassett.com/
List of places UK England Wiltshire

Compton Bassett is a village in Wiltshire, England between Calne and Cherhill with a population of approximately 250. It is a largely rural village with several farms, a church, a pub.

Midge Mather Incident

In 1998 Compton Bassett church gained notoriety when a local resident (in fact neighbour of the church), 65-year-old Midge Mather, broke into the church and cut through the bell ropes because she could not stand the noise of the bells. It took her upwards of two hours after breaking down the doors to cut the ropes and when she got home she rang the Police and told them what she had done. She was given a Conditional Discharge for her actions.

RAF connection

RAF Compton Bassett was first opened as an air base in World War I and like RAF Yatesbury, continued in the interwar years before again taking on a major role in World War II and then closing in the 1960s. The housing around the airbase continued to be used after the main base had shut by RAF staff working at RAF Lyneham and other westcountry RAF bases, and in the 1980s the housing was used for American service personnel stationed at US airbases such as RAF Fairford and RAF Greenham Common. The housing has now been sold to private buyers.

The site of RAF Compton Bassett is now known as Lower Compton, after the petitioning of the residents for a separate name, due to the fact it actually lies two miles from the village of Compton Bassett.

Parish

Compton Bassett parish forms part of The Oldbury Benefice together with Cherhill, Calstone Wellington, Yatesbury and Heddington.

Notable residents

The travel writer Henry Maundrell was born in Compton Bassett in 1665. Major Clement Walker Heneage was born here in 1831.

In December 2008, the pop star Robbie Williams purchased a £7 million property in the village; Compton Basset House came complete with gamekeeper lodgings, tennis court, helipad and extensive grounds. It was previously owned by the famous architect Sir Norman Foster (now Baron Foster of Thames Bank) of "Gherkin" fame, who sold it in 1992.

In May 2013, the comedian Michael McIntyre purchased a £2.5 million property in the village.

External links

• ComptonBassett.com village website
• Parish Information Oldbury Benefice Community Gateway