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Cheltenham
Cheltenham (or Cheltenham Spa) is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England. The town has a population of 110,013 (2001 census). The people of the town are known as "Cheltonians". Its motto is: Salubritas et Eruditio ("Health and Education"). Cheltenham is located on the edge of the Cotswolds and has an image of being respectable and wealthy. The small River Chelt flows under and through the town and is subject to regular floods.[1] Cheltenham is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing. The town hosts several festivals of culture.
History
The Racecourse, seen from Cleeve Hill Cheltenham has been a health and holiday spa town resort since the discovery of mineral springs there in 1716. The spa waters continue to be taken recreationally at Pittville Pump Room, built for this purpose and completed in 1830.[2] Cheltenham's success as a spa town is reflected in the railway station, which is still called Cheltenham Spa, and spa facilities in other towns which were inspired by or named after it.[3] Horse racing began in Cheltenham in 1815, and first became a major national attraction after the establishment of the Festival in 1902.[4] Whilst the volume of tourists visiting the spa has declined, the racecourse now attracts tens of thousands of visitors to each day of the festival each year,[5] with such large numbers of visitors having a significant impact on a town the size of Cheltenham. The town is famous for its Regency architecture and is said to be "the most complete regency town in England".[6] On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the borough of Cheltenham was merged with Charlton Kings urban district to form the modern non-metropolitan district of Cheltenham. Four parishes ? Swindon Village, Up Hatherley, Leckhampton and Prestbury ? were added to the borough of Cheltenham from the borough of Tewkesbury in 1991.[7] EducationHistorically the most notable school in Cheltenham was Pate's Grammar School (founded 1574)[8], though Cheltenham Ladies' College (founded 1853) and Cheltenham College are the most widely known. The town also includes several campuses of the University of Gloucestershire and a number of other institutions of further and higher education. FestivalsEvery year, Cheltenham Festivals organises music, jazz, folk, literary, and science festivals in the town. Events take place at venues including the Town Hall, the Everyman Theatre, The Playhouse Theatre and the Pittville Pump Room. Additionally, Greenbelt, a Christian arts and music festival, is held at Cheltenham Racecourse. 
The centre of Cheltenham. The statue is of Edward Adrian Wilson, the Antarctic explorer. The municipal offices are in the background Sport and leisureCheltenham is known for its horse racing. Cheltenham Racecourse, located in the suburb of Prestbury, is the home of National Hunt, or jumps, racing in the UK. Meetings are hosted from October to April. The highlight of the season is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is normally held in the middle of March, during the Cheltenham Festival. This co-incidence with Saint Patrick's Day ensures that the town swells with an influx of Irish horse racing devotees. The local football teams are Cheltenham Town F.C., who have recently enjoyed success in The Football League and gained promotion to League One, and Cheltenham Saracens F.C., who are members of the Hellenic League Division One West. Amateur rugby union clubs include Cheltenham Saracens RFC, Cheltenham North RFC, Old Patesians R.F.C., and Cheltenham Civil Service RFC. The Cheltenham Rugby Festival is a rugby-league-nines event held in May. The town has three golf courses, at Cleeve Hill, Cotswold Hills, and Lilley Brook. Cheltenham is home to Steve Saunders, 10 times the British champion trials rider and runner-up in the World Championship in 1986. Sandford Parks Lido is one of the largest outdoor pools in England. There is a main pool as well as a children's pool and paddling pool, both of which are set in landscaped gardens. 
The mechanical clock in the Regent Shopping Arcade, designed by Kit Williams. The distance from the duck to the fish is 45 feet. Shopping and night-life
Cavendish House department store on the Promenade Major employersCheltenham has light industry employers, including food processing, aerospace, electronics and tourism businesses. The British government's electronic surveillance operation Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), renowned for its "doughnut-shape" building, is located in Cheltenham. GE-Aviation, Dowty Rotol, Chelsea Building Society, Endsleigh Insurance, UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service), Kohler Mira, Zurich Financial Services, Spirax Sarco and Kraft Foods' UK headquarters all have sites in and around Cheltenham. TransportRailway
The Town Hall, erected in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra The Cheltenham Spa Express, once known as the "Cheltenham Flyer", is a named passenger train, connecting Cheltenham with London. In addition, a restored station at Cheltenham Racecourse is the south terminus for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway heritage railway. RoadCheltenham is well connected to major trunk roads in the region, being adjacent to the M5 motorway (between Bristol and Birmingham) and its junction with the A417 to Swindon, and having the A40 flow from across the M5 through the town towards Oxford and London. TramwayCheltenham was at one time a terminus of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Tramway. ChurchesThe original parish church of Cheltenham is St. Mary's Church, which is the only surviving medieval building in the town. As a result of expansion of the population, absorption of surrounding villages, and the efforts of both evangelical and Anglo-Catholic missions, the town has a large number of other churches, including Trinity Church (one of the largest Anglican congregations outside London) and All Saints', Pittville (where the composer Holst's father was organist).CampanologyThe town features two notable rings of bells hung for change ringing. The first is at St. Christopher's (Warden Hill), these being the lightest ring of church bells in the world.[10] The bells of St. Mark's[11] are renowned for their tonal excellence and ease of "handling". The product of John Taylor's Bell Foundry they were cast in 1885 and 2007 and have undergone a major refurbishment. There is also a ring of 12 bells dating mainly from the 19th century, hung in St. Mary's Church. These are to be the venue in 2008 for the eliminators of the National 12 Bell Striking contest in which teams of Campanologists from around the world compete to win the Taylor Trophy. Twin Towns
The town also has 'Friendship' status with:
The Minotaur and the Hare bronze on the Promenade sculpted by Sophie Ryder in 1995 Areas of Cheltenham
Cheltenham in 1933 Lansdown CrescentLansdown Crescent is a Regency period terrace, designed by John Buonarotti Papworth for R.W. and C. Jearrad and constructed in the 1830s. The terrace is convex, and opposite the north-eastern part stands Lansdown Court, an Italianate villa possibly designed by Papworth but more probably by the Jearrads and built about 1830. Notable residents
The 30,000 capacity main stage at Greenbelt 2007 References
See also
External links
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