The Devils Chimney on Leckhampton Hill
Leckhampton is a district in south Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The area constitutes a civil parish and is part of the district of Cheltenham.
The name "Leckhampton" means "settlement by a hill where leeks are grown"
The old village of Leckhampton stands at the foot of Leckhampton Hill, around the medieval parish church of St. Peter's. During the 19th and 20th centuries, there was residential development in the direction of Cheltenham. The main shopping area is on the Bath Road, a mile or so north of the old village centre. The expansion also resulted in the building of two further churches, the Victorian Gothic St. Philip and St. James (which is linked to The Church in Warden Hill) and the mid-20th-century Emmanuel Church (which is linked to St. Stephen's, Tivoli). Leckhampton is also served by Bethesda Methodist Church and Leckhampton Baptist Church.
Leckhampton Village Hall, formerly known as the Parish Hall (of St. Peter's Church), is a grade 2 listed building in Church Road. It provides a base for various community activities and is used regularly for amateur dramatics (Leckhampton Players) and dance classes (Leckhampton Tappers).
Leckhampton Church of England Primary School is the local school. The village has a large playing field used for cricket, rugby, and football matches, with a play area and nursery nearby. The Old Patesians R.F.C. is based at the foot of the hill.
Near the top of Leckhampton Hill stands a noted limestone rock formation known as the Devil's Chimney. It is believed that the chimney was created by limestone quarrymen.
The Sue Ryder organisation has a home in Leckhampton which was once used as a prisoner of war camp.
Between 1881 and 1962, Leckhampton had its own railway station with services on both the Great Western Railway line between Cheltenham and Banbury and on the north-south Midland and South Western Junction Railway.
(Source: Wikipedia) |