Stratford-on-Avon is a

local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...

in southern

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avo ...

, England. The district is named "Stratford-on-Avon" unlike its main town of

Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...

where the district council is based. The district is mostly rural and covers most of the southern half of Warwickshire. As well as Stratford, other significant places in the district includes the towns of

Alcester Alcester () is a market town and civil parish of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England, approximately west of Stratford-upon-Avon, and 7 miles south of Reddit ...

, Southam,

Shipston-on-Stour Shipston-on-Stour is a town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England. It is located on the banks of the River Stour, Warwickshire, River Stour, points of the compass, south-southeast of Stratford-upon-Avon, 10 ...

and

Henley-in-Arden Henley-in-Arden (also known as simply Henley) is a town in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England. The name is a reference to the former Forest of Arden. Henley is known for its variety of historic buildings, some of which da ...

, and the large villages of Bidford-on-Avon, Studley and

Wellesbourne Wellesbourne is a large village in the civil parish of Wellesbourne and Walton, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of the UK. In the 2021 census the parish, which also includes the hamlet of Walton, had a population o ...

, plus numerous other smaller villages and hamlets. It borders the Warwickshire districts of

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...

to the north, and

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

to the north-east. It also borders the neighbouring counties of the West Midlands,

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primaril ...

, and

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

by the merger of the

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

, Alcester Rural District,

Shipston-on-Stour Rural District Shipston on Stour was a rural district in England from 1894 to 1974 The district covered an area around Shipston-on-Stour. Originally it was a detached part of Worcestershire, but in 1931 it was transferred to the jurisdiction of Warwickshire, ...

Southam Rural District Southam Rural District was a rural district in the county of Warwickshire, England. It was created in 1894 and consisted of 26 parishes, a further six parishes were added in 1932, when the Farnborough Rural District was disbanded. It was named ...

and a majority of Stratford-upon-Avon Rural District.

Politics

Elizabeth House in Stratford-upon-Avon, geograph 4055649 by Jaggery

Elections to the district council are held in three out of every four years, with one third of the 53 seats on the council being elected at each election. The

Conservative party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

has controlled the council for most of the time since the first election in 1973, and recently has had a majority since the 2003 election. As a result of the last election in 2019 the Conservatives had 20

councillor A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...

s, the Liberal Democrats had 11, independents had 4 and the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation f ...

has one. The council was due to merge in 2024 with neighbouring

Warwick District Council Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and ...

. However in April 2022 the merger was scrapped, with Councillor Day (Warwick Leader) accusing Councillor Jefferson (Stratford Leader) of writing to

Central Government A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or del ...

behind his back, asking for more time for the merge to take place.

Parishes and settlements

Other than Stratford-upon-Avon the district includes: * Admington,

, Alderminster,

Ardens Grafton Ardens Grafton is a hamlet or small village in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England, situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Alcester and 14 miles (23 km) west of the county town of Warwick. It has a main street and ...

, Arlescote,

Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ...

Aston Cantlow Aston Cantlow is a village in Warwickshire, England, on the River Alne north-west of Stratford-upon-Avon and north-west of Wilmcote, close to Little Alnoe, Shelfield, and Newnham.'Aston Cantlow', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 3: ...

, Atherstone-on-Stour, Avon Dassett, * Barcheston, Barton-on-the-Heath,

Bearley Bearley is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The village is about five miles (8 km) north of Stratford-upon-Avon, bounded on the north by Wootton Wawen, on the east by Snitterfield, and ...

, Beaudesert, Bidford-on-Avon, Billesley,

Binton Binton is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England. It is about west of Stratford-upon-Avon. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 272, increasing to 311 at the 2011 census. History The n ...

, Bishops Itchington,

Brailes Brailes is a civil parish about east of Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire, England. It includes the two villages of Lower and Upper Brailes but is often referred to as one village as the two adjoin each other. The parish includes the village o ...

Broom A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...

, Burmington, Burton Dassett, Butlers Marston *

Chadshunt Chadshunt is a small village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, England. Chadshunt is located in between the villages of Gaydon (where population can be found), and Kineton. It grew up around t ...

, Chapel Ascote, Charlecote, Cherington, Chesterton and Kingston,

Claverdon Claverdon is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England, about west of the county town of Warwick. Claverdon's toponym comes from the Old English for "clover hill". The hill is near the centre of t ...

Clifford Chambers and Milcote Clifford Chambers and Milcote is a civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District, in the county of Warwickshire, England, formed on 1 April 2004. It is made up of the two villages of Clifford Chambers and Milcote. The Honeybourne railway line u ...

, Combrook,

Compton Verney Compton Verney is a parish and historic manor in the county of Warwickshire, England. The population taken at the 2011 census was 119. The surviving manor house is the Georgian mansion Compton Verney House. Descent of the manor The first ...

Compton Wynyates Compton Wynyates is a Tudor country house in Warwickshire, England, a Grade I listed building. The Tudor period house is constructed of red brick and built around a central courtyard. It is castellated and turreted in parts. Following acti ...

, Coughton * Dorsington * Ettington, Exhall *

Farnborough Farnborough may refer to: Australia * Farnborough, Queensland, a locality in the Shire of Livingstone United Kingdom * Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England ** Farnborough (Main) railway station, a railw ...

Fenny Compton Fenny Compton is a village and parish in Warwickshire, England, about eight miles north of Banbury. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 797, increasing to 808 at the 2011 census. Its name comes from the Anglo-Saxon ''Fennig Cumbt ...

, Fulbrook * Gaydon, Great Alne, Great Wolford * Halford,

Hampton Lucy Hampton Lucy is a village and civil parish on the River Avon, northeast of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire England. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 census was 566. History The grammar school at Hampton Lucy wa ...

, Harbury, Haselor,

, Hodnell and Wills Pastures, Honington *

Idlicote Idlicote is a small settlement and civil parish in the English county of Warwickshire, about north-east of Shipston-on-Stour and south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon. Population details can be found under Honington. The best known feature is Idl ...

Ilmington Ilmington is a village and civil parish about north-west of Shipston-on-Stour and south of Stratford-upon-Avon in the Cotswolds in Warwickshire, England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 712. Ilmington is the h ...

* Kineton,

Kinwarton Kinwarton is a village in the valley of the River Alne, Warwickshire, to the north-east of the market town of Alcester. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 Census was 1,082. The ground is mostly low-lying, with a maximum altitude ...

* Ladbroke, Langley, Lighthorne, Lighthorne Heath, Little Compton,

Little Wolford Little Wolford is a hamlet and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. With the neighbouring parish of Great Wolford it is part of 'The Wolfords'. Little Wolford is significant for its Grade II* listed 15th- to ...

Long Compton Long Compton is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England near the extreme southern tip of Warwickshire, and close to the border with Oxfordshire. It is part of the district of Stratford-on-Avon; in the 2001 census had a populatio ...

Long Itchington Long Itchington is a large village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, which at the 2011 Census had a population of 2,013. The village is named after the River Itchen which flows to the south and west of the village. Long Itchington is ar ...

, Long Marston, Lower Shuckburgh, Loxley, Luddington *

Milcote Milcote is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Clifford Chambers and Milcote, in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in Warwickshire, England. It falls within the ecclesiastical parish of All Saints Church. It was made up of Upp ...

Moreton Morrell Moreton Morrell is a village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire, England. It is part of the historic hundred of Kington and is located about three and a half miles north west of the village of Kineton. The settlement was first ment ...

Morton Bagot Morton Bagot is a small village in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England. It lies about east of the Birmingham-Alcester road, the modern A435 and Roman road Ryknild Street, north of Alcester, from Stratford-upon-Avon and ...

* Napton-on-the-Hill,

Newbold Pacey Newbold Pacey is a village and civil parish south of Warwick, in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Ashorne and the parish council is called "Newbold Pacey & Ashorne Parish Council". In ...

Northend North End or Northend may refer to: Places Canada * North End, Hamilton, Ontario * North End, Halifax, Nova Scotia * North End St. Catharines, Ontario * North End, Winnipeg, Manitoba * North End, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia South Africa * North End ...

Oldberrow Oldberrow is a village in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England. The parish was part of Worcestershire until 1896, when it was transferred to Warwickshire, into which county it penetrated, between Morton Bagot and Ullenhall, a ...

, Oversley Green, Oxhill * Pillerton Hersey, Pillerton Priors,

Preston Bagot Preston Bagot is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England, about west of the county town of Warwick. According to the 2001 census the population was 147, reducing to 127 at the 2011 census. History ...

, Preston-on-Stour,

Priors Hardwick Priors Hardwick is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 census was 172. The name derives from the fact that it was originally a manor belonging ...

Priors Marston Priors Marston is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England, southwest of Daventry. The Oxford Canal and Jurassic Way both run nearby. According to the 2001 Census the population of the parish is 50 ...

* Quinton * Radbourne,

Radway Radway is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, about north-west of Banbury in neighbouring Oxfordshire. The population taken at the 2011 census had reduced to 238. The village is at the foot of Edge Hill and is notable for the ...

Ratley and Upton Ratley is a village in the civil parish of Ratley and Upton, Stratford-on-Avon District, Warwickshire, England. The population of the civil parish in 2011 was 327. It is on the northwest side of the Edge Hill escarpment about above sea level ...

* Salford Priors,

Sambourne Sambourne, formerly spelled Sambourn, is a village and civil parish north-west of Coughton, south of Redditch, north-west of Stratford-upon-Avon and west of Warwick in the county of Warwickshire, England. It is situated on sloping ground ...

Shotteswell Shotteswell is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 221. The parish is bounded on three sides by Oxfordshire and is about north-west of Banbur ...

Snitterfield Snitterfield is a village and civil parish in the Stratford on Avon district of Warwickshire, England, less than to the north of the A46 road, from Stratford upon Avon, from Warwick and from Coventry. The population of the civil parish at ...

, Southam,

Spernall Spernall is a remote village north of Alcester in the parish of Oldberrow, Morton Bagot, and Spernall, in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 153. It is situated on the banks of ...

, Stockton,

Stoneton Stoneton is a hamlet and manor in Warwickshire, England. It lies just to the northeast of Wormleighton. It was documented in the Domesday Book. From the late 15th century onwards the wealthy Spencer family The Spencer family is an aristocra ...

, Stourton,

, Stretton-on-Fosse, Studley, Sutton-under-Brailes *

Tanworth-in-Arden Tanworth-in-Arden (; often abbreviated to Tanworth) is a small village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire, England. It is southeast of Birmingham and northeast of Redditch, and is administered by Stratford-on-Avon District Council. ...

Temple Grafton Temple Grafton is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England, situated about east of Alcester and west of the county town of Warwick. The place name is misleading, the Knights Templar never having any assoc ...

, Tidmington, Tredington,

Tysoe Tysoe is a civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire, England. The parish is on the boundary with Oxfordshire, about northwest of Banbury. The parish includes the contiguous villages of Middle and Upper Tysoe and the sep ...

* Ufton,

Ullenhall Ullenhall is a village and civil parish in Stratford upon Avon, England, situated about west of Henley in Arden and west of the county town of Warwick. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 census was 717. History The nam ...

, Upper Shuckburgh, Warmington, Watergall, Weethley, Welford-on-Avon,

Weston-on-Avon Weston-on-Avon is a village in Warwickshire, England. The population of the Civil Parish taken at the 2011 census was 170. It is about south-west of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. History Originally in Gloucestershire, Weston-on-Avon was ...

Whatcote Whatcote is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, about northeast of Shipston on Stour in the Vale of the Red Horse.Edwards, 1950, p.51 The population at the 2011 census was 143. Manor The Domesday Book records that in 1086 ...

Whichford Whichford is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England, about southeast of Shipston-on-Stour. The parish adjoins the county boundary with Oxfordshire and the village is about north of the Oxfordshire town of Chipping Norton. The p ...

, Whitchurch, Willington, Wilmcote, Wixford,

Wolverton Wolverton is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, England. It is located at the northern edge of Milton Keynes, beside the West Coast Main Line, the Grand Union Canal and the river Great Ouse. It is the administrative seat of Wolverton and ...

, Wootton Wawen, Wormleighton

References

External links

Stratford-on-Avon District Council YouTube channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stratford-On-Avon (District) Non-metropolitan districts of Warwickshire

History

Politics

Parishes and settlements

See also

References

External links