Oldland Common

Oldland Common is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, on the outskirts of Bristol. It is in the civil parish of Bitton, approximately 8 miles between the centres of cities Bristol and Bath. It is a mainly residential area with a few small shops for the local community.

Oldland Common is the birthplace of the famous astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell, and is home to the Sir Bernard Lovell secondary school, a designated language college opened by Lovell himself in 1972, once attended by England cricketer Marcus Trescothick and Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway. Other schools in the village are St. Anne's Church of England Primary School (built in 1837 & initially called Oldland National School), Redfield Edge Primary School and Cherry Gardens Primary School.

The village lies on the Avon Valley Railway and is served by Oldland Common railway station. It has a population of just under 7,000 (according to the 2001 Census).

Oldland Common was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. As was common in the surrounding area, the village was involved in the coal mining industry and had its own pit on Cowhorn Hill during the 1800s.

The village is well served by three public houses: 'The Crown and Horseshoe', 'The Cherry Tree' and 'The Dolphin'. The largest church in the village is St. Anne's Church of England church. St. Anne's grounds contain a separate social area, the Orchard Rooms. Other local churches include the Oldland Methodist Church (shown in photograph above) and the small but lively United Reformed Church.

Read more about Oldland Common:  Sport and Leisure

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