Keynsham in focus
"Keynsham is a great place to live and work, with its attractive setting, good transport links, traditional High Street and numerous active community, church, sports and arts groups. It is also a place of great potential. We want to build on the good things and embrace the future. Our vision is for Keynsham to develop into a thriving, sustainable and safe market town."
- Keynsham Town Plan (2004)
Keynsham - Transport Links
Keynsham is located 7 miles west of Bath and five miles east of Bristol City Centre. It has excellent road links, being on the A4 between Bristol and Bath, where it meets the Bristol Ring Road, linking to the M4. Regular bus services connect the town with Bath and Bristol, and there is an hourly rail service linking Keynsham with Bath and Bristol and beyond (London, South coast, Wales, South West). The town is a 20 minute drive from Bristol Airport.
History and Background
Keynsham's position, close to the confluence of the rivers Chew and Avon, has made it attractive to settlers from early times. Prehistoric man passed through leaving hand axes and flint tools. The Romans constructed several villas in the area – one was discovered under Keynsham cemetery and is believed to be one of the largest in the south-west. There was a Saxon church in Keynsham, and a large and important Abbey, which was plundered after the dissolution of the monasteries. Sculpture, tiles and other artefacts were saved when the Keynsham by-pass was built in the 1960's. In the 19th century, the influence of Quaker, Methodist and Baptist movements was felt in Keynsham and has left a legacy of strong church involvement in the community. The coming of the railway led to an increase in house-building and gave impetus to the quarrying industry. Keynsham was a centre for milling, and had fulling, corn, brass and steel mills. Keynsham was one of the first towns to have electric street lighting.
Fry's constructed a factory in the 1920's, which is now Cadbury Trebor Bassett. After the Second World War, Keynsham became a dormitory town from Bristol and latterly, Bath, and a building boom transformed the area. The High Street was remodelled and widened, and Temple Street largely demolished. The Town Hall, Library, and Clock Tower were all built in the early 1970s. The whole of the High Street is now a Conservation Area.
Keynsham Today
Keynsham today has a population of 15,500. While a significant number of people commute to work in Bristol or Bath, Keynsham is also a centre for employment. The largest employer in the town, apart from Bath & North East Somerset Council, who occupy the Riverside offices in Temple Street, is Cadbury Trebor Bassett with a factory at Somerdale. Along with the Cadbury Factory, there are a number of small industrial sites fringing the town. Unemployment is well below the national average.
Keynsham is a thriving community, with 2 secondary schools, 6 primary schools, and a satellite of Norton Radstock College. There is a town centre library offering internet access as well as a full range of books, CD's and videos, and Keynsham Leisure Centre, with 25m pool, gym and sports halls. The town retains its identity and is completely surrounded by green fields and hills.
There is an excellent mix of shops and businesses in the town centre, catering for everyday needs. There are also specialist shops you won't find anywhere else. All 200 town centre businesses are listed in the Town Centre Guide, available from Keynsham Library or the Local Partnerships office (0117 9868683). The town centre is well-served by car parks, bus services and the rail station.
Runnning behind the High Street is the glorious Keynsham Memorial Park, with the River Chew running through it. The Park is a peaceful place to enjoy a lunchtime sandwich. There is a refreshment hut and two play areas for children, as well as a multi-sports area and skateboard park.
Events and Festivals
There are two big community events in Keynsham's calander; the Keynsham Music Festival in July, and the Victorian Evening in November. Both events are free and offer family-orientated fun for all. A popular monthly Farmers' Market takes place on the second Saturday of each month in the Fear Institute on the High Street.
A Fairtrade Town
Keynsham was declared a Fairtrade Town in March 2005 when Regina Joseph, a banana grower from the Winward Islands, presented Town Council Chairman Councillor Andrew Waite with a Fairtrade Town certificate. This means that there is widespread community support for Fairtrade in Keynsham, with a range of shops and cafes stocking Fairtrade products. Many business and community groups also support Fairtrade by using Fairtrade tea and coffee in their staff rooms or at meetings. The ongoing Fairtrade town campaign is co-ordinated by Keynsham Fairtrade Group.
Contact Rachel Ward on 0117 9868683 for more details.
For a complete economic profile of Keynsham visit the Economic Intelligence page. See link below.
Related Pages
- Economic Intelligence
Information about the area