Lambourn | |
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High Street, Lambourn |
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Lambourn shown within Berkshire | |
Area | 60.44 km2 (23.34 sq mi) |
Population | 4,103 (2011 census) |
• Density | 68/km2 (180/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | SU3278 |
Civil parish |
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Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Hungerford |
Postcode district | RG17 |
Dialling code | 01488 |
Police | Thames Valley |
Fire | Royal Berkshire |
Ambulance | South Central |
EU Parliament | South East England |
UK Parliament | |
Website | lambourn.info |
Lambourn /ˈlæmbɔːrn/ is a large village and civil parish in West Berkshire. It lies just north of the M4 Motorway between Swindon and Newbury, and borders Wiltshire to the west and Oxfordshire to the north. After Newmarket it is the largest centre of racehorse training in England, and is home to a rehabilitation centre for injured jockeys, an equine hospital, and several leading jockeys and trainers. To the north of the village are the prehistoric Seven Barrows and the nearby Long Barrow, and in 2004 the Lambourn Hoard was found close to the village.
Lambourn covers most of the upper valley of the River Lambourn, a bourne in the chalk upland area of the Berkshire Downs. It is 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Newbury, 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Swindon, 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Wantage,7 miles (11 km) north of Hungerford and 71 miles (114 km) west of London (via B4000 and M4). It is the westernmost place with more than 1000 residents in Berkshire and borders northeastern Wiltshire and southwestern Oxfordshire. Since the 1974 boundary changes, Lambourn has been the westernmost parish in Berkshire. Membury Service Station (previously RAF Membury), Membury transmitting station and the northeastern quarter of Membury iron age fort are in the southwest corner of the parish.