Royal Wootton Bassett

Royal Wootton Bassett ( /ˈrɔɪəl ˈwʊtən ˈbæsɪt/), informally known as Wootton Bassett, is a small market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 11,043 in 2001. Situated in the north of the county, it lies 6 miles (9.5 km) to the southwest of the major town of Swindon.

The town was granted royal patronage in March 2011 by Elizabeth II in recognition of its role in the early 21st century military funeral repatriations, which passed through the town. This honour was officially conferred in a ceremony on 16 October 2011 – the first royal patronage to be conferred upon a town (as distinguished from a borough or county) since 1909.

Read more about Royal Wootton Bassett:  Geography, Governance, Population, Education, Economy, RAF Lyneham, Repatriations, Arms of Royal Wootton Bassett, Transport

Famous quotes containing the word royal:

    Are you there, Africa with the bulging chest and oblong thigh? Sulking Africa, wrought of iron, in the fire, Africa of the millions of royal slaves, deported Africa, drifting continent, are you there? Slowly you vanish, you withdraw into the past, into the tales of castaways, colonial museums, the works of scholars.
    Jean Genet (1910–1986)