Kempsford is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, about 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Fairford. RAF Fairford is immediately north of the village. The parish, which includes the hamlets of Whelford, Horcott, and Dunfield,^[2] had a population around 1,120 at the 2011 census.^[1]

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Kempsford
Kempsford Manor
Kempsford Location within Gloucestershire
Population	1,123 (2011 census)[1]
OS grid reference	SU159967
District	Cotswold
Shire county	Gloucestershire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	FAIRFORD
Postcode district	GL7
Dialling code	01285
Police	Gloucestershire
Fire	Gloucestershire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Cotswold
Website	Parish Council
List of places UK England Gloucestershire 51.669°N 1.770°W / 51.669; -1.770

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The village was known as Kynemereforde, which translates as the Ford of the Great Marsh.^[3]

The Battle of Kempsford occurred on 16 January 800 AD when Æthelmund led a group of Hwiccians from Mercia in a raid against the Wiltsaetas people of Wessex. However Weoxtan led the Wiltsaetas against them, driving them back across the river. Both leaders were slain. There is a field on the banks of the Thames called Battlefield where spearheads were dug up in 1670, encouraging the view that this is where the battle took place.^[4][5]

Sir Thomas Thynne (died 1639) built a new country house at Kempsford, demolishing an important fortified house which in the Middle Ages had defended a crossing of the River Thames.^[6]

A wharf on the Thames and Severn Canal was built in the 1780s, from which the Wharf House still exists.^[7]

The Hannington Bridge over the River Thames was built in 1841.^[8] Much of the canal in the parish has been filled in but restoration is being planned.^[9]

The Thames and River Coln have deposited alluvial soil on the underlying Oxford Clay. Some of the land was drained with drains being dug possibly starting in the 12th century.^[2]

Whelford Meadow is a 1.86-hectare (4.6-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.^[13][14] The site lies on the gravels of the Upper Thames basin. It is of significant importance as it contains two nationally rare plants as well as uncommon plants. It is grassland (as its name implies).^[13] Whelford Pools (part of the Cotswold Water Park SSSI) are nearby. These are owned and managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. The meadow is dominated by species such as meadowsweet and common couch. A number of different species of sedge have been record and these include the nationally rare downey-fruited sedge (Carex tomentosa). Orchids present include southern marsh orchid. Adder's tongue flourishes on this site. The meadow supports fritillary which is nationally rare.^[13] The margins of the meadow are scrubland and this area provides cover for breeding birds such as warblers.^[13]

The Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin was built in the 12th century. The chancel was added in the 13th century with further alterations in subsequent centuries. A Victorian restoration was carried out by George Edmund Street around 1858. It is a Grade I listed building.^[15] The church has an eight-bay nave, chancel with wagon roof and three-stage tower supported by diagonal buttresses.^[15]

Many of the monuments in the churchyard are also listed.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]}