Notable People

Below are some of the notable people with connections to Wiltshire (listed by earliest birth date to latest):

King Athelstan (c.893/894-939)

Also known as the Glorious, Athelstan was the first king of all England in 937 when the country became unified. He reigned from 924/925-939. He was the son of Edward the Elder and grandson of Alfred the Great and crowned on 17th July 925 in Kingston-Upon-Thames. He oversaw the translation of the bible into English and reformed the currency. He is buried in Malmesbury Abbey – a place he strongly supported. The exact burial place is not known.

Jane Seymour (c. 1508 – 1537)

Jane Seymour was Queen of England from 1536 to 1537 as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She was born at Wulfhall in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire.The remains of the original Wulfhall have been found in the grounds of the much later built Wolf Hall Manor in Burbage. It’s possible that Henry first noticed Jane, while staying at Wulfhall with his second wife Anne Boleyn in the summer of 1535. Jane was Anne’s maid of honour at the time but she originally came to court as a maid of honour under Katherine of Aragon. Henry VIII was betrothed to Jane on 20 May 1536, just one day after Anne Boleyn’s execution. Jane was mother to King Edward VI but she died a few days after his birth, at Hampton Court Palace. She’s is buried beside Henry in Windsor Castle.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

George Herbert was the rector of St Andrew’s church, Bemerton, and a metaphysical poet and scholar. He was related to the Herberts, the Earls of Pembroke of Wilton House and was a friend of Francis Bacon. He was known in Bemerton as Holy Mr Herbert. In 1933 a stained glass window was added to the church. It is the West Window and one of the characters depicted is George Herbert (the other is Nicholas Ferrar (executer of Herbert’s will and publisher of his poems). A cross on the north wall of the church also commemorates Herbert.

For more about George Herbert, visit www.georgeherbert.org.uk/

Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609-1674)

Born in Salisbury, Edward was grandfather to Mary II and Queen Anne. He was chief advisor to the exiled Charles II. In 1660 he was made Baron hyde of Hindon and in 1661 he was made Earl of Clarendon.  Edward eventually fell out of favour with the king and fled to France. He died in exile in Rouen but his body was returned to England where it was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723)

Architect Sir Christoper Wren was born in the old rectory at East Knoyle. He is most famous for designing buildings in London after the Great Fire of 1666 (including the beautiful St Paul’s cathedral) but he also recommended to his friend Bishop Seth Ward that the spire of Salisbury Cathedral be strengthened. The design Farley church in Wiltshire may have been influenced by Wren because he knew both the builder and the sponsor.

Hannah Twynnoy (c1670-1703)

Hannah was a servant at the White Lion Inn, Malmesbury. She has the unfortunate claim to fame of reputedly being the first person in Britain to be killed by a tiger. A travelling circus arrived at the inn and Hannah unwisely taunted the captive tiger which managed to catch her and tear her to pieces. A memorial stone can be found in Hullavington Church.

Joseph Priestley (1733-1804)

Dr Priestly was a chemist, clergyman and philosopher. He lived in Calne from 1772-1779 and he was the librarian at Bowood House and literary companion to the first Marquis of Landsdowne. The laboratory at Bowood is the actual place where, on 1st August 1774 he discovered oxygen by separating the element from mercury oxide by focusing the sun’s rays through a magnifying glass to heat the substance.

William Beckford (1750-1844)

William inherited the Palladian mansion at Fonthill on the death of his father (then the richest merchant in England) in 1770. He wrote the eastern romance ‘Vathek’ in French (which was published in England in 1786). In 1796 he commissioned James Wyatt and started the Gothic abbey which was built using Chilmark stone. The work was never finished but was far enough along in 1800 for Nelson to be welcomed at the estate for a celebration of his victory at the battle of the Nile. The tower collapsed in 1825, two years after Beckford had sold up.

Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA FRS (1769 – 1830)

Lawrence was a leading English portrait painter, knighted in 1815 and president of the Royal Academy from 1820. Born in Bristol, he moved to Wiltshire in 1773 and began drawing in Devizes, where his father ran the Black Bear Inn – a popular stop off for people travelling from London to Bath.

On Salisbury Plain, he helped travellers at his own expense with 12 foot posts erected at half mile intervals, with a large Roman D cut in each side with the mileage to Devizes and an S for Salisbury.

He was the leading British portrait painter of the early 19th century and given a royal commission by the Prince Regent, to paint a portrait of Queen Charlotte. Other sitters include the Duke of Wellington, Tsar Alexander, Emperor Francis I of Austria, the King of Prussia, Field-Marshal Prince Schwarzenberg, Archduke Charles of Austria, and Napoleon II.

The most extensive collections of Lawrence’s work can be found in the Royal Collections and the National Portrait Gallery in London

John Constable (1776-1837)

The romantic painter is famous for his painting The Hay Wain (1821). His paintings of Wiltshire include View of Salisbury (c1820), Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishops’s Grounds (c1823), commissioned by the Bishop, Old Sarum (1829), Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows (1831) and Stonehenge (1835).

Thomas Moore (1779-1852)

The national poet of Ireland moved to Sloperton Cottage near Bromham in 1817. He was great friends with the poet Byron and is remembered as the person who destroyed Byron’s memoirs to stop them being published. He is buried in the churchyard at Bromham.

William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877)

Fox Talbot lived in Lacock and was a pioneer of photography. His picture of the latticed window in Lacock  Abbey (taken in 1835) is the earliest known paper negative in existence. He was an accomplished scientist and a member of the Royal Society. In 1831 he represented Chippenham as a Whig in the reformed parliament of 1832.

Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910)

Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and International Nurses Day is held on her birthday, 12 May to honour this. She came to prominence while training nurses during the Crimean War. Florence met politician Sidney Herbert in Rome in 1847 and they became good friends. Sidney Herbert was President of Salisbury Infirmary and the hospital records show she advised on several occasions.

John Richard Jefferies (1848 – 1887)

English nature writer John Jefferies was known for his depiction of English rural life in novels and books of natural history. He was born in Coate, Chiseldon, near Swindon and was the son of a farmer.His birthplace is now a museum open to the public. Books include The Scarlet Shawl, Wood Magic, Amaryllis at the Fair.

Sir Cecil Herbert Edward Chubb, 1st Baronet (1876 – 1934)

Chubb was the last private owner of Stonehenge, which he donated to the British government on 26 October 1918. He bought it in 1915 for £6,600 and to mark his generosity he was made a baronet in 1919. He was born in Shrewton and attended the village school and then Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. A plaque commemorating his birth was put up in the late 1980s on the house in Shrewton where he was born. The grave of Sir Cecil Chubb can be found in the Devizes Road cemetery, Salisbury, UK

Edith Bessie New (1877-1951)

Edith New was born on 17 March, 1877 at 24 North Street, Swindon. She was assistant mistress at Queenstown Infant School from 1899-1901. Edith was a leading suffragette who fought for women’s right to vote. In January 1908 Edith chained herself to the railings at 10 Downing Street. A blue plaque can be seen ouside her Swindon home.

Arthur George Street (1882-1966)

Arthur Street was a farmer and writer. He wrote about the countryside and is best remembered for Farmer’s Glory (1932) and Strawberry Roan – a novel about a cow that was later made into a film. He was also a columnist for Farmer’s Weekly and a prolific radio broadcaster.

Percy Toplis (1896-1920)

Murderer Percy Toplis killed cabbie Sidney George Spicer on Thruxton Down. He was also an imposter and served time for attempted rape. He was part of the Royal Army Service Corps and was based in Bulford. After the murder, Toplis went to London, but as the net closed in he fled to Monmouth, Wales, (formerly England), and then to Scotland. He then travelled to Cumbria where he was finally shot dead. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Penrith.

Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980)

Famous designer and a fashion and portrait photographer. Cecil Beaton lived in Ashcombe House on the Wiltshire/Dorset border from 1930 where he entertained guests such as Salvador Dali. In 1948 he designed the fabric Ashcombe Stripe, named after the house. The lease expired in 1945 and he left the house. He moved to Reddish House in Broad Chalke where he died at the age of 76.

Ian Fleming (1908-1964)

Author and creator of James Bond. He is buried in the parish church of St. James’s, Sevenhampton, near Swindon.

He was buried  on 15 August 1964 –  just one month before  the Sean Connery blockbuster ‘Goldfinger’ came out in the cinemas.

His final resting place is near Warneford Place, the country house that bought with his wife Anna in 1959.

Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE (1911 – 1997)

Better known as Reverend W. Awdry, he was an Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast, and children’s author – creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the main character in The Railway Series.

William Golding (1911-1993)

William Golding is best known for his novel Lord of the Flies (1954). He won the Nobel Prize for Literature and in 1980 won the Booker Prize for literature for his novel Rites of Passage. He was also a poet and playwright. Golding grew up in Marlborough and his father was science master at Marlborough Grammar School. Golding himself taught at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury from 1940 (a post he resigned from in 1961). Golding lived in Salisbury but moved to Bowerchalke in 1958 where he is now buried in the village churchyard.

Edward Heath (1916-2005)

Edward Heath, commonly known as Ted, was Prime Minister from 1970-1974. A conservative politician, he was leader of the party from 1965-1975. Heath was defeated by Margaret Thatcher and returned to the backbenches. Heath was also a world class yachtsman. He lived at Arundells in the cathedral Close in Salisbury and died of pneumonia in 2005. His ashes are interred in Salisbury Cathedral.

Rosemary Squires, MBE (1928)

Singer Rosemary started out with TV jingles and sang the Fairy Liquid ‘Hands That Do Dishes’ which ran for 40 years. She made her first broadcast aged just 12. Rosemary was brought up in Salisbury and married Frank Lockyer, father of Sally Clark. She flourished as a Big Band singer and has topped the bill at the London Palladium. She was awarded the MBE in 2004 for services to music.

Desmond Morris (1928)

Born in Purton in February 1928, Desmond was an ethologist, zoologist and anthropologist. He was educated at Dauntsey’s School in West Lavington. He was head of the film unit and curator of mammals at the Zoological Society of London. His most famous work is The Naked Ape (1967). The book looks at the animal like qualities of humans and our similarity with the great apes.

Douglas Hurd (1930)

Born in Marlborough, the conservative politician was secretary to Edward Heath. He has held the positions of Secretary of State, Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He also writes political thrillers.

Diana Dors (1931-1984)

Diana Dors was born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon. She was an actress and the English equivalent to the Hollywood blonde bombshell. Films include Yield to the Night (1956) and Deep End (1970). She died on 4th May, 1984.

Leslie Thomas, OBE (1931 – 2014)

Leslie was a former Barnardo’s boy who became one of Britain’s most popular writers. His first book was published in 1966. Called The Virgin Soldiers, a comic work inspired by his experiences of National Service, it made him a household name. Leslie lived in Grade II-listed De Vaux House in Salisbury.

Lord Bath (1932 – 2020)

The flamboyant Lord Bath was also known as Alexander Thynn (born Thynne). He was resident at Longleat House and an artist, author and politician. He was well known for his polyamorous lifestyle, calling his lovers ‘wifelets’. He was the 7th Marquis of Bath. Lord Bath died at Royal Bath United Hospital after contracting Covid-19.

John Bush OBE (1937)

John Bush was the Lord Lietenant of Wiltshire, a title he held since 2004, retiring in February 2012. His background is in farming.  He was awarded the OBE in 2004 for services to the community in Wiltshire.

Eddie Cochran (1938-1960)

Born Ray Edward Cochran, American rock and roll star Eddie Cochran was famous for his rockabilly songs such as C’mon Everybody. Whilst on his British Tour, he had a road traffic accident on the A4 in Chippenham which led to his death.

Dave Dee (1941-2009)

Dave Dee (born David John Harman) was a pop musician and vocalist from the 1960’s band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch. He was born in Salisbury and went to Adcroft School, Trowbridge. After leaving school he became a police cadet with the Wiltshire Constabulary. In 1962 he became a professional musician. The band was formed with four friends from Wiltshire: Trevor Leonard Ward-Davies (Dozy), John Dymond (Beaky), Michael Wilson (Mick) and Ian Frederick Stephen Amey (Titch). They were originally called Dave Dee and the Bostons. Their most famous song is The Legend of Xanadu (released in 1968) which reached number one in the UK singles chart.

Michael Crawford (1942)

Michael was born Michael Patrick Dumbell Smith in Salisbury. The comedy actor is famous for playing Frank Spencer in the television series Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. He is also a singer and starred in musicals such as Billy and won an Olivier Award for his performance of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. He received an OBE in 1988.

David Inshaw (1943)

Artist David Inshaw shot to fame in 1973 when his oil on canvas painting ‘The Badminton Game’ was exhibited at the ICA Summer Studio exhibition in London. Formerly known as ‘Remembering mine the loss is, not the blame,’ – a line from a Thomas Hardy poem, the painting was influenced by the gardens of Devizes. Inshaw moved to Devizes in 1971 and formed the Broadheath Brotherhood with Graham and Ann Arnold a year later. In 1975 it was re-named the Brotherhood of Ruralists after Peter Blake, Jann Haworth, and Graham and Annie Ovenden joined. He left the group in 1983 and moved away in 1989 but Inshaw returned to Devizes in 1995. ‘The Badminton Game’ is normally at Tate Britain but is occassionally loaned out.

Nick Mason CBE (1944)

Drummer Nick Mason is best known as a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He lives near Corsham. In 2019 he was awarded the CBE for services to music.

Robert Key (1945)

Robert Key is a conservative party politician and was MP for Salisbury for 27 years and was a minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major.

Each time he was re-elected, Key serenaded the people of his constituency from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel in Salisbury.

Robert Fripp (1946)

Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was part of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He owned and extensively renovated the former home of Cecil Beaton, Reddish House, (Reddish Manor) in Broad Chalke. He lived there with his wife, musician Toyah Willcox from December 1987 until July 1999.

Queen Camilla (1947)

Born Camilla Rosemary Shand, she’s the second wife of King Charles III. Camilla lived with her first husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles at Bolehyde Manor in Allington and later Middlewick House in Corsham.

Sir James Dyson CBE (1947)

Dyson is a British inventor, industrial designer and founder of the Dyson company (headquarters and research facility based in Malmesbury). He is best known as the inventor of the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner.

Sir Terry Pratchett (1948 – 2015)

Sir Terry Pratchett is best known for his Discworld series of comic fantasy novels. He was the best selling UK author of the 1990’s. In 1998, Pratchett was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to literature” and was knighted in the 2009 New Year Honours. He lived in Broad Chalke near Salisbury from 1993.

Christopher Biggins (1948)

Christopher is an actor and media personality. He is well known for his performances as a pantomime dame and for his spell on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. He has also had regular appearances playing the part of Lukewarm in Porridge and Adam Painting in Rentaghost and he has appeared on Some mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em with Michael Crawford, Poldark and I, Claudius. He moved to Salisbury from Oldham in Lancashire. He participated in local drama groups and landed a job at the Repertory Theatre. The family owned Middleton Motors. His father Bill was a well known face in Salisbury and ran an antique shop in Castle Street followed by a bric-a-brac business in Pennyfarthing Street (and later Winchester Street).

Phil Lynot (1949-1986)

Phil was lead singer of the Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy (best known for their songs Jailbreak, Whiskey in the Jar, and The Boys Are Back in Town). On Christmas day he was admitted to Salisbury Hospital with a serious liver and kidney infection after a drink and drug binge at his Surrey home (he was admitted to Salisbury’s intensive care unit following a referral from a Wiltshire specialist drugs clinic). Phil subsequently died in hospital.

Phil Harding (1950)

The archaeologist is famous for his appearances on the popular channel 4 series Time Team. Phil still works with Wessex Archaeology. He was brought up in Wiltshire and attended Marlborough Royal Free Grammar School. He currently lives in Salisbury and is also a keen musician, frequently playing alongside other musicians in Wiltshire.

Sting (1951)

Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Sting was lead singer, principal writer and bassist for The Police. He has also enjoyed a solo career. Sting owns several houses including Lake House, and Elizabethan country manor near Salisbury. He was awarded the CBE and also has 16 Grammy Awards and an Oscar nomination for best song.

Sergei Skripal (1951)

Sergei Skripal is a retired Russian military intelligence colonel who was sentenced in 2006 to 13 years in prison, accused of spying for Britain. He was a double agent for the UK’s intelligence services (MI6) during the 1990s and early 2000s. In December 2004, he was arrested by the FSB and later tried and convicted of high treason and sentenced to 13 years in prison. In July 2010 he was one of four prisoners that Moscow swapped for their spies in the US. In 2011 he moved to Salisbury and bought a house in Christie Miller Road. On 4 March 2018, Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia, who was visiting from Moscow, were found unconscious on a public bench, poisoned by a nerve agent from the Novichok family. More about the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

Paul Dean (1951)

Most famous for being the leader and main songwriter of the hard rock band Jerusalem. He studied in Salisbury and attended the Swan School, St Probus School and Salisbury Tech College. At St Probus he formed a rock band that would eventually become the legendary Jerusalem’. The band are recognised as pathfinders for the genres Metal, Doom and Stoner which didn’t appear until a few years later. Remastered reissues of their work are still selling well through their new label Rockadrome Records. Paul went on to form Pussy, Gillan/Dean and the Glory Gang. In later life he became a professional golfer/coach and played on the 3rd level European PGA Tour and the European Seniors Challenge Tour. He also appeared as a special extra in various feature films including Reign of Fire (Double for Gerrard Butler), Veronica Guerin and Count of Monte Christo.

Vikram Seth (1952)

Vikram is an Indian novelist, travel writer, poet, biographer and memoirist. He lives near Salisbury in the former home of poet George Herbert and can often be seen at literary and cultural events. His travel writing includes “From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet” and it won him the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.Novels include “The Golden Gate” (1986), “A Suitable Boy” (1993) and An Equal Music (1999).

Andrew Partridge (1953)

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer from Swindon. Best known for co-founding the rock band XTC, where he was the primary songwriter and vocalist. Partridge has released one solo album on Virgin Records in 1980 called Take Away / The Lure of Salvage.

The Very Reverend June Osborne (1953)

June Osborne is the first woman to serve as Dean at any of England’s medieval cathedrals. She was Dean of Salisbury Cathedral. She was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 2006.

Sarah Rose Troughton CStJ (1953)

Sarah Troughton is the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, a post she took up in February 2012. She is the first woman to hold the position since it was created in the 16th century.

Arthur Uther Pendragon (1954)

Born John Timothy Rothwell the eco campaigner and neo-druid changed his name by deed poll to Arthur Uther Pendragon. He was crowned raised Druid King of England in 1998. He is known for his battles with English Heritage to allow legal entry to Stonehenge for the summer and winter solstice. In 2000, full public access was granted for these events. Arthur also stood for election in Salisbury in 2010 as an Independent candidate.

David Kim Hempleman-Adams, LVO, OBE, KStJ, DL (1956)

Born in Swindon, he was the first person to achieve the Explorers’ Grand Slam by climbing the highest mountain on each continent and getting to the North and South Magnetic and Geographical Poles. He has reached the poles a record 20 times, and climbed Everest by the North and the South sides. He has a Pilot’s licence and has 46 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Aviation records.

Madonna (1958)

Madonna, born Madonna Louise Ciccone is an international pop star. She moved to Ashcombe House on the Wiltshire-Dorset border with her then husband, film maker Guy Ritchie. Ashcombe is a Georgian Manor House on Cranborne Chase in the parish of Berwick St John. It is also the former home of photographer Cecil Beaton.

Paul Di’Anno (1958)

Born Paul Andrews, singer Paul Di’Anno he was the first vocalist to record with the heavy metal band Iron Maiden (1978-1981). He was fired from the band and formed Di’Anno (1983-1985) followed by Gogmagog (1985) and then Battlezone (formerly Strike). He lives in Salisbury.

Toyah Willcox (1958)

Toyah is a punk rock singer and actress. She owned and extensively renovated the former home of Cecil Beaton, Reddish House, (Reddish Manor) in Broad Chalke. She lived there with her husband, musician Robert Fripp from December 1987 until July 1999.

Sally Clark (1964-2007)

Solicitor Sally Clark was the victim of a miscarriage of justice when she was convicted of killing her two sons in 1999. The conviction was overturned in January 2003 but Sally never recovered from the experience and died from alcohol poisoning in March 2007. She was born in Devizes and educated at South Wilts Grammar School in Salisbury. Her father Frank Lockyer was a senior police officer with Wiltshire Constabulary.

Mike Edwards (1964)

Jesus Jones band member since 1988 (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Mike Edwards was born Michael James Edwards on 22 June 1964. He went to St Laurence Secondary School in Bradford on Avon. The 1991 Jesus Jones album Doubt went to no.1 in the UK album charts and hits like International Bright Young Thing and Right Here, Right Now.

Will Carling OBE (1965)

The English rugby union player was born in 1965 in Bradford-on-Avon. He captained England to three grand slam wins in 1991, 1992 and 1995 and was captain of England from 1988-1996.

Guy Ritchie (1968)

Guy Ritchie is probably best known for directing Brit films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and Revolver. He lived at Ashcombe house on Cranborne Chase with his then wife, Madonna.

William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke (1978)

Lord Pembroke is the only son of the late 17th Earl of Pembroke. He studied industrial Design at Sheffield Hallam University and lives in Wilton House with his wife Victoria and daughter Alexandra. He is also president of the Stars Appeal ( a charity raising money for Salisbury District Hospital).

Joseph Fiennes (1970)

Actor Joseph Fiennes is the youngest of six siblings. He was born in Salisbury and went to Swan School for Boys (now Leehurst Swan School). At 11, he continued his studies at Bishop Wordsworth’s School. Film roles include William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love and Martin Luther in Luther.

Darren Kenny OBE (1970)

Salisbury born Darren is a British road and track racing cyclist and Paralympian. He won a bronze medal in the Velodrome at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men’s Individual C3 Pursuit with a world record time of 3:35.257. He was awarded the OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours.

Melinda Messenger (1971)

Former model and glamour girl Melinda was born in Swindon in 1971. She moved from glamour girl to television presenter in 1997 where she appeared on Channel 4’s Eurotrash. Messenger has also appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Shooting Stars.

Richard Hill (1973)

A flanker for the England rugby team, Richard was part of the England squad for the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup. He started his rugby career at Salisbury Rugby club and attended Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School in Salisbury. Hill played his last game for Saracens with a 25-20 win over Bristol on 11th May 2008.

David Michell (1974)

Comedian and actor David Mitchell is one half of Mitchell and Webb (Robert Webb). The pair are famous for Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb look. He was born in Salisbury to hoteliers Ian and Kathy.

James Blunt (1974)

The musician James Blunt was born James Hillier Blount in an army hospital in Tidworth in February 1974. He joined the army after training at Sandhurst and left in 2002 to pursue his musical career. He was support to Elton John before the release of his debut single High. He achieved international success with the song You’re Beautiful which got to number 1 the UK singles charts. His debut album Back To Bedlam was very well received and he was named Best New Artist in 2005 at the Q Music Awards.

Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, VC (1979)

Soldier Johnson Beharry was awarded a Victoria Cross in 2005, the highest military honour, for twice saving members of his unit from ambushes during the Iraq war. He sustained serious injuries. Beharry is the first living recipient to be awarded the VC since 1965. At the time of the award he was a private with 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment, based in Tidworth. He was born in Grenada.

Shelley Rudman (1981)

Skeleton star Shelley comes from Pewsey. She won silver in the 2006 Winter Olympics and was the only British medal winner at the games. She is a 2 x Olympian, Overall world cup Champion, 2 x European Champion and in 2013 added skeleton-bob World Championship winner to the list.

Stephanie Millward (1981)

Stephanie is a British Paralympic swimmer from Corsham. During the 2012 summer Olympics she won 3 silver medals (women’s SM9 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke) and a bronze (4x100m freestyle (34 point) relay).

Billie Piper (1982)

Born in Swindon as Lianne Paul Piper, Billie started her career as a pop singer, later turning to acting. She was the youngest ever artist to debut at number one in the UK singles chart which she achieved with Because We want To. Her most famous acting role is as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who. She was married for 6 years to DJ Chris Evans.

Ed McKeever MBE (1983)

Ed is a British kayak champion from Bradford-on-Avon. He won Olympic gold in 2012 in the men’s K1 200m and set a new Olympic record in the heats with a time of 35.087 seconds. He also won gold in the K-1 200 m and silver in the K1 4 × 200 m in the 2010 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, and a silver in the K1 200m at the 2011 event. . The St Margaret’s Hall footbridge in Bradford-on-Avon was renamed McKeever bridge in his honour in December 2012. He was awarded the MBE in 2013 for his services to kayaking.

Bo Bruce (1984)

Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce is a singer-songwriter, known for her appearance on talent show The Voice UK. Her family’s seat is Tottenham House, set on a 4,500 acre estate near Savernake Forest.  She grew up at Savernake Lodge on the estate and was educated at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

Heather Stanning MBE (1985)

An army captain with 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery based at Larkhill, Heather won Team GB’s first Olympic Gold medal with her rowing partner Helen Glover at Eton Dorney during the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was awarded the MBE in 2013.

Nick Blackwell (1990)

Nick Blackwell was born on 27 October 1990 in Trowbridge. He’s a former professional boxer who held the British and English middleweight titles. He was put into an induced coma after being injured in his British title bout with Chris Eubank Jr in March 2016. The accident marked the end of his boxing days.

Aaron Moores (1994)

Swimmer Aaron Moores was born in Trowbridge. He won a silver medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the 100m backstroke final.

Joe Sugg (1991)

Joe is best known for his YouTube channels and being the runner-up of the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Joe trained as a thatcher, grew up in Lacock and attended Corsham School.

Zoe Sugg (1990)

Zoe is best known by her YouTube name of Zoella. She blogs mainly about fashion and beauty. She grew up in Lacock and attended The Corsham School and Arts College.