Norton Malreward

Norton Malreward is a small village 4 miles south of Bristol at the northern edge of the Chew Valley.

Norton Malreward is listed as Nortone in the Domesday Book of 1086 meaning 'The north enclosure' from the Old English norp and tun. Malreward is a corruption of Malregard who was a tenant of the Bishop of Coutances in 1238.

Very close to the village is Maes Knoll Tump a tumulus 390 feet by 84, and 45 feet in height, the start of the Wansdyke. The remains of this Iron age hillfort lie at the eastern end of the Dundry Down ridge. The hillfort consists of a fairly large flat open area, roughly triangular in shape, that has been fortified by ramparts and shaping of the steep sided hilltop around the northern, eastern and southwestern sides of the hill. It provides a splendid view over the lands it would have once commanded. From here, there are clear views north to Bristol, east to Bath and the Cotswold Hills, and south over Stanton Drew stone circles to Chew Valley Lake and the Mendip Hills.

Ammonites and fossil nautili are abundant in this neighbourhood.

The village lies on the route of the Monarch's Way long distance footpath.

Government and politics

Norton Malreward is part of the Chew Valley North Ward which is represented by one councillor on the Bath and North East Somerset Unitary Authority which has responsibilities for services such as education, refuse, tourism etc. The village is a part of the Wansdyke constituency, which will become North East Somerset at the next general election and part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Census The Chew Valley North Ward (which includes Chew Magna and Chew Stoke), had 2,307 residents, living in 911 households, with an average age of 42.3 years. Of these 77% of residents describing their health as 'good', 21% of 16-74 year olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 1.3% of all economically active people aged 16-74. In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004, it was ranked at 26,243 out of 32,482 wards in England, where 1 was the most deprived LSOA and 32,482 the least deprived.