A NEW feature is being planned for Thornbury as a symbol of the town's name.

Members of the Thornbury in Bloom team will be planting a ring of thorns on a piece of land off Bristol Road, once the site has been cleared.

According to information from Thornbury Museum, the name of the town was derived from it being a "burg where thorns grew" or the "burg protected by a thorn hedge. Less attractive is an old description of it standing above swampy land.

Early spellings included Thornbyrig from the year 896, Turneberie in 1086, Thornbir(y) in 1242 and Turneberie in 1317.

Guy Rawlinson, chairman of Thornbury in Bloom, said Tesco owned the land to be used for the feature and it had agreed to the scheme going ahead.

It is proposed to plant 12 semi-mature hawthorn bushes in a ring of about 25-30 feet in diameter, with the supermarket company then taking on future maintenance of the area.

Mr Rawlinson said: "Research suggests that pre-Norman Thornbury, a much smaller place than it is today, was built on a rocky platform above the marshes, perhaps enclosed or encircled by a hedge of thorn bushes.

"A ring of thorns in the town would be a symbolic representation of the town's name.

"As well as being a reminder of the Thornbury name, it will also become a key feature for the Britain in Bloom judges when they visit us every summer."

The site to be used for the hawthorns is on a bank opposite the Daggs allotments and near the mini roundabout where Bristol Road meets High Street and Midland Way.

Mr Rawlinson said he was currently having talks over the best time to clear existing bushes and goat willow as part of the preparation work but that could take place in February.

He said: "The area will then be tidied up and new grass seed sown.

"Thornbury in Bloom appreciates that some people may be upset by this but they are sure that the new planted feature that the town will enjoy will more than compensate for this disruption."

Meanwhile, the organisation is also looking to set up a friends group to try and keep the grounds of the leisure centre free of litter and weeds.

Sue Aitken, a long standing member of the group, has asked anyone interested in the project to contract her at Thornbury Garden Shop.