Burghfield
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Burghfield | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Population: | 5894 (Civil Parish, 2001) |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | SU666684 |
| Administration | |
| Parish: | Burghfield |
| Unitary authority: | West Berkshire |
| Region: | South East England |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Berkshire |
| Historic county: | Berkshire |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Thames Valley Police |
| Fire and rescue: | {{{Fire}}} |
| Ambulance: | South Central |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | READING |
| Postal district: | RG7 |
| Dialling code: | 0118 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Wokingham |
| European Parliament: | South East England |
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Burghfield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is situated in the district of West Berkshire, although it lies in the east of the district, close to Reading.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
The parish of Burghfield consists of two separate villages – Burghfield Common and Burghfield Village – and several small hamlets, including Burghfield Bridge, Burghfield Hill, Pingewood and Sheffield Bottom.
The main settlements of Burghfield parish lie along Burghfield Road, the major road out of Reading. From north-east to south-west: Burghfield Bridge is the closest to Reading and lies by the crossing of the Reading Road over the River Kennet; this is followed by Burghfield Village, after the crossing of the Burghfield Road over the M4 motorway which runs through the north of the parish; Burghfield Hill is in the southern upland part of the parish, naturally enough, at the top of Burghfield Hill; and Burghfield Common – named after the parish common land on which it was built and with by far the largest population – lies, in quick succession, the furthest south-west. The south-eastern part of Burghfield Common is known as Great Auclum (see History below).
The parish is largely bounded by rivers and streams. The Clayhill Brook partially forms its western border with Sulhamstead. The Burghfield Brook forms its southern border with Wokefield and Grazeley. The eastern boundary is just east of the railway line, near Smallmead, running south from Reading. The northern boundary with Theale and the Southcote area of Reading is formed by the Holy Brook and the Draper's Osier Bed Stream. The River Kennet and Kennet and Avon Canal run through the very north of the parish and are, today, surrounded by vast gravel pits where there is much wildlife and where fishing, sailing and other water sports are popular pastimes.
Apart from the gravel pits, the area is mostly farmland. There are, however, still patches of scattered woodland: Brick Kiln Copse, Jame's Copse, Pinge Wood, Amner's Wood, Clayhill Copse and the delightfully named Scratchface Copse.
[edit] Local government
In 2001, the population of Burghfield was recorded as 5,894. In 1961, it was only 2,323. Burghfield has a parish council served by 19 councillors, as well as being part of the unitary authority of West Berkshire. Burghfield also has its own 'Residents Association'.
[edit] Transport
Transport in the parish is relatively resticted in terms of heavy vehicular access and public transport. Public transport is provided by the 143, 148 and 149 buses, provided by Reading Transport whose routes lie along the Burghfield Road, and via Mortimer railway station which lies to the South, and is connected to Burghfield Common by a minibus shuttle at peak times. Heavy vehicular access in the region is restricted by the multiple low and narrow bridges over the canal and railways which lie to the North and East.
There are moorings on the Kennet and Avon Canal on the offside bank downstream of Burghfield Island and at the layby on Burghfield Island (near Burghfield Bridge). The canal has a number of locks and a swing-bridge along the Burghfield stretch.
[edit] History
There are several Bronze Age burial mounds in the parish. Excavations at one have shown that it was later used for burials when the Anglo-Saxons moved into the area. In Old English, they named the place 'Hill Field'. There were three manors: Burghfield Regis, Burghfield Abbas and Sheffield. The original Burghfield Bridge was built by the De Burghfield family, but they had arguments with King Edward I over who should repair it. There was a minor skirmish there after the First Battle of Newbury in 1643. The Williams family bought the manors after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the village was the childhood home of John Williams, Lord Williams of Thame, an important servant of several Tudor monarchs. In the 20th century, Great Auclum at Burghfield Common was the site of a famous speed hill climb track. It closed in 1974 and is now a housing estate.
[edit] Curiosity
The parish church of St Mary's (CofE), in Burghfield Village, contains the alabaster effigy of the important historic figure, Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, the father of Warwick the Kingmaker. He fought for the Yorkist cause during the War of the Roses, and was executed after the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. He was buried first at Pontefract, but his son transferred his body to the family mausoleum at Bisham Priory and erected this effigy as part of his monument there. It is unclear why it was brought to Burghfield after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The effigy of a lady alongside him wears a headdress which is not thought to be of the right date to be his wife, but she may be one of the earlier Countesses of Salisbury buried at Bisham.
[edit] Institutions
[edit] Charities
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has its headquarters at Burghfield Common.
[edit] Education
Education in the parish is provided by two primary schools – one in Burghfield Village and one in Burghfield Common – and one secondary school – The Willink School (named after a prominent local family) – which provides for the secondary schooling of many of the surrounding villages.
[edit] Military establishments
- An Atomic Weapons Establishment is located in the parish. Known as AWE Burghfield, it is responsible for the final assembly of Trident mounted nuclear warheads, their in-service maintenance and their eventual decommissioning.
- There was a WRENS establishment at Burghfield, named after HMS Dauntless, from 1947 to 1981.
[edit] Sport and leisure
- Burghfield Sailing Club - one of the largest inland sailing clubs in the United Kingdom
- Burghfield Island Boat Club - boat owning members club
- Burghfield Aqua Sports Club - boat owning members club
- Burghfield Leisure Sports - @ Searles Lane Gravel Pits
- Burghfield Football Club - promoting the playing of association football by boys and girls living in Burghfield and the surrounding area
- Willink Leisure Centre & Physicals Fitness Club - 25m indoor swimming pool, outdoor sports area, sports hall & gymnasium
- Burghfield Common Library
- Burghfield Toy Library
- Burghfield Camera Club
- Burghfield Youth Club
- Burghfield Women's Institute - meets at Burghfield Village Hall
- Burghfield & District Horticultural Society
[edit] The Future
The Burghfield Bridge region of the parish is currently targeted for a very large development (~7000 houses) called 'Kennet Valley Park'. The development would be largely building on the old backfilled gravel pits with a protection scheme for the wildlife rich floodplains and lakes. Despite being a fairly attractive and well designed development these plans have been met with significant anger from many residents of the parish, especially over issues of access to Reading. There are also major concerns over the environmental issues which Prudential have failed to address properly, and the debate over whether it is possible to address the issues properly at all is still ongoing.
[edit] External links
- Burghfield Parish Council
- Royal Berkshire History: Burghfield
- Burghfield Football Club
- Burghfield Sailing Club
- Burghfield Residents Association
- AWE Burghfield Royal Ordinance Factory
- Burghfield & District Horticultural Society
- Local information for the RG7 postcode
