Midgham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Midgham | |
|---|---|
| OS Grid Reference: | SU556678 |
| Lat/Lon: | |
| Population: | 371 (2001 Census) |
| Formal status: | Village |
| Administration | |
| District: | West Berkshire |
| Region: | South East England |
| Nation: | England |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial County: | Berkshire |
| Traditional County: | Berkshire |
| Post Office and Telephone | |
| Post town: | READING |
| Postcode: | RG7 |
| Dialling Code: | 0118 |
Midgham is a village in Berkshire. Midgham Village has been established for many hundreds of years. There is even mention of the village in the Domesday Book.
Midgham became a parish in it’s own right in 1857 and the then new Squire appointed the first Vicar (Rev. John Errington) in 1867 for the newly built church now run by Reverend Peter Steele who also has Woolhampton's St Peter's and Beenham's St Mary. The village is well spreadout from the Berkshire Arms in the West, New road hill in the East, Midgham Marsh to the south of the A4 and Midgham Green to the north.
This station at Woolhampton is confusingly called Midgham railway station, a title given it after the stationmaster in the 1930s became frustrated with constantly redirecting mistakenly addressed packages intended for Wolverhampton in the West Midlands. Midgham is composed of Midgham Park which was the Earl of Clarendon's estate, Midgham Green and the surrounding areas. Midgham Green has a green which is run by the Parish Council and is used for various events for the Village.
The other pub in Midgham is the Coach and Horses at the junction of Church hill and the A4 road.
There is a semi-active village life with a church newsletter. There has been village fetes and a number of other events run by the Village Hall Committee ranging from talks to Charity Auctions and Jumble Sales, etc throughout the year. The village has a wide range of people even if they are few in number and farmers rub elbows with IT professionals.
Relatively little is known of the medieval history of the village although history over the past 400 years has been compiled in a series of books by local historian John Trigg. There is good evidence that the Knights Templar held land in the area although few details are known. Trade tokens have been found from the 1600s near the church so it is certain that there was trade in the area during the late middle ages. Few if any Roman traces have been found although there was known to be a crossing through Swamp land and a villa complex in Beenham
