Swallowfield

Swallowfield

All Saint's Church
Swallowfield

 Swallowfield shown within Berkshire
Population 1,961 (2001)
OS grid reference SU7264
Parish Swallowfield
Unitary authority Wokingham
Ceremonial county Berkshire
Region South East
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town READING
Postcode district RG7
Dialling code 0118
Police Thames Valley
Fire Royal Berkshire
Ambulance South Central
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament Wokingham
List of places: UK • England • Berkshire

Swallowfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the town of Reading, and 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the county boundary with Hampshire.

The civil parish of Swallowfield also includes the nearby villages of Riseley and Farley Hill, and is in turn is within the Borough of Wokingham.

Swallowfield Park is a stately home situated in an estate half a mile north east of the village. The current mansion has been converted into exclusive apartments.[1]

Swallowfield has been the home of a number of famous persons including Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt, the Governor of Fort St. George[2]; William Backhouse, the Rosicrucian philosopher[3]; Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon[4]; and, in his childhood, Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon[5]. The 19th century authoress, Mary Russell Mitford retired to the village and is buried in the churchyard.[6]

References

  1. ^ Ford, David Nash (2002). "Swallowfield Park". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/swallowfield_park.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  2. ^ Ford, David Nash (2003). "Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt (1653-1726)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/tpitt.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  3. ^ Ford, David Nash (2002). "William Backhouse (1593-1662)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/wbackhouse.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  4. ^ Ford, David Nash (2003). "Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon (1638-1709)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/hhyde_2eofc.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  5. ^ Ford, David Nash (2003). "Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon (1661-1724)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/ehyde_3eofc.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  6. ^ Ford, David Nash (2003). "Mary Russell Mitford (1787-1865)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/mrmitford.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 

External links