Bagnor

Coordinates: 51°25′N 1°21′W / 51.41°N 01.35°W / 51.41; -01.35

Bagnor
The Watermill Theatre
Bagnor  Bagnor shown within Berkshire
OS grid reference	SU452692
District	West Berkshire
Shire county	Berkshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Newbury
Postcode district	RG20
Dialling code	01635
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Royal Berkshire
Ambulance	South Central
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Newbury
List of places UK England Berkshire

Bagnor is a hamlet close to the town of Newbury in the English county of Berkshire and on the banks of the River Lambourn. It is best known as the home of the nationally famous Watermill Theatre. It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Bagenore.^[1]

"Humphrey the Chamberlain holds Bagenore from the King. Wulfeva held it freehold from King Edward. Then it answered for 4 hides; now 1 hide. Land for 3 ploughs: In hardship 1 (plough) 3 villagers and 3 smallholders with 2 ploughs. 1 slave: a mill at 20s meadow 22 acres: woodland at 4pigs".

It is located in the West Berkshire district. The Blackbird, a public house, has stood in the village since the 17th century.^[2] It is near the villages of Speen, Donnington, Boxford, and Winterbourne. Donnington Castle lies less than a mile to the east.^[3]

Local government

Bagnor forms part of the civil parish of Speen, which is itself part of the district administered by the unitary authority of West Berkshire.^[4]

The Watermill Theatre

The Watermill Theatre is a privately owned repertory theatre which has operated since 1981. It is a converted watermill with gardens beside the River Lambourn, and seats 220 people. It retains many of its original architectural features such as the waterwheel, which is viewed through a screen on entry to the auditorium. Many successful actors have begun their careers at the Watermill Theatre, most notably Sean Bean, Bill Nighy, and David Suchet.^[5] It is one of only five theatres to have been awarded a National Touring remit by Arts Council England, and previous productions have subsequently moved to Broadway and the West End.^[6]

Bagnor Manor

Bagnor Manor is a country home standing near the centre of the village. The house in its current form dates from the 17th century. Previously the manor and its estate had been held for the King, and was recorded in the Domesday Book. Ownership was later transferred to Henry de Bagenore, who sold the property to the Priory and Convent of Poughley in 1232. The transfer was agreed in return for a yearly payment of 8 marks, food and clothing for Henry's two sons, and an agreement that the Prior would find a suitor for his youngest daughter, Celestria.

The priory was dissolved in 1524 and its lands seized by Henry VIII. The Manor was granted to Wolsey College (later Christ Church), Oxford in 1531. Bagnor Manor was later transferred to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster in return for lands in St. James's Park. They built the present Grade II listed building^[7] in the 17th century, but the estate did not pass into private ownership until 1871, when it was purchased by a wealthy family from Donnington Grove. It is now a private residence.^[8]

Notable residents

A number of notable individuals have lived in the village or its immediate surroundings. They include:

• Jill Fraser MBE, theatre owner and director, who was artistic director of the Watermill Theatre from 1981–2006.^[9]
• Lord Hanson, industrialist, who lived on the outskirts of the village.
• Jack Hargreaves OBE, television presenter and author, who bought and converted Brook House on the Winterbourne in 1948, moving on to Lymington in 1960.
• Sir Michael Hordern, actor, who moved to the village in 1956 to fish for trout and greyling in the River Lambourn.^[10]
• George Melly, jazz musician and writer
• Baron Palumbo, property developer and art collector, who lived in Bagnor Manor.^[11]

Rack Marsh

Rack Marsh is a small nature reserve in the village which is managed by BBOWT. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It was the scene of protests during the construction of the Newbury bypass which passes close to the east of the village. This was partly due to the presence on the reserve of the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail.^[12]

See also

• List of places in Berkshire

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bagnor.

• Rack Marsh on BBC 'Breathing Places' Website
• Bagnor Manor on 'Berkshire History' Website
• Bagnor in the Domesday Book

v t e Settlements in West Berkshire Towns Hungerford Newbury Thatcham Civil parishes Aldermaston Aldworth Ashampstead Basildon Beech Hill Beedon Beenham Boxford Bradfield Brightwalton Brimpton Bucklebury Burghfield Catmore Chaddleworth Chieveley Cold Ash Combe Compton East Garston East Ilsley Enborne Englefield Farnborough Fawley Frilsham Great Shefford Greenham Hampstead Norreys Hamstead Marshall Hermitage Holybrook Inkpen Kintbury Lambourn Leckhampstead Midgham Mortimer Common Padworth Pangbourne Peasemore Purley-on-Thames Shaw-cum-Donnington Speen Stanford Dingley Stratfield Mortimer Streatley Sulham Sulhamstead Theale Tidmarsh Tilehurst Ufton Nervet Wasing Welford West Woodhay West Ilsley Winterbourne Wokefield Woolhampton Yattendon Other villages and hamlets Aldermaston Wharf Ashmore Green Avington Bagnor Beansheaf Farm Beedon Common Benham Hill Bloomfield Hatch Brightwalton Green Brimpton Common Burghfield Bridge Burnt Hill Calcot Chapel Row Colthrop Crockham Heath Crookham Downend Donnington Eastbury Eddington Elcot Eling Enborne Row Fords Farm Goddard's Green Halfway Heads Hill Hell Corner Hoe Benham Honey Bottom Hungerford Newtown Hunts Green Hyde End Inkpen Common Lambourn Woodlands Little Heath Lower Basildon Lower Denford Lower Padworth Marlston Marsh Benham Midgham Green Ownham Padworth Common Shaw Shefford Woodlands Snelsmore South Fawley Stockcross Upper Basildon Upper Denford Upper Eddington Upper Lambourn Upper Woolhampton Wash Common Wash Water Weston Wickham Wickham Heath Woodlands St Mary Woodspeen World's End