Berinsfield
Encyclopedia
Berinsfield is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire
, about 7 miles (11.3 km) southeast of Oxford
.
artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village. The Roman road
between Dorchester-on-Thames
and Alchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield. An Anglo-Saxon
cemetery was also found at Berinsfield.
The village occupies the site of RAF Mount Farm
, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces
, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope
, Dorothy Lamour
and Glenn Miller
took off to entertain the troops in Europe. Miller performed for the US service personnel at the base in December 1944. From there he went to RAF Twinwood, boarded a Noorduyn Norseman
single-engined aircraft, took off for Paris - and was never heard of again. His plane is believed to have ditched in the Channel - although 20 years ago there was a belief he may have crash-landed in the dense Chiltern woodlands. Searches found no trace of the aircraft.
In 1957 the Air Ministry sold the airfield for civilian use. Bullingdon Rural District
Council decided to build a new village - the first in England for 200 years - to be named after Birinus
or Berin, a local saint. The word 'field' was added because the Americans called their base an airfield.
The first residents moved in 50 years ago. Many new residents at that time lived in the old air force huts, before brick-built houses were constructed on the site.
Berinsfield is the first English village to be built on virgin land for over two hundred years. It was built by the architect and town planner William Holford
in 1960. The Church of England parish church
of Saint Mary
and Saint Berin
was designed by Rev. Harold Best, vicar of Dorchester
, and built in 1962.
, The Village Inn, controlled by Greene King Brewery
. The village has a primary school, a public library, The Abbey Sports Centre, and a row of shops including a post office. Berinsfield Football Club plays in Reading Football League
Division One. There is a Berinsfield Amateur Boxing Club. Berinsfield has a Women's Institute. Berinsfield also has a youth club, Campus Youth Centre, for 10-21 year olds.
South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
, about 7 miles (11.3 km) southeast of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
History
Palaeolithic and RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village. The Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
between Dorchester-on-Thames
Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Dorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
and Alchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield. An Anglo-Saxon
History of Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxon England refers to the period of the history of that part of Britain, that became known as England, lasting from the end of Roman occupation and establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the 5th century until the Norman conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror...
cemetery was also found at Berinsfield.
The village occupies the site of RAF Mount Farm
RAF Mount Farm
RAF Mount Farm is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located three miles north of Dorchester, Oxfordshire.-USAAF use:Mount Farm was originally a satellite airfield for the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson. The airfield was originally a grass field, but...
, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour was an American film actress. She is best remembered for appearing in the Road to... movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope .-Early life:Lamour was born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Carmen Louise Dorothy...
and Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
took off to entertain the troops in Europe. Miller performed for the US service personnel at the base in December 1944. From there he went to RAF Twinwood, boarded a Noorduyn Norseman
Noorduyn Norseman
The Noorduyn Norseman is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Norseman aircraft are known to have been registered and/or operated in 68 countries throughout the world and also have been based and flown in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.-Design and...
single-engined aircraft, took off for Paris - and was never heard of again. His plane is believed to have ditched in the Channel - although 20 years ago there was a belief he may have crash-landed in the dense Chiltern woodlands. Searches found no trace of the aircraft.
In 1957 the Air Ministry sold the airfield for civilian use. Bullingdon Rural District
Bullingdon Rural District
Bullingdon was a rural district in Oxfordshire, England from 1932 to 1974.It was created under a County Review Order, as a merger of Culham Rural District, Thame Rural District, part of Crowmarsh Rural District, part of Headington Rural District, and part of Henley Rural District.In 1974 it was...
Council decided to build a new village - the first in England for 200 years - to be named after Birinus
Birinus
Birinus , venerated as a saint, was the first Bishop of Dorchester, and the "Apostle to the West Saxons".-Life and ministry:After Augustine of Canterbury performed initial conversions in England, Birinus, a Frank, came to the kingdoms of Wessex in 634, landing at the port of "Hamwic", now in the...
or Berin, a local saint. The word 'field' was added because the Americans called their base an airfield.
The first residents moved in 50 years ago. Many new residents at that time lived in the old air force huts, before brick-built houses were constructed on the site.
Berinsfield is the first English village to be built on virgin land for over two hundred years. It was built by the architect and town planner William Holford
William Holford, Baron Holford
William Graham Holford, Baron Holford was a British architect and town planner.-Biography:He was born in South Africa and educated at Diocesan College, Cape Town. He studied architecture at Liverpool University, where he won the Rome Scholarship in Architecture to the British School at Rome in 1930...
in 1960. The Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and Saint Berin
Birinus
Birinus , venerated as a saint, was the first Bishop of Dorchester, and the "Apostle to the West Saxons".-Life and ministry:After Augustine of Canterbury performed initial conversions in England, Birinus, a Frank, came to the kingdoms of Wessex in 634, landing at the port of "Hamwic", now in the...
was designed by Rev. Harold Best, vicar of Dorchester
Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Dorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
, and built in 1962.
Amenities
Berinsfield has a public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, The Village Inn, controlled by Greene King Brewery
Greene King Brewery
Greene King is a British brewery established in 1799 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. It has grown to become one of the largest British owned breweries in the UK through a series of takeovers which have been the subject of some criticism. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent...
. The village has a primary school, a public library, The Abbey Sports Centre, and a row of shops including a post office. Berinsfield Football Club plays in Reading Football League
Reading Football League
The Reading Football League is a football competition based in England. It has a total of six divisions – the Senior Division, the Premier Division, then Divisions One to Four....
Division One. There is a Berinsfield Amateur Boxing Club. Berinsfield has a Women's Institute. Berinsfield also has a youth club, Campus Youth Centre, for 10-21 year olds.