Grazeley
Encyclopedia
Grazeley is a small village
and former civil parish
in the English
county of Berkshire
. It lies about four miles south of Reading
at . To the East lies the Village of Spencers Wood
. To the West lie the villages of Grazeley Green and Wokefield
. To the South lies the village of Beech Hill.
Abbots. Early Ordnance Survey Parish Maps of 1888 show Grazeley as a parish bordering with the parish of Sulhamstead Bannister Upper End. The village itself is now in the civil parish
of Shinfield
in the borough of Wokingham
. The area around Grazeley Green, which was previously the civil parish of Grazeley, is, however, now in the parish of Wokefield
, part of the unitary authority
of West Berkshire
.
Griesley meaning grazing land (meadow). It has also been known by the names of Greyshall, Greasull, Greyshull, Gresley and Graseley. Around the late 19th century, it was also referred to as Lambwood Hill.
During the 12th century, the Abbot
of Reading
was Lord of the Manor
of Hartley Dummer, which appears to have been around Grazeley. On the dissolution
of Reading Abbey
in 1541, Henry VIII
granted the parish of Sulhamstead Abbots, and Grazeley with it, for purchase by Sir John Williams
(later Lord Williams of Thame).
After his death in 1559, Lord Williams' possessions were passed to his daughters. Through various sales and transfers, other major landowners declaring ownership of the area in their title deeds include the Norreyses of Rycote
, the Earls of Abingdon
, the Jameses of Denford
and the Benyons of Englefield
.
of the Holy Trinity was a gift from the Bishop of Oxford
. Built in flint and stone, it consists of a chancel, nave, south porch and belfry with a single bell.
Inside the Church an oak tablet on the north wall remembers the local men who lost their lives during the two World Wars, with the inscription:
Holy Trinity held its last service and closed its doors in January 2006 after 156 years of serving the community.
, Shinfield
and Burghfield
, two extensions to the school in 1893 and 1913 increased capacity to 150. The Merry's Educational Foundation (registered charity number 309006), established by deed in 1862, then proved by will in 1873, provided £20 a year in accordance with the donor's will to provide clothing for poor children - ten boys and ten girls attending the school.
Built into the school was the Merry's Trust Cottage where the District Nurse lived rent free with heating and maintenance costs being partly covered by dedicated savings left in the bank for this purpose. After years of disuse, the cottage was refurbished in 1996 for use by the school for administrative and child resource areas.
Originally an all-age school it became a primary school in 1944 and now teaches up to 90 pupils aged between five and 11, mainly from the Grazeley village, Beech Hill
, Three Mile Cross
and Spencers Wood
areas.
, moved to Grazeley Court Farm for the purpose of "being an English country gentleman with an estate and dignities accruing to the position". His flamboyancy, self-importance and addiction to gambling at cards brought him and his family in to debt and unhappiness. Grazeley Court served two purposes for the family - the house was used for the extravagant balls and parties and the outhouses and stables used to establish Dr. Mitford's greyhound kennels. During his time here, George renamed the property to Bertram House after an ancestor, Sir Roger Bertram, Baron Mitford, who lived in Northumberland in the 13th century.
William Isaac Palmer
, a member of the famous local Palmer family of biscuit fame
, lived at Grazeley Court between 1879 - 1895. During his residency he purchased a pedigree Dairy Shorthorn bull
for use by local farmers when their cows were in season.
with the nearest Telegraph Office being Spencers Wood
.
Villagers would walk reasonable distances, often along the railway line in to Reading, or would cycle to Three Mile Cross or Spencers Wood, provided they were home by dusk.
Between the two World Wars, trade vans would visit the village offering meat, fish and bread. Other grocery orders could be placed with the Co-op Bakery man, who would visit from Mortimer Common
three times a week. Heating paraffin was also collected from the garage in Three Mile Cross by bicycle.
A researcher at the Museum of English Rural Life
, case studied Hartley Court Farm in Grazeley as part of a contemporary collecting project during 2003. The studies looked at the activities of local organisations and individuals in the local area, including Grazeley and Shinfield.
Grazeley School continues to attract primary children from the village as well as Grazeley Green, Beech Hill
, Three Mile Cross
and parts of Burghfield
.
On the edge of Grazeley Green and in adjoining Burghfield, factories were built for the Ministry of Defence
's Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, which today is responsible for the final assembly, maintenance and decommissioning of the UK's nuclear deterrent
alongside the main AWE site at Aldermaston
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and former civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. It lies about four miles south of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
at . To the East lies the Village of Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, Berkshire, England, south of Reading. The village of Three Mile Cross adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of Grazeley.-History:...
. To the West lie the villages of Grazeley Green and Wokefield
Wokefield
Wokefield is a civil parish in the West Berkshire district of Berkshire, England, south of the borough of Reading. The parish includes the hamlets of Grazeley Green, Goddard's Green and Bloomfield Hatch, and the 18th century mansion of Wokefield Park...
. To the South lies the village of Beech Hill.
Local government
Grazeley was once a detached part of SulhamsteadSulhamstead
Sulhamstead is a village, electoral district and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It lies off the A4 national route between Reading and Thatcham, some west of central London.-Location:thumb|left|250px|1888 Ordnance Survey Parish Boundary Map...
Abbots. Early Ordnance Survey Parish Maps of 1888 show Grazeley as a parish bordering with the parish of Sulhamstead Bannister Upper End. The village itself is now in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
in the borough of Wokingham
Wokingham (district)
Wokingham is a local government district in Berkshire, United Kingdom. It is named after its main town, Wokingham. Other places in the district include Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst, Sonning, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Wargrave, Three Mile Cross, Winnersh,...
. The area around Grazeley Green, which was previously the civil parish of Grazeley, is, however, now in the parish of Wokefield
Wokefield
Wokefield is a civil parish in the West Berkshire district of Berkshire, England, south of the borough of Reading. The parish includes the hamlets of Grazeley Green, Goddard's Green and Bloomfield Hatch, and the 18th century mansion of Wokefield Park...
, part of the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of West Berkshire
West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.-Geography:...
.
Identity
An all-but defunct pronoun is Grazeleyite, which was used by children to distinguish themselves from children of neighbouring villages, such as the Spencers Wooders.History
The name first appears as Grazeley around 1598 and is derived from the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
Griesley meaning grazing land (meadow). It has also been known by the names of Greyshall, Greasull, Greyshull, Gresley and Graseley. Around the late 19th century, it was also referred to as Lambwood Hill.
During the 12th century, the Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Reading
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
was Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Hartley Dummer, which appears to have been around Grazeley. On the dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
of Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
in 1541, Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
granted the parish of Sulhamstead Abbots, and Grazeley with it, for purchase by Sir John Williams
John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame
John Williams, 1st Baron Williams of Thame was Treasurer of the King's Jewels, Lord Chamberlain of England and Lord President of the Council of the Welsh Marches...
(later Lord Williams of Thame).
After his death in 1559, Lord Williams' possessions were passed to his daughters. Through various sales and transfers, other major landowners declaring ownership of the area in their title deeds include the Norreyses of Rycote
Rycote
Rycote is a hamlet southwest of Thame in Oxfordshire.-Saint Michael's chapel:Richard and Sybil Quartermayne, lord and lady of the manor of Rycote, founded Saint Michael's chapel as a chantry in 1449. It is a Perpendicular Gothic building with a chancel, nave and west tower...
, the Earls of Abingdon
Earl of Abingdon
Earl of Abingdon is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 30 November 1682 for James Bertie, 5th Baron Norreys of Rycote. He was the eldest son of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey by his second marriage to Bridget, 4th Baroness Norreys de Rycote, and the younger half-brother of...
, the Jameses of Denford
Denford
Denford is a small village and civil parish situated in East Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish population was 250 people....
and the Benyons of Englefield
Englefield, Berkshire
Englefield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The village is mostly within the bounds of the private walled estate of Englefield House....
.
Holy Trinity Church
Opened in 1850, the 14th century style Church of England parish churchChurch 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 the Holy Trinity was a gift from the Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
. Built in flint and stone, it consists of a chancel, nave, south porch and belfry with a single bell.
Inside the Church an oak tablet on the north wall remembers the local men who lost their lives during the two World Wars, with the inscription:
Ye that live on in English Pastures Green,
Remember us and think what might have been
Holy Trinity held its last service and closed its doors in January 2006 after 156 years of serving the community.
School
Grazeley Parochial Primary School was built in 1861 at a cost of £442 16s 9d, initially to accommodate 100 pupils. As children walked from nearby Spencers WoodSpencers Wood
Spencers Wood is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, Berkshire, England, south of Reading. The village of Three Mile Cross adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of Grazeley.-History:...
, Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
and Burghfield
Burghfield
Burghfield is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, close to the boundary with Reading.-Location:Burghfield is about southwest of Reading...
, two extensions to the school in 1893 and 1913 increased capacity to 150. The Merry's Educational Foundation (registered charity number 309006), established by deed in 1862, then proved by will in 1873, provided £20 a year in accordance with the donor's will to provide clothing for poor children - ten boys and ten girls attending the school.
Built into the school was the Merry's Trust Cottage where the District Nurse lived rent free with heating and maintenance costs being partly covered by dedicated savings left in the bank for this purpose. After years of disuse, the cottage was refurbished in 1996 for use by the school for administrative and child resource areas.
Originally an all-age school it became a primary school in 1944 and now teaches up to 90 pupils aged between five and 11, mainly from the Grazeley village, Beech Hill
Beech Hill
Beech Hill is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is situated in the south east of the West Berkshire district, close to the Hampshire and Wokingham district borders...
, Three Mile Cross
Three Mile Cross
Three Mile Cross is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, to the South of Reading, and immediately North of the adjoining village of Spencers Wood, in the English county of Berkshire....
and Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, Berkshire, England, south of Reading. The village of Three Mile Cross adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of Grazeley.-History:...
areas.
Grazeley Village Memorial Hall
Opened in 1956 the village memorial hall, normally known simply as Grazeley Village Hall, provides a venue for the local community, clubs and societies. The Hall is on Grazeley village green, adjacent to the school and the church. Throughout 2006 it celebrated its golden jubilee with numerous events including a fun run and a summer ball.Wheatsheaf public house
On the corner of Church Lane and Bloomfieldhatch Lane, the Wheatsheaf is the village pub which maintains its character as a rural pub, without being 'standardised' by being part of a pub chain. Unfortunately the Wheatsheaf closed in 2006 and in February 2007 it, like a lot of rural pubs, seems destined to be redeveloped as another rural house serving commuting rather than the community.Grazeley Court
In 1802, Dr. George Mitford, the flamboyant father of local author Mary Russell MitfordMary Russell Mitford
Mary Russell Mitford , was an English author and dramatist. She was born at Alresford, Hampshire. Her place in English literature is as the author of Our Village...
, moved to Grazeley Court Farm for the purpose of "being an English country gentleman with an estate and dignities accruing to the position". His flamboyancy, self-importance and addiction to gambling at cards brought him and his family in to debt and unhappiness. Grazeley Court served two purposes for the family - the house was used for the extravagant balls and parties and the outhouses and stables used to establish Dr. Mitford's greyhound kennels. During his time here, George renamed the property to Bertram House after an ancestor, Sir Roger Bertram, Baron Mitford, who lived in Northumberland in the 13th century.
William Isaac Palmer
William Isaac Palmer
William Isaac Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England...
, a member of the famous local Palmer family of biscuit fame
Huntley & Palmers
Huntley & Palmers was a British firm of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. The company created one of the world's first global brands and ran what was once the world’s largest biscuit factory. Over the years, the company was also known as J...
, lived at Grazeley Court between 1879 - 1895. During his residency he purchased a pedigree Dairy Shorthorn bull
Milking Shorthorn
The Milking Shorthorn or Dairy Shorthorn is a breed of dairy cattle that originated in Great Britain. It developed from the Shorthorn, which itself came from County Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire in north eastern England....
for use by local farmers when their cows were in season.
Serving the community
The village has never had a village shop or post office. In the early 20th century, letters were received via Reading with collection boxes outside the church and outside Grazeley Court farm. Money orders could be sent from the nearest office in Three Mile CrossThree Mile Cross
Three Mile Cross is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, to the South of Reading, and immediately North of the adjoining village of Spencers Wood, in the English county of Berkshire....
with the nearest Telegraph Office being Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood
Spencers Wood is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, Berkshire, England, south of Reading. The village of Three Mile Cross adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of Grazeley.-History:...
.
Villagers would walk reasonable distances, often along the railway line in to Reading, or would cycle to Three Mile Cross or Spencers Wood, provided they were home by dusk.
Between the two World Wars, trade vans would visit the village offering meat, fish and bread. Other grocery orders could be placed with the Co-op Bakery man, who would visit from Mortimer Common
Mortimer Common
Mortimer Common, generally referred to as Mortimer, is a village in the civil parish of Stratfield Mortimer in Berkshire. Mortimer is in the local government district of West Berkshire and is seven miles south-west of Reading.-Geography:...
three times a week. Heating paraffin was also collected from the garage in Three Mile Cross by bicycle.
Modern-day Grazeley
Agriculture was the dominant feature of the village and the surrounding area is still seen in the fields of Grazeley, although there are few farm animals to be seen.A researcher at the Museum of English Rural Life
Museum of English Rural Life
The Museum of English Rural Life is a museum dedicated to recording the changing face of farming and the countryside in England. It houses designated collections of national importance that span the full range of objects, archives, photographs, film and books.The museum is run by the University of...
, case studied Hartley Court Farm in Grazeley as part of a contemporary collecting project during 2003. The studies looked at the activities of local organisations and individuals in the local area, including Grazeley and Shinfield.
Grazeley School continues to attract primary children from the village as well as Grazeley Green, Beech Hill
Beech Hill
Beech Hill is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is situated in the south east of the West Berkshire district, close to the Hampshire and Wokingham district borders...
, Three Mile Cross
Three Mile Cross
Three Mile Cross is a village in the civil parish of Shinfield, to the South of Reading, and immediately North of the adjoining village of Spencers Wood, in the English county of Berkshire....
and parts of Burghfield
Burghfield
Burghfield is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, close to the boundary with Reading.-Location:Burghfield is about southwest of Reading...
.
On the edge of Grazeley Green and in adjoining Burghfield, factories were built for the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
's Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, which today is responsible for the final assembly, maintenance and decommissioning of the UK's nuclear deterrent
Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom was the third country to test an independently developed nuclear weapon, in October 1952. It is one of the five "Nuclear Weapons States" under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which the UK ratified in 1968...
alongside the main AWE site at Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
.