Norreys Estate
Encyclopedia
The Norreys Estate is a housing estate, part of the Dowlesgreen area of Wokingham
in the English
county of Berkshire
, situated just east of the town centre.
Before 1844, the area was officially
a detached part of Wiltshire
. The estate is named after the Norreys
family from Ockwells Manor in Bray
and Yattendon
Castle. One of their minor manors
covered this area and was known as Norreys Manor. More specifically the name was taken from the large Norreys Avenue, which now runs through the southern portion of the estate. This road was built on arable farmland in the late 1940s as emergency housing during World War II
.
The area contains many houses, mostly built in the 1960s, including much of Ashridge Road, Budges Road, Eustace Crescent, Barrett Crescent and Longs Way. After London Road and Finchampstead
Road, Norreys Avenue is one of the largest residential roads in Wokingham. It starts off at a junction off Wiltshire Road, heads slightly NNE before turning sharply north, then east, the curving around back to a southern direction, forming the distinctive "n" shape. A few cul-de-sacs appear on the road, including Coronation Square, Elizabeth Road.
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
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...
, situated just east of the town centre.
Before 1844, the area was officially
Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844
The Counties Act 1844 , which came into effect on 20 October 1844, was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which eliminated many outliers or exclaves of counties in England and Wales for civil purposes....
a detached part of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. The estate is named after the Norreys
Norreys
Norreys may refer to various members of, or estates belonging to, a landed family chiefly seated in the English counties of Berkshire and Lancashire and the Irish county of Cork....
family from Ockwells Manor in Bray
Bray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...
and Yattendon
Yattendon
Yattendon is a village and civil parish northeast of Newbury, Berkshire. The M4 motorway passes about south of the village.-Geography:Yattendon stretches from Everington in the west to the hamlet of Burnt Hill in the east and the woodland just east of Yattendon Court, including Mumgrove Copse,...
Castle. One of their minor manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
covered this area and was known as Norreys Manor. More specifically the name was taken from the large Norreys Avenue, which now runs through the southern portion of the estate. This road was built on arable farmland in the late 1940s as emergency housing during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The area contains many houses, mostly built in the 1960s, including much of Ashridge Road, Budges Road, Eustace Crescent, Barrett Crescent and Longs Way. After London Road and Finchampstead
Finchampstead
Finchampstead is a civil parish near Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire. Its northern extremity is situated south of Wokingham, west of Bracknell, south-east of Reading, and west of Central London.-Geography:...
Road, Norreys Avenue is one of the largest residential roads in Wokingham. It starts off at a junction off Wiltshire Road, heads slightly NNE before turning sharply north, then east, the curving around back to a southern direction, forming the distinctive "n" shape. A few cul-de-sacs appear on the road, including Coronation Square, Elizabeth Road.