Purley-on-Thames
Encyclopedia
Purley on Thames or simply Purley, is a village
and civil parish in Berkshire
, England
. It forms part of the Reading
urban area, but remains outside the borough, in West Berkshire
. The village is situated about 3 miles (4.8 km) north-west of Reading, and 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Pangbourne
. In mediaeval times the parish had three manors, Purley Magna centred around where the church is today, Purley Parva centred om Westbury Farm and Purley La Hyde centred on what is now Sulham Home Farm and Purley Hall.
, to the east by Reading Borough, to the west by Pangbourne
and to the south by Tilehurst
and Sulham
. After the sale of Purley Magna in the 1920s most of the eastern part of the parish has been developed but beyond this the other two manors have retained a very rural aspect.
Changes in the 20th century began with ribbon development
along the Oxford Road and Long Lane and in recent years these properties have been redeveloped with modern housing esates. The Purley River Estate was sold off in small plots in the 1930s and for many years suffered much unplanned development. As a result of a guidance plan agreed in the 1960s it has gradually developed from what was known as shanty town
to an estate with very desirable residences and a great variety of architectural styles.
, where the valley side starts to rise sharply. Both the Reading to Oxford road (A329
) and the Great Western Main Line
railway pass along this slope higher than the original village centre, which is linked to the A329 by two steep lanes crossing the railway.
and the nearest stations are Tilehurst
and Pangbourne
.
services 132, 133 For those with mobility problems Readibus
provides door to door services.
of Purley on Thames stretches roughly 1.5 Km both north-south and east-west and is within the area of West Berkshire Council (Unitary
). It has its own Parish Council of 13 elected members with the Parish Office at Goosecroft (off Beech Road) The eastern half is almost completely redeveloped but the western half includes meadow land alongside the Thames and agricultural land on the north slope of the escarpment. There are small settlements in the extreme west (around Sulham Home Farm) and in the north west around Springs/Westbury Farms. The parish also includes Mapledurham Lock
on the Thames. The parish is within the Reading West parliamentary constituency
. and the South East European Constitituency
.
changed several times over successive centuries but the parish remained almost entirely agricultural until development began in the 20th century, with a population of 150–200. Since then it has grown to 4,232 (2001 Census
) and around 5,300 people today.
. Part of Purley Parva was donated to Reading Abbey
in the 1190s and, after the Reformation
, came into the hands of the Earls of Shannon
with connections to the Boyles (of Boyle's law
fame). Relatives of Lord Lister settled in the parish in the 1920s with Major Hugh Lister
winning the Military Cross
in World War II
as a combatant priest.
A timbered Elizabethan
Manor house
was constructed in the 1540s, to be replaced by a brick house in 1740. This was demolished around 1800 to be replaced by the Purley Park Mansion
designed by Wyatt
in 1800 and located on the brow of the hill to be well away from flooding. At the same time most of the eastern part of the parish was emparked; a new road (New Hill) constructed to provide access to the residual village and the Turnpike Highway
diverted to the south. The Mansion House has now been converted to flats
.
Purley Hall
Purley Hall was built around 1608 to replace the manor house of Purley La Hyde and was home to personages such as Warren Hastings
, Lady Baden-Powell (as a child) and Thomas Hawes (of South Sea Bubble fame)
Farm buildings
When the Purley Park Mansion was built, the farm was moved further west and was home to the South Berks Hunt
for many years. Its Master of fox hounds, Cecil Aldin
, ran a Remount Depot there in World War I
, employing his friend and fellow artist, Alfred Munnings
as a horse doctor
. After World War II
the property was sold to Messrs G Percy Trentham who used it as the head offices for their civil engineering
business. In the 1990s this too was redeveloped and the barn
which had originally been adjacent to the church, donated to the Parish Council as a community facility.
s were established between World War I and World War II, one by Mortimer Menpes
, the artist and friend of Whistler
. These have almost all now been redeveloped.
in 1121. It is believed it was burnt down in 1135 in the Stephen/Matilda anarchy
and replaced by a Norman
church around 1150. The new church was built on an excavated platform and graves
dating from the 10th century or 11th century were discovered in 1982 only about a foot from the surface. This church was modified and added to in the 1300s and 1600s and completely rebuilt in 1870 in the Gothic
revivalist style by G. E. Street. A further major extension was added in 1983.
s and rector
s dating from the mid-14th century. Purley's clergy suffered ejection almost every time a national religious change happened. John Leke, in Queen Mary's
reign, for having been married, Richard Gatskyll, in Edward VI's reign, for being a Catholic
, Thomas Handcock, in 1563, for not being Protestant enough and Daniel Reynor, in 1662, for being a Congregationalist.
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 civil parish in 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...
, England
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...
. It forms part of the 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....
urban area, but remains outside the borough, in 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:...
. The village is situated about 3 miles (4.8 km) north-west of Reading, and 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Pangbourne
Pangbourne
Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. Pangbourne is the home of the independent school, Pangbourne College.-Location:...
. In mediaeval times the parish had three manors, Purley Magna centred around where the church is today, Purley Parva centred om Westbury Farm and Purley La Hyde centred on what is now Sulham Home Farm and Purley Hall.
Development
Purley lost most of its old houses due to emparkment around 1800 and redevelopment in the 20th century. It is bounded to the north by a stretch of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, to the east by Reading Borough, to the west by Pangbourne
Pangbourne
Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. Pangbourne is the home of the independent school, Pangbourne College.-Location:...
and to the south by Tilehurst
Tilehurst
Tilehurst is a suburb of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is also, with different boundaries as described below, a civil parish in West Berkshire district.-History:...
and Sulham
Sulham
Sulham is a village in the English county of Berkshire. The larger village of Tidmarsh is adjacent to Sulham on the west side. The two villages share the combined parish council of Tidmarsh with Sulham...
. After the sale of Purley Magna in the 1920s most of the eastern part of the parish has been developed but beyond this the other two manors have retained a very rural aspect.
Changes in the 20th century began with ribbon development
Ribbon development
Ribbon development means building houses along the routes of communications radiating from a human settlement. Such development generated great concern in the United Kingdom during the 1920s and the 1930s, as well as in numerous other countries....
along the Oxford Road and Long Lane and in recent years these properties have been redeveloped with modern housing esates. The Purley River Estate was sold off in small plots in the 1930s and for many years suffered much unplanned development. As a result of a guidance plan agreed in the 1960s it has gradually developed from what was known as shanty town
Shanty town
A shanty town is a slum settlement of impoverished people who live in improvised dwellings made from scrap materials: often plywood, corrugated metal and sheets of plastic...
to an estate with very desirable residences and a great variety of architectural styles.
Transport
The main village was at the edge of the flood-plain of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, where the valley side starts to rise sharply. Both the Reading to Oxford road (A329
A329 road
The A329 is an east-west road in Southern England that runs from Wentworth in Surrey to Thame in Oxfordshire. The A329 starts at the A30 in Surrey and passes through the towns of Ascot, Bracknell, Wokingham, Earley, Reading, the village of Pangbourne, and Wallingford in Oxfordshire...
) and the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
railway pass along this slope higher than the original village centre, which is linked to the A329 by two steep lanes crossing the railway.
Rail
Although the main line railway passes through Purley, it is mostly hidden in a deep cuttingCut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
and the nearest stations are Tilehurst
Tilehurst railway station
Tilehurst railway station is a railway station in the suburb and former village of Tilehurst to the west of Reading in England. The station is served by local services operated by First Great Western.- History :...
and Pangbourne
Pangbourne railway station
Pangbourne railway station is a railway station serving the village of Pangbourne in the county of Berkshire, and across the River Thames the village of Whitchurch-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire...
.
Bus
Purley is served by Reading Buses services 16, 28, 142 and Thames TravelThames Travel
Thames Travel is a bus operator based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, in England. It is the third largest bus company in the county It operates a fleet of around 34 vehicles, and employs 75 staff. Running services across the Thames region, the company carries approximately 1.25 million passengers a year...
services 132, 133 For those with mobility problems Readibus
Readibus
ReadiBus is an on-demand transport service for disabled people in the area of Reading, Berkshire, England. It is one of the most successful and enduring of such systems to be created. It was founded in 1981 by a collaboration between the voluntary sector and Reading Borough Council, the local...
provides door to door services.
Government
The civil parishCivil 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 Purley on Thames stretches roughly 1.5 Km both north-south and east-west and is within the area of West Berkshire Council (Unitary
Unitary authorities of England
Unitary authorities of England are areas where a single local authority is responsible for a variety of services for a district that elsewhere are administered separately by two councils...
). It has its own Parish Council of 13 elected members with the Parish Office at Goosecroft (off Beech Road) The eastern half is almost completely redeveloped but the western half includes meadow land alongside the Thames and agricultural land on the north slope of the escarpment. There are small settlements in the extreme west (around Sulham Home Farm) and in the north west around Springs/Westbury Farms. The parish also includes Mapledurham Lock
Mapledurham Lock
Mapledurham Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England. The lock was first built in 1777 by the Thames Navigation Commissioners and the present lock dates from 1908....
on the Thames. The parish is within the Reading West parliamentary constituency
Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading West is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like all such constituencies, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
. and the South East European Constitituency
South East England (European Parliament constituency)
South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 10 Members of the European Parliament using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
.
Early settlements
Purley has been settled since at least Saxon times. The original settlements were based on Purley Magna (to the east), Purley Parva (to the north-west) and Purley La Hyde (to the west). Ownership of these manorsManorialism
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...
changed several times over successive centuries but the parish remained almost entirely agricultural until development began in the 20th century, with a population of 150–200. Since then it has grown to 4,232 (2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
) and around 5,300 people today.
Well-known families
It has associations with several well-known families, for instance the Huscarles, Siffrevasts, Carews, St John's and the Hydes and, through its connections with the Carews and Huscarles, gave its name to the much better known Purley in SurreyPurley, London
Purley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles south of Charing Cross.The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000....
. Part of Purley Parva was donated to 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 the 1190s and, after the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
, came into the hands of the Earls of Shannon
Earl of Shannon
Earl of Shannon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1756 for the prominent Irish politician Henry Boyle, who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. He was made Viscount Boyle, of Bandon, and Baron Castle Martyr at the same time,...
with connections to the Boyles (of Boyle's law
Boyle's law
Boyle's law is one of many gas laws and a special case of the ideal gas law. Boyle's law describes the inversely proportional relationship between the absolute pressure and volume of a gas, if the temperature is kept constant within a closed system...
fame). Relatives of Lord Lister settled in the parish in the 1920s with Major Hugh Lister
Hugh Lister
Major Hugh Evelyn Jackson Lister was an Anglican priest, trade union organizer, and combatant British Army officer in World War II....
winning the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 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...
as a combatant priest.
Buildings
Manor house and mansionA timbered Elizabethan
Elizabethan architecture
Elizabethan architecture is the term given to early Renaissance architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Historically, the period corresponds to the Cinquecento in Italy, the Early Renaissance in France, and the Plateresque style in Spain...
Manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
was constructed in the 1540s, to be replaced by a brick house in 1740. This was demolished around 1800 to be replaced by the Purley Park Mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
designed by Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
in 1800 and located on the brow of the hill to be well away from flooding. At the same time most of the eastern part of the parish was emparked; a new road (New Hill) constructed to provide access to the residual village and the Turnpike Highway
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
diverted to the south. The Mansion House has now been converted to flats
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
.
Purley Hall
Purley Hall was built around 1608 to replace the manor house of Purley La Hyde and was home to personages such as Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
, Lady Baden-Powell (as a child) and Thomas Hawes (of South Sea Bubble fame)
Farm buildings
When the Purley Park Mansion was built, the farm was moved further west and was home to the South Berks Hunt
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
for many years. Its Master of fox hounds, Cecil Aldin
Cecil Aldin
Cecil Charles Windsor Aldin was a British artist and illustrator best known for his paintings and sketches of animals, sports, and rural life.-Life and work:...
, ran a Remount Depot there in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, employing his friend and fellow artist, Alfred Munnings
Alfred Munnings
Sir Alfred James Munnings KCVO, PRA was known as one of England's finest painters of horses, and as an outspoken enemy of Modernism...
as a horse doctor
Veterinary surgeon
Veterinary surgeon is a term used to describe:*The full title of a vet, who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals, in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries**See also Veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom...
. After 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 property was sold to Messrs G Percy Trentham who used it as the head offices for their civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
business. In the 1990s this too was redeveloped and the barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
which had originally been adjacent to the church, donated to the Parish Council as a community facility.
Smallholdings
Several smallholdingSmallholding
A smallholding is a farm of small size.In third world countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of...
s were established between World War I and World War II, one by Mortimer Menpes
Mortimer Menpes
Mortimer Luddington Menpes , was an Australian-born artist, author, printmaker and illustrator.-Life:...
, the artist and friend of Whistler
Rex Whistler
Reginald John 'Rex' Whistler was a British artist, designer and illustrator.-Biography:Rex Whistler was born in Eltham, Kent, the son of Henry and Helen Frances Mary Whistler...
. These have almost all now been redeveloped.
Architecture
The church was described as 'ancient' in a founding charter of Reading AbbeyReading 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 1121. It is believed it was burnt down in 1135 in the Stephen/Matilda anarchy
The Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
and replaced by a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church around 1150. The new church was built on an excavated platform and graves
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
dating from the 10th century or 11th century were discovered in 1982 only about a foot from the surface. This church was modified and added to in the 1300s and 1600s and completely rebuilt in 1870 in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
revivalist style by G. E. Street. A further major extension was added in 1983.
Vicars and rectors
There is an almost complete list of vicarVicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
s and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
s dating from the mid-14th century. Purley's clergy suffered ejection almost every time a national religious change happened. John Leke, in Queen Mary's
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
reign, for having been married, Richard Gatskyll, in Edward VI's reign, for being a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Thomas Handcock, in 1563, for not being Protestant enough and Daniel Reynor, in 1662, for being a Congregationalist.