Shinfield
Encyclopedia
Shinfield is a village
and civil parish in the English
county of Berkshire
, just south of Reading
. It contains 4313 acres (17.5 km²) and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District
.
, Spencers Wood
, Three Mile Cross
, Shinfield Village and Grazeley
and the southern suburb
of Reading called Shinfield Rise. It is surrounded on its eastern and southern boundary by the River Loddon
.
The M4 motorway
runs west-east through the northern portion of the parish, near the county's old Shire
Hall, now the offices of Foster Wheeler; the part to the north of the M4 corresponds closely with the part known as Shinfield Park. The main road through the village, running north-south, is the A327, running between Reading and Aldershot
.
Shinfield Village is centred around the village green (School Green), surrounded by two pubs, a few shops, the village school and recreation grounds. Its residential housing has increased considerably in during the first years of the 21st century.
The parish consists of a central ridge of high land sloping down to the Loddon on the east and the Kennet
Valley on the west. The soil is mostly London Clay
, with patchy spreads of valley and plateau gravel
.
, Shinfield is governed by a parish council consisting of fifteen parish councillors, assisted by two part-time administrative staff and several part-time caretaking and maintenance employees.
Shinfield has been part of the Hundred
of Charlton
since before the Norman Conquest. Hundreds effectively ceased to function after 1886. Between 1894 and 1974, it was in the Wokingham Rural District
.
There are many manor
s and supposed manors in the parish: Shinfield, Hartley Dummer alias Arbor, Hartley Battle, Hartley Amys, Hartley Pellitot, Moor Place, Diddenham Court, Hartley Court and Garston. Hartley Dummer is in the hundred of Theale
. The Diddenham estate was officially a detached part of Wiltshire
until transferred
to Berkshire
in 1844.
, after the sparkling flood-waters which still often cover the meadows down by the Loddon
on the Arborfield
border. The manor
was one of the many owned by Catherine of Aragon
in Tudor times
. She is said to have stayed there on occasion, possibly while visiting Reading Abbey
. During the Civil War
, King Charles
is said to have stayed at Goodrest House (now part of Crosfields School). Later, the local church tower was blown to pieces by Parliamentary
soldiers trying to oust a group of Royalists
who were hiding out there. The fine brick replacement can still be seen today. The church is the last resting place of the parents of author Mary Russell Mitford
.
RAF Shinfield Park was located in the north of the Parish, it was the home of RAF Flying Training Command from 1940 until 1968. It then became the home of the Meteorological Office College from 1971 until 2002. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
(ECMWF) remains on the site though the rest has been converted to residential housing.
The Green Park Business Park lies half in the Hartley area of Shinfield and half in the Smallmead area of Whitley
in Reading
. The 2 megawatt (peak) Enercon
wind turbine
, near Junction 11 of the M4, stands in Shinfield. It has been described as "the UK's most visible turbine". It was constructed in November 2005 and is owned by Ecotricity
. The blades are 33 metres (108.3 ft) long, with a tower height of 85 metres (278.9 ft). At a wind speed of 14 m/s (31.3 mph) the machine generates 2.05 MW of electricity (less for lower wind speeds) and has the potential to produce 3.5 million units of electricity a year, enough to power 1,063 local homes. The Courage
Berkshire Brewery, built in 1978, is also half within Shinfield.
www.shinfieldtennisclub.co.uk
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 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...
, just 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....
. It contains 4313 acres (17.5 km²) and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District
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,...
.
Geography
The parish includes the roadside hamlets of Ryeish GreenRyeish Green
Ryeish Green is a small hamlet in the civil parish of Shinfield, Berkshire, England, 4 miles south of Reading. It is located next to Spencers Wood and sometimes considered a part of that village....
, 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:...
, 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....
, Shinfield Village and Grazeley
Grazeley
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.-Local...
and the southern suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Reading called Shinfield Rise. It is surrounded on its eastern and southern boundary by the River Loddon
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
.
The M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
runs west-east through the northern portion of the parish, near the county's old Shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
Hall, now the offices of Foster Wheeler; the part to the north of the M4 corresponds closely with the part known as Shinfield Park. The main road through the village, running north-south, is the A327, running between Reading and Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
.
Shinfield Village is centred around the village green (School Green), surrounded by two pubs, a few shops, the village school and recreation grounds. Its residential housing has increased considerably in during the first years of the 21st century.
The parish consists of a central ridge of high land sloping down to the Loddon on the east and the Kennet
River Kennet
The Kennet is a river in the south of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. The lower reaches of the river are navigable to river craft and are known as the Kennet Navigation, which, together with the Avon Navigation, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames, links the cities of Bristol...
Valley on the west. The soil is mostly London Clay
London Clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for the fossils it contains. The fossils from the Lower Eocene indicate a moderately warm climate, the flora being tropical or subtropical...
, with patchy spreads of valley and plateau gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
.
Government
As well as being part of the District of WokinghamWokingham (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,...
, Shinfield is governed by a parish council consisting of fifteen parish councillors, assisted by two part-time administrative staff and several part-time caretaking and maintenance employees.
Shinfield has been part of the Hundred
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
of Charlton
Charlton (hundred)
Charlton was a hundred in the English county of Berkshire. Like all hundreds, although never abolished, it effectively ceased to function after 1886....
since before the Norman Conquest. Hundreds effectively ceased to function after 1886. Between 1894 and 1974, it was in the Wokingham Rural District
Wokingham Rural District
Wokingham Rural District was a rural district in the county of Berkshire, England. It was created in 1894. It was named after and administered from Wokingham.Since April 1, 1974 it has formed part of the District of Wokingham....
.
There are many manor
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...
s and supposed manors in the parish: Shinfield, Hartley Dummer alias Arbor, Hartley Battle, Hartley Amys, Hartley Pellitot, Moor Place, Diddenham Court, Hartley Court and Garston. Hartley Dummer is in the hundred of Theale
Theale, Berkshire
Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The village has many of the attributes of a small town, with a high street lined with shops, pubs and restaurants.- Location :...
. The Diddenham estate was officially 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...
until transferred
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....
to 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...
in 1844.
History
The village was named Shining Field, by the Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-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...
, after the sparkling flood-waters which still often cover the meadows down by the Loddon
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
on the Arborfield
Arborfield
Arborfield is a village in Berkshire about south-east of Reading, about west of Wokingham, and about west of the sister village of Arborfield Cross The village is on the A327 road linking Reading...
border. The manor
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...
was one of the many owned by Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
in Tudor times
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
. She is said to have stayed there on occasion, possibly while visiting 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...
. During the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
is said to have stayed at Goodrest House (now part of Crosfields School). Later, the local church tower was blown to pieces by Parliamentary
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
soldiers trying to oust a group of Royalists
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
who were hiding out there. The fine brick replacement can still be seen today. The church is the last resting place of the parents of author Mary Russell Mitford
Mary 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...
.
RAF Shinfield Park was located in the north of the Parish, it was the home of RAF Flying Training Command from 1940 until 1968. It then became the home of the Meteorological Office College from 1971 until 2002. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 19 European Member States and 15 Co-operating States...
(ECMWF) remains on the site though the rest has been converted to residential housing.
Business
Whitley, Berkshire
Whitley is a suburb of Reading in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:Whitley, commonly known as one of the larger suburbs of Reading, is bounded to the north and east by a ridge of high ground carrying the road to Shinfield, to the west by the valleys of the River Kennet and the Foudry...
in 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....
. The 2 megawatt (peak) Enercon
Enercon
Enercon GmbH, based in Aurich, Germany, is the fourth-largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world and has been the market leader in Germany since the mid-nineties. Enercon has production facilities in Germany , Sweden, Brazil, India, Canada, Turkey and Portugal...
wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
, near Junction 11 of the M4, stands in Shinfield. It has been described as "the UK's most visible turbine". It was constructed in November 2005 and is owned by Ecotricity
Ecotricity
Ecotricity is a green energy company based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England specialising in selling and generating wind power. It is built on the principle of heavily reinvesting its profit in building more of its own windfarms.-History:...
. The blades are 33 metres (108.3 ft) long, with a tower height of 85 metres (278.9 ft). At a wind speed of 14 m/s (31.3 mph) the machine generates 2.05 MW of electricity (less for lower wind speeds) and has the potential to produce 3.5 million units of electricity a year, enough to power 1,063 local homes. The Courage
Courage (brewery)
Courage is a former British brewery. The brands are now 100 per cent owned and brewed by Wells & Young's Brewery as part of a venture called Courage Brands Ltd.-History:...
Berkshire Brewery, built in 1978, is also half within Shinfield.
Churches
- The historic Anglican church of St. Mary stands in Church Lane on the western side of the village.
- Shinfield Baptist Church is on Hollow Lane (A327)
Schools
- Shinfield Infants & Nursery School - built by Richard Piggott in 1707
- Shinfield St Mary’s CoE Junior School
- Whiteknights County Primary School
- Crosfields Independent Day School for Boys - centred on the early 17th century Goodrest House
- Ryeish Green SchoolRyeish Green SchoolRyeish Green School was a comprehensive secondary school located in the hamlet of Ryeish Green, near Spencers Wood in Reading, Berkshire. Their mission statement is to Build a community spirit where all have a sense of belonging and self worth is valued....
Sport & Leisure
- Shinfield Players Theatre
- Shinfield Tennis Club, Shinfield Cricket Club & Shinfield Rangers FC
- The Shinfield Shambles Border Morris & the Kennet Morris MenMorris danceMorris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
- There are play areas & recreation grounds in Kendal Avenue, Millworth Lane and at Frensham Green and Pearman's Copse
- Pound Green WI and Shinfield Mothers' UnionMothers' UnionMothers’ Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide. Its members are not all mothers or even all women, as there are many parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents involved in its work...
- Shinfield & District History Society
- Spencers WoodSpencers WoodSpencers 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:...
Library
Notable residents
- Shinfield is the current home of Glenn Little (Aldershot FC), Jem KaracanJem KaracanJem Paul Karacan is an English-born Turkish footballer who plays for Reading as a midfielder. He has played internationally for the Turkish youth team, and has captained the U-21 side.-Early life:...
(Reading FC) and Brynjar GunnarssonBrynjar GunnarssonBrynjar Björn Gunnarsson is an Icelandic footballer who is currently playing his club football as a defensive midfielder for Reading in the N-Power Championship...
(Reading FC). - Spencers Wood in the parish was the former home of Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
and Dawn French.
External links
www.shinfieldtennisclub.co.uk