Shurlock Row
Encyclopedia
Shurlock Row is a village in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish
of Waltham St Lawrence.
The settlement lies in the heart of the Thames Valley
, north of the M4 motorway
, and is located approximately 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south-west of Maidenhead
.
stocked sub-divisions into which Windsor Forest was split. It was granted to Sir Henry Neville by Edward VI
in 1549. He was the younger brother of the 5th Lord Bervagenny and a descendant of the Nevilles of Bisham & elsewhere. His fine monument (1593) can be seen in the parish church. Sir Henry’s son and namesake was Ambassador to France, but was implicated in the Earl of Essex’ plot against Elizabeth I
and imprisoned in the Tower
. During the Civil War
, the area was deeply divided: Colonel Richard Neville of Billingbear House
fighting on the opposite side to his Parliamentarian brother, Henry. After Charles II was restored to the throne, the house was the scene of a great dinner party. The King, the Duke of York, Prince Rupert and many other nobles rode over from Windsor
in 1667. The fine Elizabethan House burnt down earlier this century.
It appears to have been in this area that Mabel or Arabella Elsmore, a local 17th century witch lived. She married one Ralph Medwin in 1622 and together they had at least two children. We know nothing of the crimes of which she was accused but, at the age of sixty-eight, she appears to have fallen victim to the witch-hunters of the age. She was executed (burnt?) at Reading
in 1656 and buried at Waltham St Lawrence.
. Until recently, there were two public house
s in the village: The Royal Oak and The White Hart. The Royal Oak closed down in 2009 and is now a private dwelling named Morland House. When The White Hart came under threat, a group of 17 villagers bought the pub and turned it into a popular gastro-pub, called The Shurlock Inn. This is an uncommon success story which goes against the trend of disappearing village amenities across the country. Shurlock Row itself has lost its general store, butcher shop and post office in the last 20 years. The village church has also been converted into a residential property.
To the south of the village, farmland separates the houses from the M4 motorway
. The pub and a garage are found in the centre of the village, amongst the main body of houses. The northern edge of the village is marked by the village pond, which lies next to a crossroads. To the north-west of the pond is the parish cricket ground and to the immediate north-east is Great Martins, a large house and former village brewery
.
Due to the beauty of the settlement's buildings, surrounding woodland and farmland and its close proximity to London
, Shurlock Row is an attractive and desirable village. Many villagers work in the local towns of Maidenhead
, Reading
and Bracknell
, although there are a number who commute to London regularly. Popular sports in the area include cricket
, cycling
and horse riding. The village and surrounding area is also well known for its polo
clubs and grounds.
The other village in the parish, Waltham St Lawrence, is larger and provides a number of amenities which Shurlock Row lacks, including a church and village hall, so many village events and meetings are held there.
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 Waltham St Lawrence.
The settlement lies in the heart of the Thames Valley
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...
, north of 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...
, and is located approximately 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south-west of Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
.
History
Billingbear Park, just south of the village, was the centre of Binfield Walke or Fines Bayliwick, the greatest of the sixteen red-deerRed Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
stocked sub-divisions into which Windsor Forest was split. It was granted to Sir Henry Neville by Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
in 1549. He was the younger brother of the 5th Lord Bervagenny and a descendant of the Nevilles of Bisham & elsewhere. His fine monument (1593) can be seen in the parish church. Sir Henry’s son and namesake was Ambassador to France, but was implicated in the Earl of Essex’ plot against Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and imprisoned in the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. During the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, the area was deeply divided: Colonel Richard Neville of Billingbear House
Billingbear House
Billingbear House was situated in the parish of Waltham St. Lawrence in Berkshire, England, about six miles from Windsor.Originally owned by the Bishop of Winchester, the land was given to Sir Henry Neville in 1549 by King Edward VI...
fighting on the opposite side to his Parliamentarian brother, Henry. After Charles II was restored to the throne, the house was the scene of a great dinner party. The King, the Duke of York, Prince Rupert and many other nobles rode over from Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
in 1667. The fine Elizabethan House burnt down earlier this century.
It appears to have been in this area that Mabel or Arabella Elsmore, a local 17th century witch lived. She married one Ralph Medwin in 1622 and together they had at least two children. We know nothing of the crimes of which she was accused but, at the age of sixty-eight, she appears to have fallen victim to the witch-hunters of the age. She was executed (burnt?) at 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....
in 1656 and buried at Waltham St Lawrence.
The Village Today
Shurlock Row is a linear villageLinear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
. Until recently, there were two public house
Public 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...
s in the village: The Royal Oak and The White Hart. The Royal Oak closed down in 2009 and is now a private dwelling named Morland House. When The White Hart came under threat, a group of 17 villagers bought the pub and turned it into a popular gastro-pub, called The Shurlock Inn. This is an uncommon success story which goes against the trend of disappearing village amenities across the country. Shurlock Row itself has lost its general store, butcher shop and post office in the last 20 years. The village church has also been converted into a residential property.
To the south of the village, farmland separates the houses from 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...
. The pub and a garage are found in the centre of the village, amongst the main body of houses. The northern edge of the village is marked by the village pond, which lies next to a crossroads. To the north-west of the pond is the parish cricket ground and to the immediate north-east is Great Martins, a large house and former village brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
.
Due to the beauty of the settlement's buildings, surrounding woodland and farmland and its close proximity to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Shurlock Row is an attractive and desirable village. Many villagers work in the local towns of Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
, 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....
and Bracknell
Bracknell
Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Reading, southwest of Windsor and west of central London...
, although there are a number who commute to London regularly. Popular sports in the area include cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and horse riding. The village and surrounding area is also well known for its polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
clubs and grounds.
The other village in the parish, Waltham St Lawrence, is larger and provides a number of amenities which Shurlock Row lacks, including a church and village hall, so many village events and meetings are held there.
Nearby Towns
- Henley-on-ThamesHenley-on-ThamesHenley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
- MaidenheadMaidenheadMaidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
- ReadingReading, BerkshireReading 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....
- AscotAscot, BerkshireAscot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
- BracknellBracknellBracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Reading, southwest of Windsor and west of central London...
Nearby Villages
- Waltham St Lawrence
- HurstHurst, BerkshireHurst is a village in the civil parish of St Nicholas Hurst in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:The parish of St Nicholas Hurst is situated at , north of Wokingham and south of Twyford in the county of Berkshire...
- TwyfordTwyford, BerkshireFor other places of the same name, see Twyford.Twyford is a village and civil parish in the English Royal county of Berkshire. It is situated, at , in the heart of the Thames Valley on the A4 between Reading and Maidenhead, close to Henley-on-Thames and Wokingham.-History:The town's name is...
- Binfield