Sonning
Encyclopedia
Sonning, occasionally called Sonning-on-Thames is a village
and civil parish in the Borough of Wokingham in the English
county of Berkshire
, a few miles east of Reading
. The village is situated on the River Thames
and was described by Jerome K. Jerome
in his book Three Men in a Boat
as "the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river".
, Woodley and Earley
and, before 1866, was a cross-county-boundary parish containing Sonning Eye
, Dunsden Green
and Playhatch
in Oxfordshire
as well. It is now much smaller and triangular shaped. The north-western boundary is formed by the River Thames before passing through the middle of the Thames Valley Park
. The southern border follows the railway line. The north-eastern boundary travels over Charvil Hill and follows the edge of the housing at Charvil itself until it reaches the confluence of St Patrick's Stream
with the Thames, near St Patrick's Bridge. The northern corner of the parish consists of very low-lying land adjoining the River. The Sonning Golf Course sits in the south-east corner, with Holme Park
, Sonning Hill
and the business park in the south-west, and the village roughly in the middle.
Sonning village is at a crossing point of the River Thames
, where the narrow arched Sonning Bridge
on the B478 crosses the river to the hamlet of Sonning Eye on the Oxfordshire bank. Just upstream of the bridge is Sonning Lock
. The old village is now joined to further housing along Pound Lane and the A4 Bath Road. It lies some three miles east of the major town of Reading
. In other directions this would put it within the Reading suburban sprawl, but Sonning remains a clearly delineated small village.
The main road through Sonning is the B478, running from the Bridge to the Charvil roundabout on the A4. The B4446 runs north from the A4 to the village. The A4 itself passes through the south of the parish, as does the main Reading to Paddington
railway line, though there is no station. On the Thames, there are moorings at Sonning, both above and below the lock, as well as in the weir stream.
of Wokingham
. The parish council and the unitary authority are responsible for different aspects of local government.
, France
. The village has an active Twinning
Association and the lane to the village primary school is called Ligugé Way.
The historical name of the village is Sunning, derived from the name of the Saxon
Sunna
. Older, more traditional villagers still pronounce the name of the village in this way and the spelling can be found on old maps and documents. In Saxon times, the village was of considerable importance as the lesser centre of the bishopric of Ramsbury
, sometimes called the see of Ramsbury and Sonning. The church was a secondary cathedral and the present structure, St Andrew's Church
, contains re-used Saxon
carvings. By the 12th century Sonning church had eight dependent churches, four of which had become independent parishes by the 15th century. This is an example of the organisation of the Anglo-Saxon church into minsters with their own parochia known as the minster system
.
Sonning prospered as an important stopping post for travellers, both by road and by boat. There were a number of ancient hostelries where they could have stayed, notably the Great House
on the site of the original ferryman's cottage. The Bull Inn
had the added bonus of being near the church where pilgrim
s could worship a relic
of Saint Cyriacus
. The Bishops of Salisbury
succeeded those of Ramsbury and Sonning and had a Bishop's Palace
in the village until the 16th century. King Richard II
's young bride, Queen Isabella of Valois, was kept captive there during his imprisonment and deposition.
The Great Western Railway
passes about half a mile south of the village, in a two mile long cutting, Sonning Cutting
. It was opened in 1840, and was the scene of one of the first railway disasters
in 1841, when a goods train ran into a landslip. Nine passengers died in the accident, being thrown from the open trucks just behind the engine. Many were stonemasons working on the Houses of Parliament
, and the disaster led to changes in the Railways Act
, which required that third-class passengers be carried in stoutly constructed carriages rather than open trucks. The Act also created Parliamentary trains for third-class passengers.
Just outside the village, above Sonning Lock
, is the independent secondary school, Reading Blue Coat School
, in the 19th century manor house
, Holme Park
. Built in the 'Home Park' of the old palace, it replaced a Georgian
mansion
erected for the Lords of the Manor
who eventually superseded the bishops. The first of these was Laurence Halstead, partner to the Reading cloth merchant
, John Kendrick
.
In the early 20th century, a second country house was built in the village, the Deanery. It provides a fine example of an Edwin Lutyens
house with a Gertrude Jekyll
garden, originally designed as a show house for the founder of Country Life
magazine.
Notable former and current village inhabitants include:
The following recipients of the Victoria Cross
are buried in the churchyard of St Andrew's Church
:
, where Sonning Cricket Club plays. There are playing fields between Sonning and the main A4 road, including hockey
and rugby
fields.
Sonning Hockey Club, Reading Hockey Club
, Reading R.F.C.
, and Berkshire Shire Hall R.F.C. can all be found on Sonning Lane
. Sonning Hockey Club was the first club in the county of Berkshire to be awarded Club 1st National Hockey Accreditation for junior coaching and development. Sonning Hockey Club also has squash courts and tennis court
s.
Redingensians R.F.C.
is nearby, off the Old Bath Road. Sonning Golf Club is on the other side of the A4 road.
Sonning Regatta
restarted in 2000 and is held every two years just upstream from Sonning Lock
. There is sailing
and waterskiing on the Caversham Lakes
across the river and the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake
has recently be created there as well.
Sonning Parish Magazine, established in 1869, serves Sonning and the neighbouring village of Charvil, and the Sonning Village Show is held every September at the village primary school.
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 Borough of Wokingham 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...
, a few miles east 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....
. The village is situated on the River Thames
River 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,...
and was described by Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
in his book Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
as "the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river".
Geography
The parish of Sonning originally included CharvilCharvil
Charvil is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England a few miles east of Reading on the A4 road to Maidenhead, between Sonning and Twyford. The village is home to around 2,000 residents....
, Woodley and Earley
Earley
Earley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The Office for National Statistics places Earley within the Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, for purposes of local government it falls within the Borough of Wokingham, outside of the jurisdiction of Reading Borough Council. The name...
and, before 1866, was a cross-county-boundary parish containing Sonning Eye
Sonning Eye
Sonning Eye is a hamlet on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, in the civil parish of Eye & Dunsden, at the very southernmost tip of Oxfordshire.- Overview :...
, Dunsden Green
Dunsden Green
Dunsden Green or Dunsden is a village in the civil parish of Eye & Dunsden in South Oxfordshire, about northeast ofReading, Berkshire. Before 1866, it was part of the Oxfordshire section of Sonning civil parish.-History:...
and Playhatch
Playhatch
Playhatch is a hamlet in the civil parish of Eye & Dunsden in South Oxfordshire, England, about northeast of Reading, Berkshire.-Overview:Before 1866, Playhatch formed part of the Oxfordshire section of Sonning civil parish....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
as well. It is now much smaller and triangular shaped. The north-western boundary is formed by the River Thames before passing through the middle of the Thames Valley Park
Thames Valley Park
Thames Valley Park is a high-tech business park adjacent to the River Thames on the eastern outskirts of Reading in the English county of Berkshire.-Location and companies:The park partially lies within the civil parish of Sonning...
. The southern border follows the railway line. The north-eastern boundary travels over Charvil Hill and follows the edge of the housing at Charvil itself until it reaches the confluence of St Patrick's Stream
St Patrick's Stream
St Patrick's Stream or Patrick Stream is a backwater of the River Thames in England, which flows into the River Loddon near Wargrave, Berkshire. It leaves the Thames on the reach above Shiplake Lock near Buck Ait, downstream of Sonning....
with the Thames, near St Patrick's Bridge. The northern corner of the parish consists of very low-lying land adjoining the River. The Sonning Golf Course sits in the south-east corner, with Holme Park
Holme Park
Holme Park is a sports ground in Sonning , a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, a few miles east of Reading...
, Sonning Hill
Sonning Hill
Sonning Hill is a hill near the village of Sonning in Berkshire, England, close to the River Thames.- Local area :The Sonning Cutting takes the Great Western Railway through part of the hill between Twyford and Reading. There was an early railway accident at Sonning Cutting on 24 December...
and the business park in the south-west, and the village roughly in the middle.
Sonning village is at a crossing point of the River Thames
River 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 narrow arched Sonning Bridge
Sonning Bridge
Sonning Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames at Sonning, Berkshire. It links Sonning with Sonning Eye and crosses the Thames on the reach above Shiplake Lock, just short of Sonning Lock. It is a brick arch bridge completed in 1775, to replace an earlier wooden bridge...
on the B478 crosses the river to the hamlet of Sonning Eye on the Oxfordshire bank. Just upstream of the bridge is Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....
. The old village is now joined to further housing along Pound Lane and the A4 Bath Road. It lies some three miles east of the major town 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....
. In other directions this would put it within the Reading suburban sprawl, but Sonning remains a clearly delineated small village.
Transport
- See also Sonning LockSonning LockSonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....
The main road through Sonning is the B478, running from the Bridge to the Charvil roundabout on the A4. The B4446 runs north from the A4 to the village. The A4 itself passes through the south of the parish, as does the main Reading to Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
railway line, though there is no station. On the Thames, there are moorings at Sonning, both above and below the lock, as well as in the weir stream.
Local government
Sonning is a civil parish with an elected parish council of nine councillors. It falls within the area of the unitary authorityUnitary 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 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 parish council and the unitary authority are responsible for different aspects of local government.
Twinning
Sonning is twinned with LigugéLigugé
Ligugé is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.It is located on the River Clain, 8 km south of Poitiers. It is known for its historic monastery, Ligugé Abbey.-Twin towns:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The village has an active Twinning
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
Association and the lane to the village primary school is called Ligugé Way.
History
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
Sunna
Sunna (Saxon chief)
Sunna was a Saxon chief whose people were widespread in eastern Berkshire, southern England. A number of English place names are derived from this name including Sonning , Sonning Eye, Sunbury, Sunningdale, Sunninghill and Sunningwell, many close to the River Thames.One historian notes that...
. Older, more traditional villagers still pronounce the name of the village in this way and the spelling can be found on old maps and documents. In Saxon times, the village was of considerable importance as the lesser centre of the bishopric of Ramsbury
Bishop of Ramsbury
This page refers to holders of the Saxon bishopric. See Bishop of Ramsbury for the modern suffragan bishop.In Saxon times the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire was an extremely important location for the Church, and several of the early bishops went on to become Archbishops of Canterbury.The...
, sometimes called the see of Ramsbury and Sonning. The church was a secondary cathedral and the present structure, St Andrew's Church
St Andrew's Church, Sonning
St Andrew's Church is in a central position in the village of Sonning, Berkshire, England, close to the River Thames.- Location :The church is located close to the historic Bishop's Palace, which has long since disappeared apart from some grassy mounds. The historic Bull Inn is immediately next to...
, contains re-used Saxon
Anglo-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...
carvings. By the 12th century Sonning church had eight dependent churches, four of which had become independent parishes by the 15th century. This is an example of the organisation of the Anglo-Saxon church into minsters with their own parochia known as the minster system
Minster hypothesis
The minster hypothesis is a debated view that the organisation of the early Anglo-Saxon Christian church was based around minsters staffed by communities of clerics and providing spiritual services within a defined area ....
.
Sonning prospered as an important stopping post for travellers, both by road and by boat. There were a number of ancient hostelries where they could have stayed, notably the Great House
Great House at Sonning
The Great House at Sonning is a hotel and restaurant with a riverside garden on the River Thames near Sonning Bridge at Sonning, Berkshire, England...
on the site of the original ferryman's cottage. The Bull Inn
Bull Inn, Sonning
The Bull Inn is an historic public house — now also a restaurant and hotel — in the centre of the village of Sonning in Berkshire, England.- Overview :...
had the added bonus of being near the church where pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s could worship a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
of Saint Cyriacus
Saint Cyriacus
Cyriacus, or Cyriac, is a Christian martyr who was killed in the persecution of Diocletian. He is one of twenty-seven saints, most of them martyrs, who bear this name, of whom only seven are honoured by a specific mention of their names in the Roman Martyrology.-Life:Of the Saint Cyriacus who,...
. The Bishops of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
succeeded those of Ramsbury and Sonning and had a Bishop's Palace
Sonning Bishop's Palace
Sonning Bishop's Palace was a former episcopal palace at Sonning, east of Reading, in Berkshire, England.The palace was in Holme Park near the River Thames. It was a residence of the Bishops of Salisbury....
in the village until the 16th century. King Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
's young bride, Queen Isabella of Valois, was kept captive there during his imprisonment and deposition.
The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
passes about half a mile south of the village, in a two mile long cutting, Sonning Cutting
Sonning Cutting
Sonning Cutting is on the original Great Western Railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It is to the east of Reading station and to the west of Twyford station near the village of Sonning in Berkshire, England. It had been intended to route the railway around the north of Sonning Hill past the...
. It was opened in 1840, and was the scene of one of the first railway disasters
Railway accident at Sonning Cutting
The Sonning Cutting railway accident occurred during the early hours of 24 December 1841 in the Sonning Cutting through Sonning Hill, near Reading, Berkshire. A Great Western Railway luggage train travelling from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads station entered Sonning Cutting...
in 1841, when a goods train ran into a landslip. Nine passengers died in the accident, being thrown from the open trucks just behind the engine. Many were stonemasons working on the Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, and the disaster led to changes in the Railways Act
Railway Regulation Act 1844
The Railway Regulation Act 1844 was a British Act of Parliament introduced as a means of providing a minimum standard for rail passenger travel.-The prior situation:...
, which required that third-class passengers be carried in stoutly constructed carriages rather than open trucks. The Act also created Parliamentary trains for third-class passengers.
Just outside the village, above Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....
, is the independent secondary school, Reading Blue Coat School
Reading Blue Coat School
Reading Blue Coat School is a boys' independent school in Holme Park in the village of Sonning, in the English county of Berkshire, to the east of the town of Reading...
, in the 19th century 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...
, Holme Park
Holme Park
Holme Park is a sports ground in Sonning , a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, a few miles east of Reading...
. Built in the 'Home Park' of the old palace, it replaced a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
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...
erected for the Lords 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...
who eventually superseded the bishops. The first of these was Laurence Halstead, partner to the Reading cloth merchant
Cloth merchant
Cloth merchant is, strictly speaking, like a draper, the term for any vendor of cloth. However, it is generally used for one who owned and/or ran a cloth manufacturing and/or wholesale import and/or export business in the Middle Ages or 16th and 17th centuries...
, John Kendrick
John Kendrick (cloth merchant)
John Kendrick was a prosperous English cloth merchant and patron of the towns of Reading and Newbury in Berkshire....
.
In the early 20th century, a second country house was built in the village, the Deanery. It provides a fine example of an Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
house with a Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
garden, originally designed as a show house for the founder of Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
magazine.
Notable village residents
- The Bishops of Ramsbury & SonningBishop of RamsburyThis page refers to holders of the Saxon bishopric. See Bishop of Ramsbury for the modern suffragan bishop.In Saxon times the village of Ramsbury in Wiltshire was an extremely important location for the Church, and several of the early bishops went on to become Archbishops of Canterbury.The...
, including SS Oda the SevereOda the SevereOda , called the Good or the Severe, was a 10th-century Archbishop of Canterbury in England.-Early career:...
and Bertwald of RamsburyBertwald of RamsburySaint Bertwald of Ramsbury was an 11th century Bishop of Ramsbury.-Life:... - The Bishops of SalisburyBishop of SalisburyThe Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
- U.S. General Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, before D-DayD-DayD-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar... - Neil Hamilton FairleyNeil Hamilton FairleyBrigadier Sir Neil Hamilton Fairley KBE CStJ FRACP FRCP FRCPE FRS was an Australian physician, medical scientist, and army officer; who was instrumental in saving thousands of Allied lives from malaria and other diseases....
, Australian physician and soldier - Anthony FarindonAnthony FarindonAnthony Farindon , was an English royalist divine.-Early life:Farindon was born at Sonning, Berkshire, and was baptised on 24 December 1598. His name is also spelled Farndon, Faringdon, Farringdon, Farington, and Farrington. He was admitted a scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, on 9 June 1612. He...
, 17th century RoyalistCavalierCavalier 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...
preacher - Isabella of Valois, Queen of King Richard II of EnglandRichard II of EnglandRichard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
- Uri GellerUri GellerUri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
, the illusionist - Laurence Halstead, 17th century cloth merchant and partner of philanthropist, John KendrickJohn Kendrick (cloth merchant)John Kendrick was a prosperous English cloth merchant and patron of the towns of Reading and Newbury in Berkshire....
- Glenn HoddleGlenn HoddleGlenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
, footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager and former footballer - William Holman HuntWilliam Holman HuntWilliam Holman Hunt OM was an English painter, and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Biography:...
, the Pre-Raphaelite artist, in his later life at The Acre - Ric LeeRic LeeRic Lee is the English drummer of the British late 1960s to 70s rock group, Ten Years After.-Biography:...
, drummer for the 1970s group Ten Years AfterTen Years AfterTen Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart... - Jon LordJon LordJonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
, composer and founder member of the 1970s group Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre... - Right Honourable Theresa MayTheresa MayTheresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...
, the local MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,... - Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, lead guitarist of the rock group Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham... - Hugh PearsonHugh PearsonHugh Pearson was vicar of Sonning and a Canon at Windsor, both in Berkshire, England.- Life :Hugh Pearson was the son of Hugh Nicholas Pearson , who was Dean of Salisbury . He was born in Oxford and studied briefly at Eton College, before moving on to Harrow School, where he was Head Boy...
, Victorian vicar of Sonning, later a Canon at WindsorWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it... - Sir Terence RattiganTerence RattiganSir Terence Mervyn Rattigan CBE was one of England's most popular 20th-century dramatists. His plays are generally set in an upper-middle-class background...
, dramatist, briefly at The Red House during 1945–47 — there is a blue plaqueBlue plaqueA blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker.... - Sir Thomas RichSir Thomas Rich, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Rich was an English merchant and politician who sat in House of Commons in 1660. He established Sir Thomas Rich's School, a grammar school....
, 17th century merchant, money-lender to the King and benefactor to both Sonning and GloucesterGloucesterGloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham.... - Dick TurpinDick TurpinRichard "Dick" Turpin was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's profession as a butcher early in life, but by the early 1730s he had joined a gang of deer thieves, and later became a poacher,...
, reputedly, at his aunt's house, now called Turpins - Admiral VilleneuvePierre-Charles VilleneuvePierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve was a French naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He was in command of the French and Spanish fleets defeated by Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar....
, subsequent to his defeat at the Battle of TrafalgarBattle of TrafalgarThe Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars .... - Robert WrightRobert Wright (bishop)-Life:Wright was born of humble parentage in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1560, and probably attended the refounded free school there , where preference was given to poor scholars of the borough. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford in 1574 at the age of 14, was elected to a scholarship in...
, 17th century Bishop of Lichfield & CoventryBishop of LichfieldThe Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
and vicar of Sonning
The following recipients of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
are buried in the churchyard of St Andrew's Church
St Andrew's Church, Sonning
St Andrew's Church is in a central position in the village of Sonning, Berkshire, England, close to the River Thames.- Location :The church is located close to the historic Bishop's Palace, which has long since disappeared apart from some grassy mounds. The historic Bull Inn is immediately next to...
:
- Edmund John Phipps-HornbyEdmund John Phipps-HornbyBrigadier General Edmund John Phipps-Hornby VC, CB, CMG, DL was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Phipps-Hornby was born in Lordington,...
- Llewellyn Alberic Emilius Price-DaviesLlewellyn Alberic Emilius Price-DaviesMajor General Llewelyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies VC CB CMG DSO was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Victoria Cross details:Price-Davies was 23 years...
Sport and leisure
Sonning has a King George's Field in memorial to King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, where Sonning Cricket Club plays. There are playing fields between Sonning and the main A4 road, including hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
fields.
Sonning Hockey Club, Reading Hockey Club
Reading Hockey Club
Reading Hockey Club is a field hockey club based at Sonning Lane in the English town of Reading.It is presently one of the most successful clubs in the United Kingdom with National League and Cup honours....
, Reading R.F.C.
Reading R.F.C.
Reading R.F.C. is an English rugby union club, which runs senior and junior sides for both men and women. The 1st XV play in South West 1 East. The club is located in the village of Sonning, on the outskirts of Reading. The 1st XV are managed by Kevin Rackley with forwards coach Ben Hughes and...
, and Berkshire Shire Hall R.F.C. can all be found on Sonning Lane
Sonning Lane
Sonning Lane is a cricket and hockey ground in Reading, Berkshire, England, near the village of Sonning. It is located in a road called Sonning Lane leading between the A4 road and the village, hence the name....
. Sonning Hockey Club was the first club in the county of Berkshire to be awarded Club 1st National Hockey Accreditation for junior coaching and development. Sonning Hockey Club also has squash courts and tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s.
Redingensians R.F.C.
Redingensians R.F.C.
Redingensians R.F.C is an English Rugby Union club. The club is near the village of Sonning on the outskirts of Reading in the county of Berkshire.-History:...
is nearby, off the Old Bath Road. Sonning Golf Club is on the other side of the A4 road.
Sonning Regatta
Sonning Regatta
Sonning Regatta is the regatta of the village of Sonning in Berkshire and the hamlet of Sonning Eye in Oxfordshire, England, on the north and south banks of the River Thames.- History :The original Regatta was interrupted by World War II...
restarted in 2000 and is held every two years just upstream from Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England. The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then....
. There is sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and waterskiing on the Caversham Lakes
Caversham Lakes
Caversham Lakes is a set of lakes created through gravel extraction between the suburb of Caversham in Reading, Berkshire and the hamlet of Sonning Eye in Oxfordshire, just north of the River Thames.- Overview :...
across the river and the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake
Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake
The Redgrave-Pinsent Rowing Lake is a rowing lake in the United Kingdom, named after the Olympic rowers Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent. The lake and its boathouse are specifically designed for training use, and will provide training, medical, and scientific facities for the GB rowing...
has recently be created there as well.
Sonning Parish Magazine, established in 1869, serves Sonning and the neighbouring village of Charvil, and the Sonning Village Show is held every September at the village primary school.
Facilities
Local facilities and attractions include:- Ali's Pond Local Nature ReserveAli's Pond Local Nature ReserveAli's Pond Local Nature Reserve is, a Local Nature Reserve close to the village of Sonning on the Berkshire bank of the River Thames in southern England....
, a nature reserve - Bull at Sonning, a public house
- French Horn at Sonning, a hotel and restaurant
- Great House at SonningGreat House at SonningThe Great House at Sonning is a hotel and restaurant with a riverside garden on the River Thames near Sonning Bridge at Sonning, Berkshire, England...
, a hotel and restaurant - Mill at Sonning, a dinner theatre