Spencers Wood
Encyclopedia
Spencers Wood is a village
in the civil parish
of Shinfield
, Berkshire
, England
, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Reading
. The village of Three Mile Cross
adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of Grazeley
.
The village was named after the le Despencer family
— a Norman
family — in the 13th century. Until about 1300, the village was part of the Royal Forest (Windsor
Forest).
In the 13th century, Spencers Wood was administered by William Longespée
, Earl of Salisbury
and his court in Amesbury
. Hence at that time Spencers Wood was part of Wiltshire
(as was much of the surrounding area). Nearby Swallowfield
was split between Wiltshire and Berkshire, with Part Lane marking the partition. In fact, it was only on 20 October 1844 that Spencers Wood and the surrounding areas became part of Berkshire
. In 1860, most of the land, which was hitherto common land
, was enclosed
and separately acquired by two local gentlemen; the local philanthropist
Frederick Allfrey, and William Merry, who was a County magistrate and a visiting magistrate to Reading Gaol
, as well as Secretary at War
Lord Palmerston's
private secretary from 1812 to 1828.
By 1880, Spencers Wood had become a thriving village with a population of 600, of whom 200 were children. Most of the working men worked in the fields or were in domestic service. Victorian
and Edwardian
style houses were built along the Basingstoke Road using bricks baked at the local Swain family kiln. The Square became the heart of the village during this building period. Many of the houses still stand.
In spite of its growth, Spencers Wood was still split between the ecclesiastical parishes of Shinfield, Swallowfield and Grazeley. This changed in 1908 when the Church of St Michael and All Angels was consecrated
. The boundaries were finally officially changed five years later, although some parts of the village were still in the ecclesiastical parish of Grazeley. Also on 1908, the local school was opened, which ended the necessary walk to Swallowfield's Russell Hall, Shinfield or Grazeley School.
. Few German bombs fell in the area, which was just as well as the village has no air-raid shelter
s. One German plane was shot down locally.
Rationing also had little affect on the village as the majority of villagers were too poor to notice a real reduction in goods. Food was grown and caught locally as part of the dig for victory programme
and the black-market
was able to supply all excess demand.
The main impact of the war was the influx of people. Two coaches of evacuees
arrived in the village in September 1939. Evacuee children and local children were educated separately until Christmas 1939. Canadian forces were stationed in the village for a while, and a small POW camp was opened after the Canadians relocated. Some POWs helped on the local farms. The village hall served as the Local Defence Volunteers
headquarters. Basingstoke Road was the main road to Aldershot, and frequent troop convoys ran through the village.
After the war, many soldiers, evacuees and POWs decided to settle in the village, in addition to this, a baby boom
helped the population of the village to grow.
The first street light
ing in the village was installed after the war.
In 1954, Spencers Wood Women's Institute was formed. It was quite successful, with 60 members at its height. It closed in the mid-1980s.
In the 1960s, the M4 Motorway
was built and became a natural barrier between the village and Reading. In the 1980s, the A33
Swallowfield Bypass
severed roads to the village of Grazeley
lying to the East.
Despite local opposition, many new houses have been constructed in the village in recent years.
Lenny Henry
CBE and his comedienne wife, Dawn French, lived in Shinfield (the parish adjacent to Spencers Wood) with their family, before moving to Cornwall in 2008.
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...
in the civil parish
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 Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
, 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...
, 4 miles (6.4 km) 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....
. The village of 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....
adjoins it to the north. To the west lies the village of 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...
.
History
Baron le Despencer
The title Baron le Despencer has been created several times by writ in the Peerage of England.-Creation:The first creation was in 1295, when Hugh the elder Despenser was summoned to the Model Parliament. He was the eldest son of the sometime Justiciar Hugh le Despenser , who was summoned in 1264 to...
— a Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
family — in the 13th century. Until about 1300, the village was part of the Royal Forest (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....
Forest).
In the 13th century, Spencers Wood was administered by William Longespée
William de Longespee, 3rd Earl of Salisbury
William Longespée, jure uxoris 3rd Earl of Salisbury was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John.-Early life:...
, Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury is a title that has been created several times in British history. It has a complex history, being first created for Patrick de Salisbury in the middle twelfth century. It was eventually inherited by Alice, wife of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster...
and his court in Amesbury
Amesbury
Amesbury is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish, and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer—dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press—in 2002...
. Hence at that time Spencers Wood was 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...
(as was much of the surrounding area). Nearby Swallowfield
Swallowfield
Swallowfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated south of the town of Reading, and north of the county boundary with Hampshire....
was split between Wiltshire and Berkshire, with Part Lane marking the partition. In fact, it was only on 20 October 1844 that Spencers Wood and the surrounding areas became part of Berkshire
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....
. In 1860, most of the land, which was hitherto common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
, was enclosed
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
and separately acquired by two local gentlemen; the local philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Frederick Allfrey, and William Merry, who was a County magistrate and a visiting magistrate to Reading Gaol
Reading (HM Prison)
HM Prison Reading, formerly known as Reading Gaol, is a prison located in Reading, Berkshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
, as well as Secretary at War
Secretary at War
The Secretary at War was a political position in the English and later British government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office. It was occasionally a cabinet level position, although...
Lord Palmerston's
Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century...
private secretary from 1812 to 1828.
By 1880, Spencers Wood had become a thriving village with a population of 600, of whom 200 were children. Most of the working men worked in the fields or were in domestic service. Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
style houses were built along the Basingstoke Road using bricks baked at the local Swain family kiln. The Square became the heart of the village during this building period. Many of the houses still stand.
In spite of its growth, Spencers Wood was still split between the ecclesiastical parishes of Shinfield, Swallowfield and Grazeley. This changed in 1908 when the Church of St Michael and All Angels was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
. The boundaries were finally officially changed five years later, although some parts of the village were still in the ecclesiastical parish of Grazeley. Also on 1908, the local school was opened, which ended the necessary walk to Swallowfield's Russell Hall, Shinfield or Grazeley School.
World War two
Spencers Wood, being a rural community, was not too badly affected by the BlitzThe Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
. Few German bombs fell in the area, which was just as well as the village has no air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
s. One German plane was shot down locally.
Rationing also had little affect on the village as the majority of villagers were too poor to notice a real reduction in goods. Food was grown and caught locally as part of the dig for victory programme
Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply...
and the black-market
Underground economy
A black market or underground economy is a market in goods or services which operates outside the formal one supported by established state power. Typically the totality of such activity is referred to with the definite article as a complement to the official economies, by market for such goods and...
was able to supply all excess demand.
The main impact of the war was the influx of people. Two coaches of evacuees
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
arrived in the village in September 1939. Evacuee children and local children were educated separately until Christmas 1939. Canadian forces were stationed in the village for a while, and a small POW camp was opened after the Canadians relocated. Some POWs helped on the local farms. The village hall served as the Local Defence Volunteers
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
headquarters. Basingstoke Road was the main road to Aldershot, and frequent troop convoys ran through the village.
After the war, many soldiers, evacuees and POWs decided to settle in the village, in addition to this, a baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
helped the population of the village to grow.
Recent history
Street light
A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or walkway, which is turned on or lit at a certain time every night. Modern lamps may also have light-sensitive photocells to turn them on at dusk, off at dawn, or activate...
ing in the village was installed after the war.
In 1954, Spencers Wood Women's Institute was formed. It was quite successful, with 60 members at its height. It closed in the mid-1980s.
In the 1960s, 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...
was built and became a natural barrier between the village and Reading. In the 1980s, the A33
A33 road
The A33 is a major road in England. The road formerly ran from Reading to Southampton, but now consists of three disjoint sections:*Reading to Basingstoke*The A30 road south of Basingstoke to just north of Winchester...
Swallowfield Bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
severed roads to the village of 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...
lying to the East.
Despite local opposition, many new houses have been constructed in the village in recent years.
Village Services
- Double's Garage is a petrol station and car mechanic on the Basingstoke Road. It is a business that has been family owned for over 100 years, which started out as a blacksmithBlacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and farrierFarrierA farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
in The Square, the centre of the village. Their original site still stands, although it will soon be replaced by two modern houses.
- HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
company Fleet Buzz provide a regular bus service through the village, with buses every half an hour on weekdays and hourly on Saturdays. They are the latest of a plethora of bus companies to serve the village, which started with Cordery's Garage. The prices of the earliest return tickets to Reading were 11d£sd£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...
(approx 5p), although for just over double (2 shillingShillingThe shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
, exactly 10p) a weekly ticket was available. As of November 2011, a single ticket to Reading is £2.90, with a return for ₤4.30. Reading Buses operate a service to the village on evenings and Sundays.
- The Bakers, now Warings, has always been a bakers. Although it is now part of a chain, the bread is still baked locally. Originally, it was one of three bakers in the village.
- The local library is part of Wokingham Borough Council's Libraries. The building was originally an infants school.
- The local pubPublic houseA 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...
is called The Farriers' Arms, although it was briefly called The Cygnet when it was purchased by the owner of The Swan (a pub in neighbouring Three Mile CrossThree Mile CrossThree 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....
). Before the Swallowfield Bypass was built, it was a popular place for coaches to stop on their way to the south coast, so much so that reservations were required. It is a very old business, although originally only a beer house. A full licence was granted after the First World War. In recent times, it has expanded to incorporate two adjacent cottages, making it significantly larger than the original beer house. Originally there were many more pubs in Spencers Wood.
- The Hop Inn is the local off-licence. The building was originally a pub called The Cricketers, although it was one of the village butcherButcherA butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
s for a while.
- An Indian restaurant has recently arrived in the village. It is not the first Indian business to serve Spencers Wood, an Indian tablecloth and silk tie trader served the village before World War Two.
- A chemistPharmacistPharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
now occupies the building that was Harrisons Grocery Store and Provision Shop. During World War One, it was known as Farleys. The existence of this chemist prohibits the majority of the village population from making use of the chemist at Swallowfield Surgery.
- The Grovelands Garden Centre was a family run business until 2006 when Dobbies Garden Centres took it over. Dobbies has since been bought by TescoTescoTesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
.
- The village Post OfficePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
is on the Basingstoke Road and is not threatened with closure as of 2008. It has been a post office since 1885, and was a manual telephone exchangeTelephone exchangeIn the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
until 1934. In November 1992 the post office was the scene of a bloodless armed robberyRobberyRobbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, no-one was arrested for the crime. The oldest surviving postbox in the village dates from King George V'sGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge 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....
reign.
- Two hairdresserHairdresserHairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
s serve the village. One used to be a HarnessHorse harnessA horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
Maker.
- The local builder's merchant, "Meakin Building Supplies Ltd", has been established since 1981 in Lambs Lane, prior to which it operated from that site as a haulage company, "Meakin Transport". The haulage company moved to Back Lane several years after the builder's merchant began to thrive. The haulage company site in Back Lane was originally known as Judd's yard and was previously a sawmill.
- The village has two areas with allotmentsAllotment (gardening)An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
.
Famous residents
English comedianComedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry
Lenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
CBE and his comedienne wife, Dawn French, lived in Shinfield (the parish adjacent to Spencers Wood) with their family, before moving to Cornwall in 2008.