White Waltham
Encyclopedia
White Waltham is a village
and civil parish, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Maidenhead
, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
in the English
county of Berkshire
. It has a population of 2,875, and is the location of White Waltham Airfield
.
.
of St Mary dates from Norman times
, but has many 13th century and Victorian
features. Sir Constantine Henry Phipps, Lord Chancellor of Ireland
, was buried at St. Mary in 1723. Thomas Hearne
was born at Littlefield Green in 1678. Acquiring the patronage of the local lord of the manor
, Francis Cherry
, he rose to become assistant-keeper of the Bodleian Library
in Oxford
and the author of many important works.
After World War II
, White Waltham was proposed as a possible development location for a new town
to rehouse London
ers made homeless by The Blitz
. However, it was decided in 1949 to use the alternative location of Bracknell
, as the White Waltham site would have encroached on good quality agricultural land, and was not located on a railway.
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, 2 miles (3.2 km) 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:...
, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. It became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.It is home to Windsor Castle, Eton College, Legoland and Ascot Racecourse....
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...
. It has a population of 2,875, and is the location of White Waltham Airfield
White Waltham Airfield
White Waltham Airfield , is located at White Waltham, southwest of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England...
.
Extent
In the south, the parish includes Paley Street and Littlefield Green. White Waltham village sits in the mid-west of the parish. To the north east is Woodlands Park, on the edge of Maidenhead, and the Maidenhead Business Park. In the north east corner of the parish is Woolley Green and in the north west, Littlewick GreenLittlewick Green
Littlewick Green is a small village in the north of the civil parish of White Waltham in the English county of Berkshire, located near Maidenhead....
.
History
The area is made up of many manors and a number of good country houses survive, such as Waltham Place with its organic farm and gardens which are open to the public. The parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of St Mary dates from Norman times
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
, but has many 13th century and Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
features. Sir Constantine Henry Phipps, Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
, was buried at St. Mary in 1723. Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
was born at Littlefield Green in 1678. Acquiring the patronage of the local lord 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...
, Francis Cherry
Francis Cherry (non-juror)
Francis Cherry was an English layman and non-juror, known as a philanthropist and benefactor.-Life:The son of William and Anne Cherry of Shottesbrooke in Berkshire, he was born in Maidenhead in 1665, and was a gentleman commoner of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Soon after age 20 he married Eliza,...
, he rose to become assistant-keeper of the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and the author of many important works.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, White Waltham was proposed as a possible development location for a new town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
to rehouse 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...
ers made homeless by The Blitz
The 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...
. However, it was decided in 1949 to use the alternative location of 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...
, as the White Waltham site would have encroached on good quality agricultural land, and was not located on a railway.