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Newbury and Thatcham
By admin | July 17, 2008
Newbury and Thatcham are adjoining towns in the county of Berkshire, in the South East of England.
Newbury is the principal town in the west of the county, and is a historic market town. Thatcham is a dormitory town some three miles to the east, with little obvious boundary between the two towns.
Newbury has a population of about 45,000 and has become something of a booming company town recently as it houses the world headquarters of Vodafone, a major mobile phone operator with operations in many countries.
Newbury also attracted a lot of national and international coverage in the 1980s when it was the scene of the Greenham Common Peace camp in protest at the stationing of nuclear armed cruise missiles at a nearby air base, and in the 1990s when it hosted perhaps the most famous road protest against the Newbury bypass. The vast majority of the population probably did not appreciate either campaign.
Thatcham is best known as England’s fastest growing town, with large housing areas being built to house a population which largely commutes to work in Newbury, Reading or London.
Visitors may hear both the terms ‘Newbury District’ and ‘West Berkshire’ in use; these are effectively synonymous and refer to the town of Newbury and its surrounding rural area. They are also the old and new names for the local government which runs the area that includes both Newbury and Thatcham.
West Berkshire Museum
Housed in historic half timbered buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, the museum houses exhibits on local history and archeology together, rather bizarrely, with a gallery on the history of hot air ballooning.
Donnington Castle
Owned by English Heritage, this ruined castle was reduced (i.e. torn down) after the second battle of Newbury in 1644 during the English Civil War. Much of the striking, twin-towered gatehouse of this castle survives amid impressive earthworks, but access is only to the exterior.
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle is more a stately home than a castle, and is the ancestral, and current, home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon. Tours of the castle are available. The castle also hosts exhibitions on Egyptian archeology (the fifth earl funded the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun) and horseracing (the seventh earl was the Queen’s Racing Manager).
Sandham Memorial Chapel
Specifically built in the 1920s to house wall paintings by the artist Stanley Spencer, inspired by his experiences in the First World War, and regarded by many as his finest achievement. As there is no lighting in the chapel, it is best to view the paintings on a bright day. The chapel is set amidst lawns and orchards with views across Watership Down.
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre
The Centre provides an exciting base from which to explore the nearby lake and reed bed habitats. A variety of events including exhibitions, workshops, walks and talks are provided throughout the year. The surrounding area is of outstanding importance for nature conservation, with the reed beds representing one of the largest stands of inland reeds remaining in the country.
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Topics: Berkshire |