View of Aldermaston village circa 1959

Aldermaston is a village in the English county of Berkshire, two miles north of Tadley. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ... West Berkshire is an local government district in Berkshire, South East England, governed by a unitary authority (West Bershire Council). ... The BOGUS regions, also known as BOGUS FASCIST SCOTTISH Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity in England. ... South East England is one of the official regions of England. ... Home Nations is a term used to refer to the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (collectively, but also as separate entities, distinct from the United Kingdom as a whole), or the nations of the British Isles (traditionally... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... The traditional counties of England are historic subdivisions of the country of England into around 40 regions. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK and Australian postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... View of the village of Aldermaston, Berkshire, England circa 1959 Taken by Dave Aldworth in 1959 and released to the public domain. ... View of the village of Aldermaston, Berkshire, England circa 1959 Taken by Dave Aldworth in 1959 and released to the public domain. ... A village is a human residential settlement commonly found in rural areas. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Map sources for Tadley at grid reference SU604612 Tadley is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ...

During the 1950s and 1960s the name Aldermaston became synonymous with the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston (AWRE) but in fact that establishment is much closer to Tadley and the village of Aldermaston was almost untouched by the development of the research site and remained a small country village. 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... AWE plc logo The Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston (formerly the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston) is situated in the UK, just 7 miles north of Basingstoke and approximately 14 miles south-west of Reading, Berkshire, near a village called Aldermaston, bordering with Tadley. ...

History

The name 'Aeldremanestone' came from Old English for "Ealdormans Homestead". The Ealdorman - or Alderman - was a person of extreme importance. His equivalent today would be the Lord-Lieutenant of the County. Although his country estate was here, he would have spent much time at his town-house in the county town of Wallingford. An Ealdorman, or Alderman, was the prior magistrate of a British shire in A. D. 900 to A. D. 1100. ... An alderman is a member of a municipal legislative body in a town or city with many jurisdictions. ... The title Lord-Lieutenant is given to the British monarchs personal representatives around the United Kingdom. ... Map sources for Wallingford at grid reference SU6089 Wallingford is a small town in Oxfordshire in southern England. ...

According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicles, in 871 an Ealdorman Aethelwulf fought the Danes with the King at nearby Englefield. If this is the Ealdorman from Aeldremanestone it is not recorded. Events Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. ... Englefield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ...

Prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066, the land and properties had formed part of the estates of England's foremost magnate, Harold Godwinson, the Earl of Wessex - who would later become King Harold II of England. Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned List of monarchs September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... Harold Godwinson, or Harold II of England (c. ... The Earl of Wessex is an Earl in the English and later British nobility. ... Name Harold Godwinson Lived c. ...

In the Domesday Survey of 1086, the Aldermaston estate consisted of a mill, worth twenty shillings, and two fisheries, worth five shillings, and was held by William the Conqueror. William and his army are believed to have camped on the estate on their way north from their victory at Hastings to cross the Thames at Wallingford before advancing on London. During the remainder of the reign of William and later his son William Rufus, Aldermaston was owned by the crown. There is no evidence of there being a large house at that time. This article is about the 11th century census. ... Events Domesday Book is completed in England Emperor Shirakawa of Japan starts his cloistered rule Imam Ali Mosque is rebuilt by the Seljuk Malik Shah I after being destroyed by fire. ... The shilling (or informally: bob) was an English coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first English shilling. ... William I ( 1027 – September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... For other uses, see Hastings (disambiguation). ... Several places exist with the name Thames, and the word is also used as part of several brand and company names Most famous is the River Thames in England, on which the city of London stands Other Thames Rivers There is a Thames River in Canada There is a Thames... This article is about the British city. ... William II (called Rufus, perhaps because of his red-faced appearance, or maybe his bloody reign) (c. ...

In 1100 Henry I granted the estate to Sir Robert Achard, a distinguished Norman soldier whose son built the transept of the chapel in the church. According to the Pipe Rolls (Census) of 1167 the name changed to Aldermannestun. The medieval Achard family, who entertained Henry III at the manor in 1227, gave the parish church away to Sherborne (ie. Pamber) Priory (Hants) and consequently are all buried at Sparsholt. The estate remained in the family for over 250 years until Peter Achard died in 1361 without a male heir, when the estate passed to Thomas de la Mare. Events William II of England dies in a hunting accident - Henry I becomes King of England King Henry I proclaims the Charter of Liberties, one of the first examples of a constitution. ... Henry I of England (c. ... The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous people of France and the Viking invaders under the leadership of Hrolf Ganger, who adopted the French name Rollo and swore allegiance to the king of France (Charles the Simple). ... The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting, mostly complete, until 1833. ... Events Taira no Kiyomori becomes the first samurai to be appointed Daijo Daijin, chief minister of the government of Japan Peter of Blois becomes the tutor of William II of Sicily Absalon, archbishop of Denmark, leads the first Danish synod at Lund Absalon fortifies Copenhagen William Marshal, the greatest knight... Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272) is one of the least-known British monarchs, considering the great length of his reign. ... Events Henry III of England declares himself of age and assumes power Births September 30 - Pope Nicholas IV Deaths March 18 - Pope Honorius III (b. ... See also: Sherborne, Gloucestershire Sherborne is an affluent market town in north west Dorset, England, situated on the River Yeo and A30 road, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale six miles east of Yeovil. ... Events Founding of the University of Pavia, Italy. ...

In 1490 Sir Thomas died. John, his son, had died before his father, so his daughter Elizabeth inherited the estate; she married Sir George Forster, son of Sir Humphrey Forster. The Hinds Head Inn gets its name from Forester family crest. This symbol can also be seen in the parish church. The pub has its own gaol-house round the back. Last used in the 1860s, its unfortunate inhabitant apparently burnt to death. Events Tirant Lo Blanc by Joanot Martorell, Martí Joan De Galba is published. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ...

Aldermaston Church contains a beautiful alabaster effigial monument to one of their successors, Sir George Forster and his wife (1530). Elizabeth I visited Aldermaston twice (1566 and 1592). The fifth Forster, also called Sir Humphrey, and his wife Anne built the mansion in 1636. Aldermaston saw a lot of activity during the English Civil War. In 1644 Parliamentary troops camped in the park. After the war all the estates were sequestered because of suspected Royalist sympathies and were not returned until 1660. Alabaster (sometimes called satin spar) is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals: gypsum (a hydrous sulfate of calcium) and the calcite (a carbonate of calcium). ... Events June 25 - Augsburg confession presented to Charles V of Holy Roman Empire. ... Elizabeth I, (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ... Events January 30 - The death of Pope Innocent IX during the previous year had left the Papal throne vacant. ... Events February 24 - King Christian of Denmark gives an order that all beggars that are able to work must be sent to Brinholmen Island to build ships or as galley rowers March 26 - Utrecht University founded in The Netherlands. ... The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... A parliamentarian is a specialist in parliamentary procedure. ... Prince Rupert of the Rhine Cavaliers was the name used by Parliamentarians for the Royalist supporters of King Charles I during the English Civil War (1642–1651). ... Events Expulsion of the Carib indigenous people from Martinique by French occupying forces. ...

In 1752 the Forster male line died out and the estate passed to the Congreve family. Many changes to the estate occurred during the family's ownership. The lake by the house was created by damming the stream. The Eagle Gates were won at a game of cards and moved to their present location from Midgham. The Kennet and Avon Canal was built along the northern edge of the estate. 1752 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Kennet and Avon Canal at Brass-Knocker-Bottom near Bath The Kennet and Avon Canal is a canal in southern England. ...

In 1830 the supporters of the Swing Riots of Western Berkshire marched through Aldermaston and wrecked some twenty-three agricultural machines. Farmers were so frightened, they placed their machinery out in the open to prevent any damage elsewhere. Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Swing Riots were an uprising by the rural workers of the arable south and east of England in 1830. ...

On 13 January 1843 a serious fire destroyed more than a third of the house. William Congreve never recovered from the fire and died within three months. 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The property passed into Chancery, eventually being purchased in 1849 by Daniel Higford Davall Burr. Architect Philip Hardwick was commissioned to build a new manor house, Aldermaston Court, using as much of the old material as possible that had been saved from the fire. Daniel Higford Davall Burr died in 1885 and the estate passed to his son who only lived there for a few years before putting it up for sale. Court of Chancery, London, late 18th century The Court of Chancery was one of the courts of equity in England and Wales. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Aldermaston Court is in Aldermaston, Berkshire. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

It was bought for £16,000 in 1893 by Charles Edward Keyser, a stockbroker. Keyser was obsessed with the idea of keeping the village unchanged, which in his definition meant unspoilt. He forbade advertisements, opposed all modernisation, and refused to allow any expansion by the building of houses. On his death in 1929 estate duties were high and the estate was put on a 'care and maintenance' basis. 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

After the death of Mrs Charles Keyser in 1938 the whole estate was sold by her son, Norman, to a syndicate Messers Cribble, Booth and Shepherd who auctioned it off in separate lots at Reading Town Hall on 20 and 21 September 1939. Many of the lots were bought by their occupants. The house and its immediate grounds were bought by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd but subsequently requisitioned by the government. 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ...

The extensive parkland was also sold, but very soon afterwards was chosen by the government as a site for an airfield (RAF Aldermaston). After the war the airfield had several occupants before being taken over by AWRE, which has since been renamed the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). RAF Aldermaston was an airfield in Berkshire during the Second World War. ...

Location

Aldermaston village is situated at the southern edge of the flood-plain of the River Kennet, just where the ground starts to rise into the higher ground below. It lies on the A340 road which runs from the A4 road, at Aldermaston Wharf, south to Tadley and Basingstoke. Aldermaston railway station is on the local railway service from Reading to Newbury, although actually the station is over a mile away in Aldermaston Wharf. The Kennet is a river in the south east of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. ... The A340 is a major road in the south of England. ... The A4 at Hotwells in Bristol The A4 crosses Picadilly Circus in central London The A4 is a major road in England, also known as the Great West Road. ... Aldermaston Wharf is a small village in Berkshire, England It is situated approximately a mile north of of Aldermaston in the West Berkshire district. ... Map sources for Tadley at grid reference SU604612 Tadley is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... Location within the British Isles View from Basingstoke railway station forecourt; the chrome yellow buildings stand on the site of older office buildings that have been demolished to build apartments. ... Aldermaston railway station is a railway station named after the village of Aldermaston in the county of Berkshire in England. ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ... Newbury is the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in the United Kingdom. ... Aldermaston Wharf is a small village in Berkshire, England It is situated approximately a mile north of of Aldermaston in the West Berkshire district. ...

Position: Grid reference SU590652 The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ...

Nearby towns and cities: Newbury, Reading, Tadley, Thatcham, Theale Newbury is the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in the United Kingdom. ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ... Map sources for Tadley at grid reference SU604612 Tadley is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... Thatcham is a town in Berkshire, England located 3 miles (5km) east of Newbury and 15 miles (24km) west of Reading. ... Theale High Street The Old Brewery in Theale The Falcon pub in Theale Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ...

Nearby villages: Aldermaston Wharf, Padworth, Silchester, Ufton Nervet, Woolhampton Aldermaston Wharf is a small village in Berkshire, England It is situated approximately a mile north of of Aldermaston in the West Berkshire district. ... Padworth is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ... Silchester is a village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... Ufton Nervet is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ... Woolhampton is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England It is situated between Reading and Newbury in the West Berkshire district and the Newbury parliamentary constituency. ...

Nearby places of interest: Silchester Roman Town Categories: Archaeology stubs | Archaeological sites in Britain | Berkshire | Hampshire | Roman sites in England ...

Local government

Aldermaston is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It falls within the area of the unitary authority of West Berkshire. Both the parish council and the unitary authority are responsible for different aspects of local government. A unitary authority is a type of local authority, which has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area. ... West Berkshire is an local government district in Berkshire, South East England, governed by a unitary authority (West Bershire Council). ...

See also

• List of places in Berkshire
• List of civil parishes in England

This is a list of settlements in Berkshire, England. ... This is a list of civil parishes in England, the smallest level of local government, split by county. ...

External links

• Aldermaston Village Cricket Club
• Aldermaston Rugby Football Club