This article refers to the real-life village; for J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional village see Buckland (Middle-earth)
Bucklebury is a village in Berkshire, England. Dating back to pre-Norman times the Village, including the church, is detailed in the Doomsday Book.
There are three main parts that make up the parish of Bucklebury. The original village is situated on the banks of the river Pang. Directly south of Bucklebury village, and much higher up, is Bucklebury Common. This is an area of managed heather and woodland. Although open to all ‘commoners’ the land is privately owned. During the Second World War, much of the land was cleared for the stationing of troops, and some of the concrete paths laid down can still be found there, now used as bridle ways. It was also once the location for a monks retreat, from Reading Abbey. At the eastern border of the common is the Blade Bone Pub, a butchers, a Docters Surgery and a tea shop.
In recent years the village of Upper Bucklebury has become the larger residential area. This is situated on the hill about a Mile and a half (2 kilometres) south west from Bucklebury village at the western tip of the common. It has a general store, a newly built Church, a pub and a Church of England Primary School.
Easy access to the area is obtained via the A4 main road from Thatcham. Further details about the Parish and its history is available from the official web site.
External links
Official Bucklebury web site (http://www.btinternet.com/~buckleburyweb/bweb.htm)
BuckleburyCommon, where wooden bowl-making is still carried on, extends over 5 miles in the southern part of the parish and has a fine avenue of trees planted in the 18th century.
Marlston is a liberty and lies to the north-west of the village, and Hawkridge, further east, is close to the borders of Frilsham parish.
Secretary was a perfect country gentleman at Bucklebury; he smoked tobacco with one or two neighbours; he enquired after the wheat in such a field; he went to visit his hounds, and knew all their names; he and his lady saw me to my chamber just in the country fashion.