Thatcham

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1802x2589, 189 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Statistics
Population:	23,000
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	Maps for SU511676
Administration
District:	West Berkshire
County:	Berkshire
Region:	South East England
Nation:	England
Other
Police force:	{{{Police}}}
Ceremonial county:	Berkshire
Historic county:	Berkshire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	NEWBURY
Postal district:	RG18
Dialling code:	01635
Politics
UK Parliament:	Newbury
European Parliament:	South East England

Thatcham is a town in Berkshire, England located 3 miles (5km) east of Newbury and 15 miles (24km) west of Reading. It covers approximately 8.75 square miles (23 km²) and has a population of 23,000 people (2003). This number has grown rapidly over the last few decades from 5,000 in 1951 and 7,500 in 1961. There is a large secondary school, Kennet School, which ranks very well in the country. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The Districts of England are the lowest level of local government in England, except for civil parishes. ... West Berkshire is an local government district in Berkshire, South East England, governed by a unitary authority (West Bershire Council). ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... The region (also known as 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 - England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland - collectively, but also as separate entities, distinct from the United Kingdom as a whole. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language 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 UK... There are a number of police forces in the United Kingdom. ... 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 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. ... To see the list in alphabetical order see the categories UK Parliamentary constituencies and UK Parliamentary constituencies (historic). ... Newbury is a UK parliamentary constituency consisting of Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford and a large part of the surrounding area of West Berkshire. ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town In American English, a town is usually a municipal corporation that is smaller than a city but larger than a village. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language 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 UK... To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 1 km and 10 km (103 and 104 m). ... Newbury is the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in the United Kingdom. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 10 and 100 km (104 to 105 m). ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ... To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Kennet is a secondary school located in Thatcham, Berkshire, UK. It is a state school run by the West Berkshire Eduction Authority. ...

It lies on the River Kennet, the Kennet and Avon Canal, the A4 road and the course of a Roman road. It is also served by Thatcham railway station on the line between Newbury and Reading. Employment is provided by a number of light industrial units and it is also a dormitory town for Newbury, Reading and London. The Kennet is a river in the south east of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. ... The Kennet and Avon Canal at Brass-Knocker-Bottom near Bath The Kennet and Avon Canal is a canal in southern 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. ... A Roman road in Pompeii The Romans, for military, commercial and political reasons, became adept at constructing roads, which they called viae (plural of singular via). ... Thatcham railway station is a railway station in the town of Thatcham in the county of Berkshire in England. ... This article or section should be merged with Bedroom community A dormitory town is generally a rural town where a large proportion of its population commute to nearby cities. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ...

The area has been occupied continuously from prehistoric times - the well-preserved remains of a Mesolithic village dating from 7700 BC have been found in its vicinity. Indeed it is noted in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest continuously inhabited place in England. There is also evidence of Bronze and Iron Age settlements and of a Roman town. The Mesolithic (Greek mesos=middle and lithos=stone or the Middle Stone Age) is the period between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ...

The name may have been derived from that of a Saxon chief called Tace (or perhaps Tac or Tec), who established a village in around 500. The settlement was known as Taceham - ham meaning village in Saxon. It is also possible that the name may have come from the Saxon thaec (thatch). Wherever it came from, the name Taceham persisted until after the Norman Conquest in 1066 before going through several minor changes until the current one was adopted in the sixteenth century. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ... Events Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon army that may have been led by the bretwalda Aelle of Sussex (approximate date; suggested dates range from 490 to 510) Note: This battle may have influenced the legend of King Arthur. ... Thatching is the art or craft of covering a roof with vegetative materials such as straw, reed or sedge. ... 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. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

The town had a period of great prosperity around 1304, when part of the building now known as the Bluecoat School was constructed as a small chapel. At this time the population was larger than Newbury's but declined as a result of the Black Death which decimated the area in 1348. There is a Norman parish church of St. Mary which was largely reconstructed in 1857. This is believed to be built on the same site as an earlier Saxon Church. It was also previously known as St. Luke's. A local attraction is the Nature Discovery Centre situated at Thatcham Lake, a flooded gravel quarry. Events 20 July - Fall of Stirling Castle: Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold in the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411). ... Events April 7 - Charles University is founded in Prague. ... The Nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the nave anticipates the Gothic style. ... A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... Gabriel delivering the Annunciation to Mary. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

The town is twinned with Nideggen, Germany.

Image File history File links Kennet and Avon Canal, Thatcham. ... Image File history File links St. ... Image File history File links Thatcham High Street. ... Image File history File links Thatcham High Street. ...

See also

• Kennet School

Kennet is a secondary school located in Thatcham, Berkshire, UK. It is a state school run by the West Berkshire Eduction Authority. ...

External links

• Thatcham Historical Society
• Old Bluecoat School
• Thatcham Town Council
• Thatcham Vision