Sulhamstead

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Sulhamstead
latitude= 51.4137
longitude= -1.0904
population= 1,248 (Parish, 2001)
civil_parish= Sulhamstead
unitary_england= West Berkshire
region= South East England
lieutenancy_england= Berkshire
constituency_westminster= Wokingham
post_town= READING
postcode_district = RG23
postcode_area= RG
dial_code= 0118
os_grid_reference= SU632687

Sulhamstead is a village, electoral district (ward) and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It lies off the A4 national route between Reading and Thatcham, some 74 km (46 miles) west of central London.

Location

It is located at gbmapping|SU632687, in the district of West Berkshire. Prior to 1782, the area consisted of two ecclesiastical parishes, Sulhamstead Abbots and Sulhamstead Bannister, based on the ancient manors. There are three centres of population in Sulhamstead. The greatest number of houses stand on Sulhamstead Hill which runs from the top of the hill by Ufton Church down to the water meadows by the Kennet and the Bath Road (A4). The other two centres are Sulhamstead Abbots and Sulhamstead Bannister with other residences scattered about the parish. Sulhamstead Abbots Church, to the south, is now the parish church. Sulhamstead Bannister consists of a number of detached regions, one near Grazeley. The core of its village was around the old demolished church, where the inventor Samuel Morland's father was once the vicar.

Currently, Sulhamstead is partly in the Newbury constituency for House of Commons general elections, however the Boundary Commission has recommended that it be moved completely into the Wokingham constituency to bring the size of the electorate of Newbury closer to the national average.

When pronouncing or writing the name, there is no 'p' in the centre of the name. It is pronounced 'Sulham-stead'.

Buildings and structures

ulhamstead House

Sulhamstead House, commonly known as the White House, was the manor house of Sulhamstead Abbots. It was built by Daniel May, son of the Basingstoke brewer, Charles May, in 1744. His sister's descendants, the Thoyts family, resided there for many years. The house was largely rebuilt in 1800 for William Thoyts, the High Sheriff of Berkshire. It was the childhood home of his great granddaughter, the famous Berkshire historian and palaeography expert, Emma Elizabeth Thoyts (1860–1949).cite web | last = Ford | first = David Nash | title = Sulhamstead House | work = May Family History | url = http://www.mayfamilyhistory.co.uk/places/sulhse_eet.html | accessdate = 2006-09-16] In 1949, the house became the headquarters of the Berkshire Constabulary. Since the merger of the local county forces to form the Thames Valley Police, it has functioned as that force's training centre and houses the Thames Valley Police Museum. It is a Grade II listed building. [cite web | title=Thames Valley Police Training College (Sulhamstead House) | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=40018 | accessdate=2006-09-16]

Other buildings

The church of St Mary (formerly St Bartholomew) dates from the 13th century and is Grade I listed. [cite web | title=Church Of St. Mary | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=40022 | accessdate=2006-09-16]

Sulhamstead is the location of Folly Farm, a 17th century farm house transformed, in 1906, by Edwin Lutyens into a fine country house for H H Cochrane. It was extended, again by Lutyens, for Zachery Merton, six years later. The whole building is considered the high point of his architectural career. Lutyens also collaborated with Gertrude Jekyll in one of their most complex garden designs, said to be the finest example for that period of an English country garden.

The village hall for Sulhamstead and Ufton is situated halfway down Sulhamstead Hill. It was built in 1927 and has been recently refurbished.

Close to the village is Tyle Mill and Tyle Mill Lock on the Kennet & Avon Canal, where there is a wharf, lock and swing bridge. The world-renowned singer and musician Kate Bush resides close to the mill.

References

ee also

* List of places in Berkshire
* List of civil parishes in Berkshire

wing bridge gallery

External links

* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/villages/sulhamstead.html Royal Berkshire History: Sulhamstead]
* [http://www.mayfamilyhistory.co.uk/places/sulhse_eet.html May Family History: Sulhamstead House]
* [http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news_info/info/museum/sulhamstead.htm Thames Valley Police: Sulhamstead House]
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/folly_farm.html Royal Berkshire History: Folly Farm]