Arborfield

Etymology

The name 'Arborfield' is first recorded in 1166 as Edburgefeld, meaning 'Edburga's Field', Edburga being a widespread Anglo-Saxon lady's name. It evolved through variations to the modern Arborfield as first recorded in the 17th century.

Notable buildings

Arborfield Hall

Main article: Arborfield Hall

The manor house, which originally stood on the site, was occupied by the Bullock family from the mid-12th century. It was demolished in 1955.

Churches

The present Church of England parish church of Saint Bartholomew is a Gothic Revival building designed by J Picton and built in 1863. The new building replaces an older St Bartholomew's church, known as the 'Wooden Chapel of Edburgefeld', that had been built in the 13th century and altered probably early in the 18th century. When the new church was consecrated the roof of the old one was removed and later layers of plaster stripped from the interior walls, revealing Medieval wall paintings of "figure subjects and geometrical and masonry patterns" that "covered the walls". These have now been lost and the church ruins have greatly deteriorated. The current church is notable for one of its 6 bells. The number one bell (treble) was cast c.1399 at the Wokingham Bell Foundry, it is notable as being the only Wokingham Foundry bell nearby to Wokingham as well as one of the oldest bells still regularly rung. The army garrison has its own garrison church, a 20th-century building dedicated to Saint Eligius.

Army garrison

Main article: Arborfield Garrison

Arborfield is also known for the School of Electronic & Aeronautical Engineering (SEAE) where the British Army train their Electronic, Aircraft and Avionic engineers for RADAR, Telecommunications, Control Equipment, Aircraft (Airframes and Engines) and Avionic (Aviation electronic and weapon system) modalities. Arborfield Garrison is about 1 mi the other side of Arborfield Cross and which is mostly in the civil parish of Barkham.

International Cocoa Quarantine Centre

Since 1985, Arborfield has also been the home of the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre whose aim is to investigate and reduce diseases in cocoa plants worldwide.

Administrative history

Arborfield historically formed part of the ancient parish of Sonning. Arborfield had its own chapel of ease by the 13th century,

In 1948 Arborfield merged with the neighbouring parish of Newland to form a new civil parish called Arborfield and Newland. Newland had also been a township of the ancient parish of Sonning, which had become part of the parish of Hurst in 1831 before becoming a separate civil parish in 1866.

References

Sources

References

1. Bullock, Llewellyn C W, ''Memoirs of the Bullock Family'', A J Lawrence 1905
2. Berkshire Federation of Women's Institutes. (1939). "The Berkshire Book". The Berkshire Federation of Women's Institutes.
3. (2013). "Royal Berkshire History: Arborfield Hall". Nash Ford Publishing.
4. {{NHLE
5. "Tower details".
6. (1979). "Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume I". Royal Historical Society.
7. "Relationships and changes Arborfield Ch/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time.
8. "Population statistics Arborfield Ch/CP through time". [[A Vision of Britain through Time]].