Hampstead Norreys

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Hampstead Norreys
Village and civil parish
Hampstead Norreys.JPG
Church Road (part of the B4009) in the east
Berkshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Hampstead Norreys
Location within Berkshire
Area17.03 km2 (6.58 sq mi)
Population832 (2011 census) [1]
•  Density 49/km2 (130/sq mi)
OS grid reference SU528763
Civil parish
  • Hampstead Norreys
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town THATCHAM
Postcode district RG18
Dialling code 01635
Police Thames Valley
Fire Royal Berkshire
Ambulance South Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Berkshire
51°29′02″N1°14′25″W / 51.483794°N 1.240184°W / 51.483794; -1.240184

Hampstead Norreys (alternatively spelt Hampstead Norris as it is pronounced) is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is centred on the River Pang, north of Newbury. As well as the nucleus of Hampstead Norreys, the parish includes the hamlets of Bothampstead, Eling and Wyld Court. The village was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Hanstede. [2]

Contents

Amenities

In March 2011, a community shop was opened in the village, run by local volunteers. Shares in the shop were sold to village residents. It was the first community shop to be opened in a West Berkshire village since the 1990s. [3]

The Living Rainforest

Wyld Court is home to The Living Rainforest, an indoor glass house tropical rainforest with plants, animals and butterflies. It is an ecological centre, an educational centre and a visitor attraction.

Historic buildings

St Mary the Virgin's Church Church in Hampstead Norreys - geograph.org.uk - 20819.jpg
St Mary the Virgin's Church

The village parish church of St Mary the Virgin is noted for its Norman architecture. In the nearby woods are the remains of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle.

Aviation

World War II

The village was close to the wartime airfield of RAF Hampstead Norris, an RAF Bomber Command Operational Training Unit (OTU) station. The airfield was host to a small number of squadrons of Wellington bombers. The site was bombed on 16 September 1940 by the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. In 1945, the station was used by squadrons of Mosquito fighter bombers and became an ammunition storage depot as part of the Bramley Central Ammunition Depot near Basingstoke after its closure in 1946. Little of the wartime station now remains. There are four remaining pillboxes around where the airfield was, and a few air-raid shelters in the woods. Part of the bomb storage site remains.

Today

The site still maintains a modern link with aviation with a farm strip used by a Tiger Moth biplane. It is now known as Haw Farm, part of the Yattendon Estate. An impression of the old runway layout of airfield can still be seen from the air. On the edge of the perimeter track is a light beacon and an important VOR beacon known as Compton (CPT), named after the nearby village, which is used as a primary navigational aid for airway routes between European airports such as (Heathrow) and North America.[ citation needed ]

Education

Hampstead Norreys has a small rural primary school which has served the community for over 150 years. The school is federated with the Ilsleys Primary School, with which it shares a headteacher. [4]

Transport

From 18 February 2013, Buses 6 and 6A from Newbury serve the village. The nearest station is Newbury which has regular services to east and west. [5] Hampstead Norris railway station was a calling point on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway from 1872 until closure in 1962.

Sport and leisure

The Dean Field is the local park in Hampstead Norreys. It contains football and cricket pitches and a children's play area. On the north side of the field is Hampstead Norreys village hall. It is considerably larger than the village halls in surrounding villages. On the south side is Eling estate, a large wooded area (consisting of Park Wood, Westbrook Copse, Down Wood and Elingpark Copse) backed by a path, on what remains of the old Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway, running between Hermitage and Compton, the two nearest villages.

Demography

2011 Published Statistics: Population, home ownership and extracts from Physical Environment, surveyed in 2005 [1]
Output areaHomes owned outrightOwned with a loanSocially rentedPrivately rentedOtherkm2 roadskm2 waterkm2 domestic gardensUsual residentskm2
Civil parish72927265130.1400.0180.20683217.03

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References

  1. 1 2 "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.
  2. ↑ "The Domesday Book Online: Berkshire D-M" . Retrieved 21 January 2008.
  3. ↑ "People power behind village shop". 30 March 2011 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Welcome to Hampstead Norreys". Hampstead Norreys Primary. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "Newbury & District - our bus routes" (PDF). www.newburyanddistrict.co.uk.
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