Purley on Thames

Purley on Thames
Berkshire
St Mary The Virgin
Location
Grid reference:	SU661762
Location:	51°28’51"N, 1°2’48"W
Data
Population:	4,232  (2001)
Local Government
Council:	West Berkshire
Parliamentary constituency:	Reading West

Purley on Thames or simply Purley, is a village in Berkshire on the River Thames about three miles north-west of Reading, and two miles east of Pangbourne. In mediæval times the parish had three manors, Purley Magna centred around where the church is today, Purley Parva centred on Westbury Farm and Purley La Hyde centred on what is now Sulham Home Farm and Purley Hall.

Development

Purley lost most of its old houses due to emparkment around 1800 and redevelopment in the 20th century. It is bounded to the north by a stretch of the River Thames, to the east by Reading Borough, to the west by Pangbourne and to the south by Tilehurst and Sulham. After the sale of Purley Magna in the 1920s most of the eastern part of the parish has been developed but beyond this the other two manors have retained a very rural aspect.

Changes in the 20th century began with ribbon development along the Oxford Road and Long Lane and in recent years these properties have been redeveloped with modern housing estates. The Purley River Estate was sold off in small plots in the 1930s and for many years suffered much unplanned development. As a result of a guidance plan agreed in the 1960s it has gradually developed from what was known as a shanty town to an estate with very desirable residences and a great variety of architectural styles.

Transport

The main village was at the edge of the flood-plain of the River Thames, where the valley side starts to rise sharply. Both the Reading to Oxford road (the A329) and the Great Western Main Line railway pass along this slope higher than the original village centre, which is linked to the A329 by two steep lanes crossing the railway.

Although the main line railway passes through Purley, it is mostly hidden in a deep cutting and the nearest stations are Tilehurst and Pangbourne.

History

Early settlements

Purley has been settled since at least Anglo-Saxon times. The original settlements were based on Purley Magna (to the east), Purley Parva (to the north-west) and Purley La Hyde (to the west). Ownership of these manors changed several times over successive centuries but the parish remained almost entirely agricultural until development began in the 20th century, with a population of 150–200. Since then it has grown to 4,232 (2001) and around 5,300 people today.

Local families

Purley has been associated with several well-known families, for instance the Huscarles, Siffrevasts, Carews, St John's and the Hydes and, through its connections with the Carews and Huscarles, gave its name to the much better known Purley in Surrey. Part of Purley Parva was donated to Reading Abbey in the 1190s and, after the Reformation, came into the hands of the Earls of Shannon with connections to the Boyles. Relatives of Lord Lister settled in the parish in the 1920s with Major Hugh Lister winning the Military Cross in Second World War as a combatant priest.

Buildings

Manor house and mansion

A timbered Elizabethan Manor house was constructed in the 1540s, to be replaced by a brick house in 1740. This was demolished around 1800 to be replaced by the Purley Park Mansion designed by James Wyatt in 1800 and located on the brow of the hill to be well away from flooding. At the same time most of the eastern part of the parish was emparked; a new road (New Hill) constructed to provide access to the residual village and the Turnpike Highway diverted to the south. The Mansion House has now been converted to flats.

Purley Hall

Purley Hall was built around 1608 to replace the manor house of Purley La Hyde and was home to personages such as Warren Hastings, Lady Baden-Powell (as a child) and Thomas Hawes (infamous in the South Sea Bubble).

Farm buildings

When the Purley Park Mansion was built, the farm was moved further west and was home to the South Berks Hunt for many years. Its Master of fox hounds, Cecil Aldin, ran a Remount Depot there in First World War, employing his friend and fellow artist, Alfred Munnings as a horse doctor. After Second World War the property was sold to Messrs G Percy Trentham who used it as the head offices for their civil engineering business. In the 1990s this too was redeveloped and the barn which had originally been adjacent to the church, donated to the Parish Council as a community facility.

Smallholdings

Several smallholdings were established between First World War and Second World War, one by Mortimer Menpes, the artist and friend of Rex Whistler. These have almost all now been redeveloped.

Church

Architecture

The church was described as 'ancient' in a founding charter of Reading Abbey in 1121. It is believed it was burnt down in 1135 in the reign of King Stephen and the Empress Matilda and replaced by a Norman church around 1150. The new church was built on an excavated platform and graves dating from the 10th century or 11th century were discovered in 1982 only about a foot from the surface.

The church was modified and added to in the 1300s and 1600s and completely rebuilt in 1870 in the Gothic revivalist style by G E Street. A further major extension was added in 1983.

The church displays an almost complete list of incumbents dating from the mid-14th century. Purley's clergy were not like the legendary Vicar of Bray nearby and several suffered ejection at times of national religious change: Richard Gatskyll was ejected in Edward VI's reign for clinging to Romanism, John Leke was put out by Queen Mary for having been married, and Thomas Handcock was ejected in 1563, for not being Protestant. Daniel Reynor lost his position in 1662 after the Restoration of King Charles II for persisting as a Congregationalist.

Outside links

• St Mary's Church, Purley
• Purley on Thames Parish Council
• History of Purley