Woolton Hill
| Woolton Hill | |
| Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 St Thomas' Church, Woolton Hill | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SU430617 |
| Location: | 51°21’11"N, 1°23’2"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Newbury |
| Postcode: | RG20 |
| Dialling code: | 01635 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Basingstoke and Deane |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North West Hampshire |
| Website: | Village |
Woolton Hill is a village in Hampshire, a mile south of the Berkshire border; the village is about four miles south-west of the centre of Newbury in the latter county. Woolton Hill encompasses the hamlet of Broad Layings which forms a northern extension of the village.
History
The area was farmland, woodland and scattered houses until the mid-18th century, when the new church was built (as a 'daughter church' to the much older ecclesiastical parish of East Woodhay). The village grew rapidly during and since the 1950s and is now larger (in population terms) than the neighbouring and contiguous village of Highclere. Due to the village's proximity to the A34 road it was the scene of many demonstrations during "the third battle of Newbury" when the Newbury bypass was being built in the 1990s.
About the village
To the east/north-east of the village is an area of woodland known as "The Chase" which is managed by the National Trust. The Chase was significantly altered in 2010–2011, to return it to a nature reserve as required its original gift terms. A local watercourse runs through The Chase and has been dammed to form a small lake in the north-eastern end. There is an asphalted car-park. The chase is bounded by the A34 (Newbury bypass) to the north-east.
Gainsborough Stud, owned by the Ruler of Dubai) is in Woolton Hill. The stud's land covers a large area in the village.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Woolton Hill) |