Speen, Berkshire

From Wikishire
Revision as of 17:11, 15 July 2013 by RB (Talk | contribs) (Created page with '{{Infobox town |name=Speen |county=Berkshire |picture=Church, Speen - geograph.org.uk - 50314.jpg |picture caption=St Mary the Virgin, Speen |os grid ref=SU4668 |latitude=51.405 …')

(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search
Speen
Berkshire
Church, Speen - geograph.org.uk - 50314.jpg
St Mary the Virgin, Speen
Location
Grid reference: SU4668
Location: 51°24’18"N, 1°20’49"W
Data
Population: 2,634  (2001)
Post town: Newbury
Postcode: RG14
Dialling code: 01635
Local Government
Council: West Berkshire
Parliamentary
constituency:
Newbury

Speen is a village in Berkshire found about 2 miles northwest of Newbury. It sits on the Ermin Street/Ermin Way, the main Cirencester to Silchester Roman road.

During the Civil War, the Second Battle of Newbury was actually fought at Speen, on 27 October 1644.

Speenhamland in the parish, now absorbed into Newbury, was the eponymous home of the Speenhamland system of outdoor relief.[1]

Speen Recreation Ground on Station Road has been designated a Queen Elizabeth II Field.

Parish church

The parish church is St Mary the Virgin. It is a late Anglo-Saxon church, and is the oldest church in Berkshire.[2]

Speen House

Next to the church and Ladywell are the ramparts around Speen House, the manor house which is mostly late 18th century, but which is thought to date from the 17th century. Local folk belief has it that ramparts are associated with the Roman village of Spinae, but it is more likely that they are associated with a later mediæval manor house.

Outside links

Commons-logo.svg
("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Speen, Berkshire)

References

  1. A History of the County of Berkshire - Victoria County History vol 4 (1924): Speen with Speenhamland, Bagnor and Benham
  2. "St Mary's Church, Speen, Newbury". St-mary-speen.org. http://www.st-mary-speen.org/. Retrieved 21 February 2013.