Beenham

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Beenham
Berkshire
Picklepythe Lane, Beenham - geograph.org.uk - 1808736.jpg
Picklepythe Lane
Location
Grid reference: SU5868
Location: 51°24’59"N, 1°8’52"W
Data
Population: 1,175  (2001)
Post town: Reading
Postcode: RG7
Dialling code: 0118
Local Government
Council: West Berkshire
Website: Beenham Online

Beenham is a village in Berkshire about 7 miles east of Newbury. A twin village of the parish is the hamlet of Beenham Stocks immediately to the east of the main village. There is barely a break to be made between them. The parish church is a short way along a lane to the south of both.

It is a place of over a thousand folk. The village has a church (St Mary's) and a primary school (Beenham Primary School). The UK Wolf Conservation Trust has its headquarters here.

Parish church

The parish church is St Mary's. A church was built here about the end of the 12th century.[1] An old print of the original building shows that it had some 13th century lancet windows and a 16th-century window.[1] In 1794 the church was struck by lightning and burnt down[2] and was replaced with a Georgian building of brick.[1][2] In 1859 the nave was demolished and replaced by a Gothic Revival one[1] designed by the architect Henry Woodyer.[2] The 1794 brick tower was retained and has a peal of six bells.[1]

Murder

The village had some grim fame in the 1960s when the body of 17-year-old Yolande Waddington was found in the village in October 1966. It was not until 16 November 2011 that the murderer was caught: David Burgess by then 64 years old and formerly of Beenham. He was subsequently imprisoned for life, though he had already received life sentences in 1967 for murdering two 9-year-old girls.

Outside links

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about Beenham)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Page & Ditchfield, 1923, pages 277-279
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pevsner, 1966, page 85