Shottesbrooke
Encyclopedia
Shottesbrooke is a hamlet
and civil parish administered by the unitary authority
of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
in the English
county of Berkshire
. The parish has an area of 564 hectares (1,393.7 acre) and had a population of 154 at the 2001 census
.
on the east. They were originally one place, Waltham, which was divided in the Saxon era. Today, as always, it is mostly farmland with some large areas of woodland in between, particularly the Great Wood. The hamlet of Cold Harbour is in the very north of the parish, with Shottesbrooke itself in the central area, between Shottesbrooke Park and Smewins' Farm, where the B3024 runs through the region. The M4 motorway
crosses the south-east corner of the parish.
'Camlet Way
' between St Albans
and Silchester
would have crossed the parish at some point and the name 'Cold Harbour' indicates there was an inn or other stopping place nearby. In Saxon times, the manor was owned by the Royal goldsmiths and 'Alward the Goldsmith' was one of the few Saxons allowed to keep his manor here after the Norman Conquest. It is said that charcoal from the 'Great Wood' was used to melt the gold to make the Saxon Royal regalia
.
Despite its small population, Shottesbrooke is a very historic parish, mainly because of distinguished personages who resided at Shottesbrooke Park. It was the home of Sir William Trussell, a prominent Royal diplomat in the mid-14th century. He built the Decorated Period parish church
as an ecclesiastical college in 1337. The church is renowned for its fine memorial brasses
and Trussell's beautifully carved double-recessed monument
. The 17th century Speaker of the House of Commons
, Henry Powle
, later lived at the Park. He was followed by Francis Cherry
, the non-juror
and patron of Thomas Hearne
. His friend, Henry Dodwell
, the theologian, lived at Smewins. Later, Governor Henry Vansittart
was in residence and his brother, Professor Robert Vansittart
also grew up there. Until his death in 2007, the Park was the home of their co-lateral descendant, Sir John Smith
, the founder of the Landmark Trust
which has its headquarters in the adjoining farmhouse.
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
and civil parish administered by the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. It became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.It is home to Windsor Castle, Eton College, Legoland and Ascot Racecourse....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. The parish has an area of 564 hectares (1,393.7 acre) and had a population of 154 at the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Geography
Shottesbrooke is a parish situated betwixt Waltham St Lawrence on the west and White WalthamWhite Waltham
White Waltham is a village and civil parish, west of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. It has a population of 2,875, and is the location of White Waltham Airfield.-Extent:...
on the east. They were originally one place, Waltham, which was divided in the Saxon era. Today, as always, it is mostly farmland with some large areas of woodland in between, particularly the Great Wood. The hamlet of Cold Harbour is in the very north of the parish, with Shottesbrooke itself in the central area, between Shottesbrooke Park and Smewins' Farm, where the B3024 runs through the region. The M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
crosses the south-east corner of the parish.
History
The RomanRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
'Camlet Way
Camlet Way
Camlet Way was a Roman road in England which ran roughly east-west between Colchester in Essex and Silchester in Hampshire via St Albans ....
' between St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
and Silchester
Silchester
Silchester is a village and civil parish about north of Basingstoke in Hampshire. It is adjacent to the county boundary with Berkshire and about south-west of Reading....
would have crossed the parish at some point and the name 'Cold Harbour' indicates there was an inn or other stopping place nearby. In Saxon times, the manor was owned by the Royal goldsmiths and 'Alward the Goldsmith' was one of the few Saxons allowed to keep his manor here after the Norman Conquest. It is said that charcoal from the 'Great Wood' was used to melt the gold to make the Saxon Royal regalia
Regalia
Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereign.The word stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'...
.
Despite its small population, Shottesbrooke is a very historic parish, mainly because of distinguished personages who resided at Shottesbrooke Park. It was the home of Sir William Trussell, a prominent Royal diplomat in the mid-14th century. He built the Decorated Period parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
as an ecclesiastical college in 1337. The church is renowned for its fine memorial brasses
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
and Trussell's beautifully carved double-recessed monument
Church monument
A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a dead person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms, from a simple wall tablet to a large and elaborate structure which may include an effigy of the deceased person and other figures of familial or...
. The 17th century Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, Henry Powle
Henry Powle
Henry Powle was Speaker of the House of Commons of England from January 1689 to February 1689. He was also Master of the Rolls and represented the constituency of Windsor...
, later lived at the Park. He was followed by Francis Cherry
Francis Cherry (non-juror)
Francis Cherry was an English layman and non-juror, known as a philanthropist and benefactor.-Life:The son of William and Anne Cherry of Shottesbrooke in Berkshire, he was born in Maidenhead in 1665, and was a gentleman commoner of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Soon after age 20 he married Eliza,...
, the non-juror
Non-juror
A non-juror is a person who refuses to swear a particular oath.* In British history, non-jurors refused to swear allegiance to William and Mary; see Nonjuring schism...
and patron of Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
. His friend, Henry Dodwell
Henry Dodwell
Henry Dodwell was an Anglo-Irish scholar, theologian and controversial writer.-Life:He was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, William Dodwell, lost his property in Connacht during the Irish rebellion and settled at York in 1648...
, the theologian, lived at Smewins. Later, Governor Henry Vansittart
Henry Vansittart
Henry Vansittart was the English Governor of Bengal from 1759 to 1764.Vansittart was born in Bloomsbury in Middlesex, the third son of Arthur van Sittart . His father and his grandfather, Peter van Sittart , were both wealthy merchants and directors of the Russia Company...
was in residence and his brother, Professor Robert Vansittart
Robert Vansittart (jurist)
Robert Vansittart was an English jurist, antiquarian and rake.-Life:Elder brother of Henry Vansittart, who was to go on to become Governor of Bengal, he grew up in Shottesbrooke in Berkshire and was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Oxford, becoming a fellow of All Souls College,...
also grew up there. Until his death in 2007, the Park was the home of their co-lateral descendant, Sir John Smith
John Lindsay Eric Smith
Sir John Lindsay Eric Smith, CH, CBE was a British banker, Conservative Member of Parliament, and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. He was involved with many architectural, industrial and maritime conservation charities...
, the founder of the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
which has its headquarters in the adjoining farmhouse.