Swallowfield
Encyclopedia
Swallowfield is a village
and civil parish in the English
county
of Berkshire
. It is situated 5 miles (8 km) south of the town of Reading
, and 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the county boundary with Hampshire
.
The civil parish of Swallowfield also includes the nearby villages of Riseley
and Farley Hill
, and is in turn is within the Borough of Wokingham
.
Swallowfield Park
is a stately home
situated in an estate
half a mile north east of the village. The current mansion has been converted into exclusive apartments.
Swallowfield has been the home of a number of famous persons including Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt
, the Governor of Fort St. George; William Backhouse
, the Rosicrucian
philosopher; Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon
; and, in his childhood, Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon
. The 19th century authoress, Mary Russell Mitford
retired to the village and is buried in the churchyard
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish 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
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
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...
. It is situated 5 miles (8 km) south of the town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, and 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the county boundary with Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
The civil parish of Swallowfield also includes the nearby villages of Riseley
Riseley, Berkshire
Riseley is a village in the English county of Berkshire, adjacent to the border with the county of Hampshire. The village was formerly on the main A33 road between Reading and Basingstoke , but is now bypassed by a newer route from just south of Riseley to the M4 motorway on the southern fringes...
and Farley Hill
Farley Hill, Berkshire
Farley Hill is a village in the English county of Berkshire.For local government purposes, the village is within the civil parish of Swallowfield, which in turn is within the unitary authority of Wokingham....
, and is in turn is within the Borough of Wokingham
Wokingham (district)
Wokingham is a local government district in Berkshire, United Kingdom. It is named after its main town, Wokingham. Other places in the district include Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst, Sonning, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Wargrave, Three Mile Cross, Winnersh,...
.
Swallowfield Park
Swallowfield Park
Swallowfield Park is a Grade II* listed stately home and estate in the English county of Berkshire. The house is situated near the village of Swallowfield, some 4 miles south of the town of Reading.-The House :...
is a stately home
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
situated in an estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
half a mile north east of the village. The current mansion has been converted into exclusive apartments.
Swallowfield has been the home of a number of famous persons including Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt
Thomas Pitt
Thomas Pitt , born at Blandford Forum, Dorset, to a rector and his wife, was a British merchant involved in trade with India....
, the Governor of Fort St. George; William Backhouse
William Backhouse
William Backhouse was a renowned English Rosicrucian philosopher, alchemist, and astrologer. He was born on 17 January 1593 at Swallowfield Park, some 5 miles south of Reading in the county of Berkshire, a younger son of Samuel Backhouse...
, the Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
philosopher; Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde 2nd Earl of Clarendon PC was an English aristocrat and politician. He held high office at the beginning of the reign of James II of England, who had married his sister.-Early life:...
; and, in his childhood, Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon , styled Viscount Cornbury between 1674 and 1709, was Governor of New York and New Jersey between 1701 and 1708, and is perhaps best known for the claims of his cross-dressing while in office.-Career:Born The Hon...
. The 19th century authoress, Mary Russell Mitford
Mary Russell Mitford
Mary Russell Mitford , was an English author and dramatist. She was born at Alresford, Hampshire. Her place in English literature is as the author of Our Village...
retired to the village and is buried in the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
.