Tadley
Encyclopedia
Tadley is a town
and civil parish in the English
county of Hampshire
.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
(AWRE), now known as AWE, became the area's largest employer, and a large number of houses were built during this period to accommodate AWRE workers. Though the establishment was located in the parish of Aldermaston
, most of these houses were built in Tadley.
The origin of the name is uncertain. In old maps and books Tadley can be found spelled as Taddanleage, Tederlei, Titherley, Tudurley, Tadel and Taddeley. As with many other rural British communities, it is assumed that the village began as a clearing in the dense forest which at one time covered the greater part of England. In Old English
, Tadde means 'Toad' or 'Frog' and ley being 'a clearing in the woods', so it possibly means "a clearing in the woods with frogs". Most sources, however, say that the name means "woodland clearing of a man called Tada".
In 909, Edward the Elder
granted the 'Manor of Overton' to Frithstan, Bishop of Winchester
. In the confirmation of this a wood at Tadley is mentioned. The village is mentioned frequently in documents relating to the grant. There was an independent estate in the parish called the 'Manor of Tadley' but later was known as the 'Manor of Withford or Wyford'. In 1166 this property was held by William Hotot. He was succeeded by his son, Robert Hotot in 1205. The first reference to a church at Tadley is in 1286 when Andrew Hotot is recorded as owning the Manor and Church. It could be assumed that a settlement and therefore a church existed at an earlier date in view of the documented references to owners of land at Tadley from 909.
Although the exact location is unknown, it is believed that originally Tadley was a rural agricultural village located near to St. Peter's church. This village flourished until the 17th century. At that time, 12 cottages were pulled down by Henry Ludlow and the villagers scattered. They resettled on the fringe of Pamber Forest and woodland crafts became the main employment. By the 18th century, the centre of the village had moved a couple of miles to the northeast, St Peter's had become isolated from its congregation and in 1888 a new church, St. Saviour's, was built by The Green. Burrell's Farm, a cottage on Main Road, is reputed to have been built in the 15th century and is thought to be the oldest building in Tadley. A congregational chapel was founded in Tadley in 1662; this may be identified with a chapel which was converted into the first village school in 1820. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were many Gypsies or didicoy
in Tadley — they had given up their travelling life to marry into non-Gypsy families and become property owners.
Until the 1950s, the parish
was still heathland and common land
covered in gorse
and blackberries
, with a few scattered settlements. Brick
s used to be made at Tadley Common and the manufacture of besom broom
s — the type of broom that witches are traditionally said to carry — was, and still is, another local industry. Tadley considers itself the home of besom broom making; the brooms that are used on the Queen's
premises are manufactured in Tadley. Relics of these industries can be seen in the names of houses in the village such as Kiln House and Broom Cottage.
With the advent of World War II
an airfield, RAF Aldermaston
, was built on the grounds of Aldermaston Court
which was located on the northern edge of the village. Numerous barracks, administration buildings and maintenance facilities were located throughout Tadley. Local streets such as Hangar Road bear witness to its former usage.
In recent years Tadley has become a township, with residential estates covering the former heathlands. Development has occurred on either side of the Hampshire/Berkshire border following the growth of the Atomic Weapons Establishment on the old Aldermaston airfield in the 1950s and the designation of Basingstoke
as a London overspill
town in the 1970s.
Since the opening of AWE in the 1950s many anti-nuclear demonstration
s have taken place around the base.
, being Baughurst
and Tadley North, Tadley Central and Tadley South. Tadley falls within the area of Basingstoke and Deane District Council
and of Hampshire County Council
and all three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government.
, where it meets Berkshire
.
It is six miles (10 km) north of Basingstoke
, ten miles (16 km) south west of the large town of Reading
and ten miles (16 km) south east of Newbury
.
Nearby villages are Aldermaston
, Baughurst
, Pamber Heath
, Heath End
, Bramley
, Mortimer Common
, and Silchester
.
The main shopping areas in Tadley are on Mulfords Hill and Bishopswood Road, though there are isolated shops in other parts of the town and parish.
Hampshire County Council built a new library for Tadley in 1994. It was opened on 12 October 1994 by Dame Mary Fagan, the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire
.
A local legend dating from the late 19th century claims that there were treacle mines
located in the village, and until well into the 20th century the locals were referred to as "Tadley Treacle Miners". Tadley holds an annual "Treacle Fair" in honour of this legend in early June. It is organised by the Loddon Valley Lions Club, a member of Lions Club International.
, which begins in Basingstoke
to the south and ends in Pangbourne
in Berkshire
, 11 miles (17.7 km) north of Tadley.
with a regular service to Basingstoke
. Newbury Buses and Reading Buses provide a less frequent service to Newbury
and Reading
.
(5 miles (8 km) south east) and (6 miles (9.7 km) south).
Children aged 11 to 16 that receive state-funded education are likely to attend The Hurst Community College
, though this school is actually located in the adjacent village of Baughurst.
Children attending the Hurst school are likely to have attended, aged 5 to 11, one of several primary schools in Tadley or one of the nearby villages. The schools are: Bishopswood Infant and Junior Schools, Burnham Copse Primary School and Junior Schools (which have now been made into one school on the Junior school site as of September 2008), Silchester Church Of England Primary School, Tadley Community Primary School and The Priory Primary School.
, who achieved minor fame during the 1980s
as part of the Reading
football team that won promotion to the Football League Third Division
in 1984 and the Football League Second Division
in 1986, lived in Tadley with his wife Carol. He remained in the area after leaving Reading for Millwall
in 1988 and being transferred to Bristol City
in early 1990. He was killed in a car crash in March 1990, aged 27, less than two weeks after signing for Bristol City. His wife was driving the car but survived.http://www.royals.org/deano.html
Professional footballer and cricketer Len Vallard was also a Tadley resident. Len played for Reading FC from 1958-62, and manager League of Ireland team Sligo Rovers for their 1973 season. Len also played at various times for Tadley FC. He held a unique cricketing record, of having scored five sixes in an over - the sixth ball was so wide he couldn't reach it.
Kathy Smallwood-Cook (born 3 May 1960), one of the most successful female sprinters in British athletics history, was a Tadley resident and attended Burnham Copse Junior School.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
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 of 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...
.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
(AWRE), now known as AWE, became the area's largest employer, and a large number of houses were built during this period to accommodate AWRE workers. Though the establishment was located in the parish of Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
, most of these houses were built in Tadley.
History
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
, Tadde means 'Toad' or 'Frog' and ley being 'a clearing in the woods', so it possibly means "a clearing in the woods with frogs". Most sources, however, say that the name means "woodland clearing of a man called Tada".
In 909, Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
granted the 'Manor of Overton' to Frithstan, Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
. In the confirmation of this a wood at Tadley is mentioned. The village is mentioned frequently in documents relating to the grant. There was an independent estate in the parish called the 'Manor of Tadley' but later was known as the 'Manor of Withford or Wyford'. In 1166 this property was held by William Hotot. He was succeeded by his son, Robert Hotot in 1205. The first reference to a church at Tadley is in 1286 when Andrew Hotot is recorded as owning the Manor and Church. It could be assumed that a settlement and therefore a church existed at an earlier date in view of the documented references to owners of land at Tadley from 909.
Although the exact location is unknown, it is believed that originally Tadley was a rural agricultural village located near to St. Peter's church. This village flourished until the 17th century. At that time, 12 cottages were pulled down by Henry Ludlow and the villagers scattered. They resettled on the fringe of Pamber Forest and woodland crafts became the main employment. By the 18th century, the centre of the village had moved a couple of miles to the northeast, St Peter's had become isolated from its congregation and in 1888 a new church, St. Saviour's, was built by The Green. Burrell's Farm, a cottage on Main Road, is reputed to have been built in the 15th century and is thought to be the oldest building in Tadley. A congregational chapel was founded in Tadley in 1662; this may be identified with a chapel which was converted into the first village school in 1820. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were many Gypsies or didicoy
Didicoy
Didicoy is a term of the Romanichal for travellers with mixed Romani blood. There was often fierce competition between the groups, and the Romanichal tended to blame their own reputation for criminality on the didicoys and other nomadic groups masquerading as "Gypsies".Some families of mixed...
in Tadley — they had given up their travelling life to marry into non-Gypsy families and become property owners.
Until the 1950s, the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
was still heathland and common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
covered in gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
and blackberries
Blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...
, with a few scattered settlements. Brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s used to be made at Tadley Common and the manufacture of besom broom
Besom broom
A besom broom is a traditionally constructed broom made of a bundle of twigs tied to a stouter pole. They are still made today and sold at gardening stores as an outdoor broom.- Construction :...
s — the type of broom that witches are traditionally said to carry — was, and still is, another local industry. Tadley considers itself the home of besom broom making; the brooms that are used on the Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
premises are manufactured in Tadley. Relics of these industries can be seen in the names of houses in the village such as Kiln House and Broom Cottage.
With the advent of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
an airfield, RAF Aldermaston
RAF Aldermaston
RAF Aldermaston was a World War II airfield. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Eighth and Ninth Air Force as a troop carrier group base, and was assigned USAAF station No 467.-Origins:...
, was built on the grounds of Aldermaston Court
Aldermaston Court
Aldermaston Court is a country house built in the Victorian era with incorporations from an earlier house, located in the village of Aldermaston in the English county of Berkshire...
which was located on the northern edge of the village. Numerous barracks, administration buildings and maintenance facilities were located throughout Tadley. Local streets such as Hangar Road bear witness to its former usage.
In recent years Tadley has become a township, with residential estates covering the former heathlands. Development has occurred on either side of the Hampshire/Berkshire border following the growth of the Atomic Weapons Establishment on the old Aldermaston airfield in the 1950s and the designation of Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
as a London overspill
London overspill
London overspill is the term given to the communities created - largely consisting of publicly provided housing - as a result of the Government policy of moving residents out of Greater London, England into other towns around the South East, East Anglia and beyond.-Policy development:The policy...
town in the 1970s.
Since the opening of AWE in the 1950s many anti-nuclear demonstration
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
s have taken place around the base.
Governance
Tadley is a civil parish with an elected town council Tadley Town Council which consists of 4 parish wards, Central Tadley, South Tadley, North Tadley and East Tadley. These occupy some or all of three wards of Basingstoke and Deane District CouncilBasingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its primary settlement is Basingstoke. Other settlements include Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Overton, Oakley, Whitchurch and the hamlet of Deane, some from Basingstoke....
, being Baughurst
Baughurst
Baughurst is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is located west of the town of Tadley, north of Basingstoke. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,473....
and Tadley North, Tadley Central and Tadley South. Tadley falls within the area of Basingstoke and Deane District Council
Basingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its primary settlement is Basingstoke. Other settlements include Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Overton, Oakley, Whitchurch and the hamlet of Deane, some from Basingstoke....
and of Hampshire County Council
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...
and all three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government.
Geography
Tadley lies next to the northern border of HampshireHampshire
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...
, where it meets 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 six miles (10 km) north of Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, ten miles (16 km) south west of the large 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 ten miles (16 km) south east of Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
.
Nearby villages are Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
, Baughurst
Baughurst
Baughurst is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is located west of the town of Tadley, north of Basingstoke. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,473....
, Pamber Heath
Pamber Heath
Pamber Heath is a village in north Hampshire, England. Situated within the civil parish of Pamber, the village lies at the north end of Pamber Forest.-Governance:...
, Heath End
Heath End, Hampshire
Heath End is a small village in Hampshire between Tadley and Baughurst.-Governance:The village is part of the civil parish of Baughurst and is part of the Baughurst and Tadley North ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council. The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County...
, Bramley
Bramley, Hampshire
Bramley is a village and parish in Hampshire, UK. In the 2001 census it had a population of 3,348. It has a village shop, bakery, estate agency, pub and a railway station...
, Mortimer Common
Mortimer Common
Mortimer Common, generally referred to as Mortimer, is a village in the civil parish of Stratfield Mortimer in Berkshire. Mortimer is in the local government district of West Berkshire and is seven miles south-west of Reading.-Geography:...
, 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....
.
Economy
The growth in shopping facilities has been slower than the growth in the population. Though there are shops in small groups throughout the town, there is only one significantly-sized shop, a supermarket. For more extensive choice, it is necessary to go to one of the larger nearby towns, Basingstoke, Reading, or Newbury.The main shopping areas in Tadley are on Mulfords Hill and Bishopswood Road, though there are isolated shops in other parts of the town and parish.
Culture and community
Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire. Since 1688, all the Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Hampshire.*William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester 1551–?*William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester bef...
.
A local legend dating from the late 19th century claims that there were treacle mines
Treacle mining
Treacle mining is the fictitious mining of treacle in a raw form similar to coal. The subject purports to be serious but is an attempt to test credulity. Thick black treacle makes the deception plausible...
located in the village, and until well into the 20th century the locals were referred to as "Tadley Treacle Miners". Tadley holds an annual "Treacle Fair" in honour of this legend in early June. It is organised by the Loddon Valley Lions Club, a member of Lions Club International.
Road
The main road through the town is the A340 roadA340 road
The A340 is a major road in the south of England, portions of which are known as the Aldermaston Road, Tadley Hill, Basingstoke Road and Tidmarsh Road.-Route:...
, which begins in Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
to the south and ends in Pangbourne
Pangbourne
Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. Pangbourne is the home of the independent school, Pangbourne College.-Location:...
in 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...
, 11 miles (17.7 km) north of Tadley.
Bus
Tadley is served by Stagecoach in HampshireStagecoach in Hampshire
Hampshire Bus Company Ltd. trading as Stagecoach in Hampshire is an operating sub-division of Stagecoach South, part of the Stagecoach Group.Its main bases of operation are Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester.-Local:...
with a regular service to Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
. Newbury Buses and Reading Buses provide a less frequent service to Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
and 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....
.
Rail
Tadley does not have a railway station, but is served by (4 miles (6.4 km) north), BramleyBramley (Hampshire) railway station
Bramley railway station is a railway station in the village of Bramley, Hampshire, England.The station is served by First Great Western — local services. The station is north of Basingstoke. The line opened in 1848 but Bramley station did not open until 1895.-Services:From Mondays to Saturdays...
(5 miles (8 km) south east) and (6 miles (9.7 km) south).
Education
The Hurst Community College
The Hurst Community College, previously The Hurst Community School, is a school in the village of Baughurst, which is in the county of Hampshire in England. The school has been awarded specialist Science College status.-Description:...
, though this school is actually located in the adjacent village of Baughurst.
Children attending the Hurst school are likely to have attended, aged 5 to 11, one of several primary schools in Tadley or one of the nearby villages. The schools are: Bishopswood Infant and Junior Schools, Burnham Copse Primary School and Junior Schools (which have now been made into one school on the Junior school site as of September 2008), Silchester Church Of England Primary School, Tadley Community Primary School and The Priory Primary School.
Notable residents
Dean HorrixDean Horrix
Dean Horrix , was an English footballer.He joined Millwall as a striker and made 65 league appearances plus 7 as substitute, scoring 19 goals. He was sold to Gillingham in 1983 and joined Reading later the same year. He formed a successful striking partnership with Trevor Senior and was very...
, who achieved minor fame during the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
as part of the Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
football team that won promotion to the Football League Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
in 1984 and the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1986, lived in Tadley with his wife Carol. He remained in the area after leaving Reading for Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in 1988 and being transferred to Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in early 1990. He was killed in a car crash in March 1990, aged 27, less than two weeks after signing for Bristol City. His wife was driving the car but survived.http://www.royals.org/deano.html
Professional footballer and cricketer Len Vallard was also a Tadley resident. Len played for Reading FC from 1958-62, and manager League of Ireland team Sligo Rovers for their 1973 season. Len also played at various times for Tadley FC. He held a unique cricketing record, of having scored five sixes in an over - the sixth ball was so wide he couldn't reach it.
Kathy Smallwood-Cook (born 3 May 1960), one of the most successful female sprinters in British athletics history, was a Tadley resident and attended Burnham Copse Junior School.