Wokefield
Encyclopedia
Wokefield is a civil parish in the West Berkshire
district of Berkshire
, England
, south of the borough of Reading
. The parish includes the hamlets of Grazeley Green, Goddard's Green
and Bloomfield Hatch
, and the 18th century mansion of Wokefield Park
. Wokefield Civil Parish includes part of the former Parish of Sulhamstead Bannister Upper End
and Grazeley
.
To the North lies the Parish and villages of Burghfield
, and Burghfield Common. To the East lies the Parish and village of Grazeley
, and the Parish of Shinfield
. To the South lies the Parish and villages of Stratfield Mortimer
, and Mortimer Common
.
but was eventually left empty and fell into disrepair in the 1980s, before being purchased and refurbished as a hotel, conference facility and leisure complex, including for an 18 hole golf course set in the former grounds.
The Burghfield Brook
lies at the northern border of Wokefield Common, a notable feature of this watercourse is Pullens Pond, formed where this brook is damned by a forest access road within the common. To the east of this area the brook continues into a small valley, referred to as Burghfield Slade, which contains a larger reservoir of water. Burghfield Brook then continues to the northeast, leaving the parish, and in turn feeds into Foudry Brook.
There is a second watercourse, Lockram Brook
, which runs northeast through the parish. There is a large water reservoir, Millbarn Pond, along its length. The brook joins into Burghfield Brook near Grazeley Green.
There are a number of farms in the parish, including Wokefield Farm, Burnthouse Farm, James's farm, Chandlers farm, Pitchkettle Farm, Woodside Farm, Grazeley Manor Farm and Pierce's farm.
proper, and is in a different parish. It lies east of Burghfield
Common, and is only a few hundred metres south of AWE Burghfield
. To the east lies the Reading to Basingstoke railway line and Wokefield parish boundary. Notable buildings in the hamlet include Grazeley Manor Farm and the Old Bell Pub and Inn.
West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.-Geography:...
district 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...
, England
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...
, south of the borough 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....
. The parish includes the hamlets of Grazeley Green, Goddard's Green
Goddard's Green, Berkshire
Goddard's Green is a hamlet in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Wokefield.The settlement lies between the villages of Burghfield Common and Mortimer Common, and is located approximately south-east of Reading.-External links:...
and Bloomfield Hatch
Bloomfield Hatch
Bloomfield Hatch is a hamlet in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Wokefield.The settlement lies near to the villages of Stratfield Mortimer and Beech Hill, and is located approximately south-east of Reading. It is located immediately to the East of Wokefield Park.Bloomfield Hatch...
, and the 18th century mansion of Wokefield Park
Wokefield Park
Wokefield Park is an 18th century country house, now a training centre surrounded by a golf course, in the civil parish of Wokefield, near Mortimer, in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
. Wokefield Civil Parish includes part of the former Parish of Sulhamstead Bannister Upper End
Sulhamstead
Sulhamstead is a village, electoral district and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It lies off the A4 national route between Reading and Thatcham, some west of central London.-Location:thumb|left|250px|1888 Ordnance Survey Parish Boundary Map...
and Grazeley
Grazeley
Grazeley is a small village and former civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It lies about four miles south of Reading at . To the East lies the Village of Spencers Wood. To the West lie the villages of Grazeley Green and Wokefield. To the South lies the village of Beech Hill.-Local...
.
To the North lies the Parish and villages of Burghfield
Burghfield
Burghfield is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, close to the boundary with Reading.-Location:Burghfield is about southwest of Reading...
, and Burghfield Common. To the East lies the Parish and village of Grazeley
Grazeley
Grazeley is a small village and former civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It lies about four miles south of Reading at . To the East lies the Village of Spencers Wood. To the West lie the villages of Grazeley Green and Wokefield. To the South lies the village of Beech Hill.-Local...
, and the Parish of Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
. To the South lies the Parish and villages of Stratfield Mortimer
Stratfield Mortimer
Stratfield Mortimer is a village and civil parish, just south of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire.Strictly speaking, the village of Stratfield Mortimer sits at the foot of Mortimer Hill which rises westward from the Foudry Brook. The much larger, and better known, village of Mortimer...
, and 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:...
.
Wokefield park
Wokefield Park is an 18th century country house, now a training centre surrounded by a golf course. The main house of Wokefield Park, as it now stands, was probably built for the Brocas family when they re-acquired the property sometime before 1777. For a time it was used as a borstalBorstal
A borstal was a type of youth prison in the United Kingdom, run by the Prison Service and intended to reform seriously delinquent young people. The word is sometimes used loosely to apply to other kinds of youth institution or reformatory, such as Approved Schools and Detention Centres. The court...
but was eventually left empty and fell into disrepair in the 1980s, before being purchased and refurbished as a hotel, conference facility and leisure complex, including for an 18 hole golf course set in the former grounds.
Wokefield Common
Wokefield Common is an area of mixed Woodland on the Parishes Northern Border with Burghfield Common. It has been declared a Wildlife Heritage Site by West Berkshire Councils Countryside Service, and is described as a quiet site with a network of paths leading through tall pine and broadleaf woodland, ponds, small areas of heather and rich wet gullies. The 60 Ha site is managed by the Countryside Service alongside the landowner and the Wokefield Common Advisory Committee. The main entrance is located off the Goring Lane on the outskirts of Burghfield, although there are several public bridleways and public footpaths that criss-cross the common.Geography
Wokefield Parish varies between 40m and 95m above sea level as measured against ordnance datum. Aside from Wokefield Common there are a number of smaller woods and coppices within the parish, including Pitchkettle Wood, Rookery Wood, Bell Copse and Pond Wood (part of Wokefield Park.)The Burghfield Brook
Burghfield Brook
Burghfield Brook is a small stream in southern England. It rises in Wokefield Common between the Berkshire villages of Mortimer and Burghfield Common. The Burghfield Brook forms Burghfields southern border with Wokefield Parish. A notable feature of this watercourse within Wokefield Common is...
lies at the northern border of Wokefield Common, a notable feature of this watercourse is Pullens Pond, formed where this brook is damned by a forest access road within the common. To the east of this area the brook continues into a small valley, referred to as Burghfield Slade, which contains a larger reservoir of water. Burghfield Brook then continues to the northeast, leaving the parish, and in turn feeds into Foudry Brook.
There is a second watercourse, Lockram Brook
Lockram Brook
Lockram Brook is a small stream in southern England. It rises near the Berkshire village of Mortimer within various areas of woodland and farmland, including Wokefield Common, Starvale Woods and Lukin's Wood. It travels North East towards Wokefield, passing under Lockrams Lane near Wokefield Farm...
, which runs northeast through the parish. There is a large water reservoir, Millbarn Pond, along its length. The brook joins into Burghfield Brook near Grazeley Green.
There are a number of farms in the parish, including Wokefield Farm, Burnthouse Farm, James's farm, Chandlers farm, Pitchkettle Farm, Woodside Farm, Grazeley Manor Farm and Pierce's farm.
Grazeley Green
The Hamlet of Grazeley Green lies some distance to the west of Grazeley VillageGrazeley
Grazeley is a small village and former civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It lies about four miles south of Reading at . To the East lies the Village of Spencers Wood. To the West lie the villages of Grazeley Green and Wokefield. To the South lies the village of Beech Hill.-Local...
proper, and is in a different parish. It lies east of Burghfield
Burghfield
Burghfield is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, close to the boundary with Reading.-Location:Burghfield is about southwest of Reading...
Common, and is only a few hundred metres south of AWE Burghfield
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...
. To the east lies the Reading to Basingstoke railway line and Wokefield parish boundary. Notable buildings in the hamlet include Grazeley Manor Farm and the Old Bell Pub and Inn.