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| HER Number | MWB16386 |
|---|
| Record Type | Place |
|---|
| Name | Hermitage |
|---|
| Parish | Hermitage, West Berkshire |
|---|
Summary
Parish largely formed from part of Hampstead Norreys, including Hermitage village and Wellhouse and Little Hungerford hamlets
Monument Type(s):
Full Description
The first reference to Hermitage as a place seems to be in 1641<1>; it is marked on Rocque's map <2> but does not appear to have had many buildings until the 19th century. The origin of its name appears to be unknown apart from the obvious connotation of the abode of a hermit <1>. Gelling <9> also references 'Le Eremytage Hedge' in Land Revenue Miscellaneous Books of 1550.
It was part of the civil parish of Hampstead Norreys until at least 1887 <3>, although it was a separate ecclesiastical district by 1840 (not parish as reported by some sources eg <4>), and its own ecclesiastical parish by 1901. Gray's history <5> notes that Oare and Hermitage were strongholds of Quakers, and there was a meeting house on Oare Common. A chapel of ease was built in Hermitage in 1835 <5>.
Hermitage's parish boundaries have altered in the 20th century, drawing in the areas of Oare Common and Boars Hole Farm but losing land to the north of the M4.
The 21st century settlement of Hermitage encompasses the previously separate dwellings at Little Hungerford. Wellhouse remains as a separate hamlet, largely of historic estate buildings.
West Berkshire Museum has a coloured photograph showing Church Road in 1906 <12>.
An aerial photograph from 1928 <13> shows the northern part of the village with the brickworks.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Marr, R (compiler). 2000. Hermitage 2000. p1-30, Photos p1-51. [Unpublished document / SWB14467] |
| <02> | Rocque, J. 1761. Rocque's Map of Berkshire. 1:35,000 (approx). Marked 'Hermitage'. [Map / SWB7242]
https://www.rct.uk/collection/700042/rocques-map-of-berkshire (Accessed 09/02/2021) |
| <03> | Dils, J (ed). 1998. An Historical Atlas of Berkshire. viii, ix. [Monograph / SWB13916] |
| <04> | Page and Ditchfield (eds). 1924. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks IV 1924. Vol 4. p73. [Monograph / SWB10281]
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4 (Accessed 24/09/2015) |
| <05> | Gray, E W (ed)?. pre 1839. The History and Antiquities of Newbury and its Environs. p222. [Monograph / SWB11182]
https://archive.org/details/historyandantiq00unkngoog (Accessed 16/07/2019) |
| <06> | Chapman, R. 1990. A Record of the History and Inhabitants of Hampstead Norreys Parish. [Monograph / SWB13581] |
| <07> | Morgan, P (ed). 1979. Domesday Book - Berkshire. DB5. not mentioned. [Monograph / SWB14587]
https://opendomesday.org/ (Accessed 11/01/2023) |
| <08> | Betjeman, J and Piper, J (eds). 1949. Murray's Berkshire Architectural Guide. p129. [Monograph / SWB10404] |
| <09> | Gelling, M. 1973. The Place Names of Berkshire - Part One. English Place-Name Society Vol XLIX. p252. [Monograph / SWB10003] |
| <10> | Berkshire Archaeological Society et al. 1910-11. BERKS, BUCKS AND OXON ARCH J 1910 VOL 16 NO 1 - KEEP THIS RECORD BUT EDIT OTHER VOL 16 ONES. In ADS Journals. 10.5284/1000017. p? SPURIOUS. [Article in serial / SWB10530]
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/berks_bas_2007/journal.cfm?volume=16 (Accessed 02/02/2016) |
| <11> | Greenaway, D and Dunlop, L. 2011. Around the Three Valleys. p160. [Monograph / SWB148275] |
| <12> | Museum Curator. Newbury Museum Accession Records (West Berkshire Museum since 1998). 2022 WBC Network. NEBYM:2000.20.130. [Unpublished document / SWB14452] |
| <13> | Aerofilms. 01/09/1928. Britain from Above - AFL3173, EPW023274. Aerial Photo. [Photograph / SWB149056]
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw023274 (Accessed 04/07/2016) |
| <14> | CgMs. 2017. Land at Charlotte Close, Hermitage - Heritage Assessment Report. 2018 WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB149371] |
| <15> | RPS. 2020. Charlotte Close, Hermitage, Berks: Heritage Assessment. JAC 26141. WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB149796] |
Related Monuments
| MWB21473 | Crossways House, Marlston Road, Hermitage (formerly Temple Villa) (Building) |
| MWB21435 | Former Police Station, 6-7 Marlston Road, Hermitage (Building) |
| MWB5272 | HERMITAGE CHALK MINES (Monument) |
| MWB12613 | HERMITAGE/OARE (Find Spot) |
| MWB16387 | Holy Trinity Church, Hermitage (Building) |
| MWB11899 | Near Hermitage - approximate location (Find Spot) |
| MWB21474 | Post Office House and Stores, High Street, Hermitage (Building) |
| MWB16022 | Site of Hermitage Brickworks (Monument) |
| MWB6108 | Site of Hermitage Depot railway sidings (Monument) |
| MWB16023 | Site of Kiln Farm Brick and Tile Works, Oare (Monument) |
| MWB6110 | Station House, Station Road, Hermitage (former Hermitage Railway Station) (Building) |
| MWB21472 | Wolverton Lodge, High Street, Hermitage (Building) |
| MWB4166 | HAMPSTEAD NORREYS VILLAGE (Place) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1758 | Charlotte Close, Hermitage, Berks: Heritage Assessment (Ref: JAC 26141) |
| EWB1620 | Land at Charlotte Close, Hermitage - Heritage Assessment (Ref: MD/23087) |
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