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HER Number | MWB5293 |
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Record Type | Place |
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Name | BEECH HILL |
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Summary
First version of the name recorded in 14th century; the parish was formed in 1868 from the Berkshire part of Stratfield Saye
Other Statuses and Cross-References
- Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 03922.01.000
Monument Type(s):
- VILLAGE (14th century to Late 19th century - 1384 AD to 1900 AD)
Full Description
<1>'LE BECHEHULLE' IS RECORDED BY A LOCAL MANUSCRIPT IN 1384 ACCORDING TO GELLING. LATER VERSIONS OF THE NAME INCLUDE BECHEHYLL (1572), BEACHILL (1603), BEACH HILL (1761). THE NAME MEANS 'HILL WITH BEECH TREES'. THE PARISH WAS FORMED IN 1868 FROM THE BERKS PART OF STRATFIELD SAYE.
<2> VCH Berkshire has minimal information, but states that the tithing of Beech Hill in Stratfield Saye is absent from the Domesday Survey. Beech Hill belonged to Theale in the reign of Edward I, when it was called Trunkwell; it continued to be a member of that hundred as late as 1587.
There is also the possibility that the name Beech Hill has arisen from the connection with the de la Beche family of Aldworth, who owned the moated manorial site at nearby Beaumy's Castle (just outside West Berkshire); Gelling makes reference to this link <1>.
Sources and further reading
<01> | Gelling, M. 1973. The Place Names of Berkshire - Part One. English Place-Name Society Vol XLIX. p149. [Monograph / SWB10003] |
<02> | Page and Ditchfield (eds). 1923. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks III 1923. Vol 3. P276, 385. [Monograph / SWB10005] http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3 (Accessed 08/03/2022) |
<03> | Morgan, P (ed). 1979. Domesday Book - Berkshire. DB5. not mentioned. [Monograph / SWB14587] https://opendomesday.org/ (Accessed 11/01/2023) |
Related Monuments
MWB5292 | BEECH HILL VILLAGE (Monument) |
MWB16238 | Moated manorial site at Beaumys Castle, 200 NE of Priory Farm, Swallowfield (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
None recordedIf you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.
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