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The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.


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HER Number MWB16003
Record Type Monument
Name Brick lined 'culverts' at Shaw House

Grid Reference SU 475 684
Map Sheet SU46NE
Parish Shaw-cum-Donnington, West Berkshire
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Summary

Documentary evidence of culverts at Shaw House

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

  • Conservation Area: Shaw House and St Mary's Church, Shaw
  • Registered Park or Garden (II) 1001446: Shaw House

Monument Type(s):

  • CULVERT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full Description

During construction work at the school in 1943 a number of culverts were discovered. Workmen undertaking repairs at Shaw House in the 1970s remembered a hole appearing along a path leading from arch and going past the stables. Thought it to be subsidence into a cellar or underground structure. Brickwork was visible in the hole <1>.

There is also a reference to what was said to be 'a bricked-up entrance to an underground passage to Donnington Castle' <2>. Stories often link Shaw House to Donnington Castle, though an underground connection is very unlikely due to the distance involved.

Sources and further reading

<01>Cannon, P. 2002/2003. Brick lined 'culverts' at Shaw House. [Unpublished document / SWB13609]
<02>Newbury District Field Club. 1937. TRANS NEWBURY DISTRICT FIELD CLUB 1937 VOL 7 NO 4. p217-8 Notes on Alterations to the House (Shaw) since its Building by Thomas Dolman in 1581. [Article in serial / SWB10479]
<03>Newbury Museum. 1997. Record of items (plans, photos etc) discovered at Shaw House during construction work during 1943.. [Unpublished document / SWB13281]

Related Monuments

MWB5023Shaw House (Building)

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

  • None recorded