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.
| HER Number | MWB21173 |
|---|
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|
| Name | Site of The Firs, Stockcross |
|---|
Summary
Former location of a house of at least 19th century date, demolished by 1970, once with entrance gates apparently moved from Benham Valence
Monument Type(s):
Full Description
A house named The Firs is shown on Furze Hill on the First Edition Ordnance Survey mapping <1> but had been demolished by the 5th Epoch OS of 1969 <2>. It might be represented on the early 19th century Ordnance Survey Drawing <3>.
Walter Money's 1892 history of Speen <4> includes a reference to The Firs, which then had gates fixed to its entrance which Money thought had come from Benham Park. The gates had originally led from the Bath Road to a lavish mausoleum that the Margravine of Anspach (previously Lady Craven) erected to her husband in the grounds at the rear of their mansion at Benham Valence. The memorial was erected after 1806, but removed after 1828.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Landmark. 1872-85. Digital Ordnance Survey Mapping Epoch 1, 1:2500 (25 inch). Digital. 1:2500. Marked 'The Firs'. [Map / SWB14341] |
| <02> | Ordnance Survey. 1962-1981. Ordnance Survey Epoch 5, 1:2500. 1:2500. Not shown. [Map / SWB14665] |
| <03> | Ordnance Survey. 1812. Ordnance Survey Drawing of Lambourn; BL OSD 159. Two inch to the mile. Schematically marked. [Map / SWB147328]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ordnance_Survey_Drawings_-_Lambourn_(OSD_159).jpg (Accessed on 23/06/2022) |
| <04> | Money, W. 1892. The History of Speen. p100, Footnote 2. [Monograph / SWB11824] |
Related Monuments
| MWB15772 | Benham Park, West Lodge gate piers (Monument) |
| MWB17768 | Site of mausoleum to the Margrave of Anspach, near the Bath Road, Speen (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
None recordedIf you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.
Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.