Arborfield
Local History Society

We are keen to hear from anyone who has reminiscences of life in Arborfield, or who has old photographs that can be shared with others. We would love to see photos of buildings that have since been demolished or changed, or of local characters.

A Potted History

'Arborfield' is in fact two settlements; much of what we know as 'Arborfield Cross' was actually in the Liberty of Newland.

The focal point is the Cross, which has been a crossroads for many centuries. It gained a new meaning in 1920 when the War Memorial was erected.

Celtic remains have been found at Arborfield Court, and Roman pottery was found when work started on the "Badgers' Mount" housing development, and Roman coins have been found in the village centre, which is a couple of miles north of the "Devil's Highway" that linked London with Silchester.

The medieval settlement of Arborfield by the River Loddon included a manor house and wooden church dating from Saxon times; both were later re-built, the church in the 13th Century in flint and chalk, the house much later in 1842. A mill using power and water from the river produced high quality paper. These buildings are shown as they were in 1839 on the Tithe Apportionment map.

By the 15th Century, a group of buildings had already been established at or near the crossroads, with the two Inns creating a centre for trade for the local farming community and travellers. Some of these old buildings are now in the Conservation Area. The Thomas Pride Map of 1790, which you can see in the Reading Local Studies Library, shows the Cross and the old village by the river.

The big growth came in the 20th Century when the Remount Depot was established to the south in Barkham. When it expanded into a garrison, the main entrance happened to be in Arborfield, and the name 'Arborfield Garrison' stuck. Many residents have an Army background, moving into the village when they retired from military life. The British Legion has its County HQ here.

The diversion of the M4 from its original planned route through south Oxfordshire had a profound effect on the village. The new route passed south of Reading with junctions at Winnersh and Three Mile Cross, and large numbers of commuters now use Arborfield to get to and from the Motorway. They've had plenty of time to see the village as they waited to go through the crossroads.

There's been a major change in the pattern of work. A century ago, over half of the residents were 'in service' while most of the rest were in agriculture. Many of the residents now work in the high-tech industries of the Thames Valley.

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Published by Arborfield Local History Society