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44

BENSON.

OXFORDSHIRE.

[ k e l l j ’s

B E N S O N (or Bensington) is a large parish and in 1639, provides £1, which is given yearly in monev
village, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Thames, to the poor on St. Thomas’day ; Merryweather’s charity
which separates it from Berkshire, and on the road left in 18x2, consists of £7 yearly, which is expended
from Henley-on-Thames to Oxford, 2 miles north from in outer garments, given to selected poor persons on
allingford terminal station, on a branch from Cholsey Christmas day ; Thomas Smith’s charity of £5, leftin
and Moulsford station on the main line of the Great 1809, is distributed yearly in bread to the poor- R
Western railway, 11 north-west from Henley-on-Thames, A. Newton’s charity of £6, left in 1879, is distributed
12 south-east from Oxford and 14J north-west from yearly in bread to the poor. In the old coaching days
Reading, in the Southern division of the county, partly Benson, being on the high Toad from Oxford to Lon.
’
in the hundred of Ewelme and partly in the hundred don, was a regular stopping place for the coaches on
of Dorchester, petty sessional division of Watlington, this route, and thus acquired a position of importance
and in the union and county court district of Walling­ and prosperity, the various handicrafts connected with
ford, rural deanery of Cuddesdon, archdeaconry and the coaching interest furnishing employment to a large
diocese of Oxford. Bensington was at an early period number of the inhabitants; two la-Tge hotels, the
a place of importance; it was taken by the Saxons in “ Crown ” and “White Hart,” still remain, and arecom571, and here, in 779, King Offa, of Mercia, defeated fortable and well-conducted hostelries. The principal
tbe West Saxons. Traces of a primitive embankment landowners are The Incorporated National Union for
called “Medlers bank,” were visible on the west of Christian Social Service, the trustees of the late Miss
the church within the 19th century. Nearest bridge Mary Macdonald, Magdalen College, Oxford, and the
up, Shillingford, 1J miles; down, Wallingford, same Misses Hedges. The soil is loam ; subsoil, gravel. The
distance. The church of St. Helen, is an edifice of chief crops are wheat, beans, barley and oats. The
stone in mixed styles, consisting of chancel, with organ area, including Fifield, is 2,908 acres of land and 130f
chamber and vestry on the north side, nave, aisles, water; assessable value, £5,129; the population in 1911
south porch and an embattled western tower, rebuilt in was 985 in the civil and 1,010 in the ecclesiastical
1780, with pinnacles at the angles, and containing a parish.
clock and 8 bells: the chancel, originally Late Norman,
Under the provisions of the “Divided Parishes Act,
was rebuilt on the same foundations in 1861, much of 1882,” a detached part of Benson was transferred to
the old work being re-incorporated, and the organ Berrick Salome, and a part of Ewelme added to Ben­
chamber and vestry built: the stained east window is sington for civil purposes.
a memorial to the Powell family: the chancel arch and Post, M. & T. A Telephonic Express Delivery Office.—
nave arcades are Early English, and some of the piers, Edgar John Munday, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive
all of which are circular, have remarkably fine caps: from Wallingford at 5.5 a.m. & 12.20 p.m.; dis­
the windows of the aisles and the south doorway are patched at 10.30 a.m. A 7.40 p.m. A 011 Sundays dis­
14th century Decorated: the nave roof is later, and may
patched at 7.30 p.m
b» assigned to the reign of Henry VII. : the font is
near Wallingford, in the parish of Benson,
Early English; the oldest of the memorials now existing 2^FIFIELD,
es north-east from Wallingford, was formerly a
in the church is a brass, with inscription, to Stephen sepamril
a
t
e
hamlet.
The manor house is an ancient build­
¿smith, of Turner’s Court, 1606; there is also a mural ing, formerly belonging
some religious house; the
tablet with a singular antithetical inscription to Ralph walls are of immense thitcokne
the structure has
Quelch, 1629, and Jane, his wife, 1619; and the church been modernized. The trustesess, obut
once had other brasses to Thos. son and heir of William donald are lords of the manor. f the late Miss Mac­
Freeman, ofPreston Crowmarsh, about 1550, and to Elizh.
CROWMARSH BATTLE, £-of a mile south, is a small
wife of William Stampe, of Crowmarsh Battell, 1590:
there are 300 sittings. The churchyard is neatly kept hamlet of Benson, beautifully seated on the banks o(
t
h
e Thames, and was given by William the Conqueror
and enclosed by a stone wall. The register of baptisms
and burials dates from the year 1565; marriages, 1569. to Battle Abbey, and is now the property of F. P
The living is a vicarage, nej yearly value at present Chamberlain esq. who is lord of the manor.
¿225, with residence, in the gift of Christ Church, Ox­ ROKE, 1 mile north ; ROKE MARSH, three-quarters
ford, and held since 188x by the Rev. John Edward of a mile north; and LITTLEWORTH, are other places
Field M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford, and surrogate. in the parish.
There is a Primitive Methodist chapel, and a Congrega­ Wall Box, Turner’s Court, cleared 8.15 a.m. & 6.5s
tional chapel was erected in 1879 and will seat 250 p.m. A Sundays, 8.25 a.m
persons ; in connection therewith is a hall, seating 200 Wall Box, Preston Crowmarsh, cleared at 10.45 a.m. k
8 p.m. ; Sundays, 7.45 p.m
persons. The Wallingford Colony (Turner’s Court), 515
acres in extent, on the western slope of the Chiltern Wall Box, Castle square, cleared at 10.40 a.m. & 7.55
hills, was purchased in 1911 by the National Union for p.m. ; sundays, 7.40 p.m
Christian Social Service for the training of unemploy­ Wall Box, Roke, cleared at 10.15 a.m. A 6.45 p . m
able men and youths in farming, who are subsequently Elementary School (mixed), enlarged in 1901, for 300
emigrated to the Colonies. The two homes, which were children ; William Arthur Saunders, master
erected in 1912, are capable of holding 120 men and the
Carriers.
necessary staff, and there is a residence for the superin­ Edward A Robert Cherrell, wed. A sat. to Oxford, k
tendent. The total cost for establishing the colony was to Wallingford daily
£26,000. Charities:— The church estate of 57 acres Walter Henry Young A Sidney Winfield, to Wallingford,
produces about £50 yearly; Blacknall’s charity, left dailv
BENSON.
Ruck-Keene Miss, The Paddock
Hedges James, beer retailer
Incorporated National Union for
Talbot George, Jack house
P R IV A T E R E SID E N TS.
Woods J. G. Gould’s grove (postal Christian Social Service (The)
Appelbee Mrs. Mulbeiry cottage
(Wm. Henry Hunt, supt.) (postal
address, Ewelme, Wallingford)
Badcock John, The Cottage
address, Turners Court,Wallingfrd)
COMM ERCIAL.
Burgis Mrs. The Laurels
Lane Ellen (Mrs.), blacksmith
Davies Rev. Gabriel Johns, The Elms Aldridge William, boot maker
Lewendon Charles, millwright
Deane Mrs. West Thoi-pe
Bakbr Mary (Mrs.), draper
Lewendon Mary Ann (Mrs.), beerre­
Dines William Henry F.R.S
Barrett Chas. Fredk.White Hart hotel tailer, The Farmers’Man
Field Rev. John Edward M.A. (vicar A Birch Anthony M.B.Lond., M.R.C.S. Meal Alice(Mrs.),Three HorseshoesP-B
surrogate), Vicarage
Eng. physician A surgeon
Munday Edgar Jn. saddlr. & pos*'
Fletcher Joseph, Willow cottage
Bishop Rebecca Ann (Miss), boarding Painter Jn. Thos. frmr.Newberysfr®
Frampton William, Castle square
house, Chiltern lodge
Passey Bert Rowland, marine storedir
Franklin Mrs. The Limes
Butler A. (Miss), district nuTse, Paxman E. Son A Co. grocers
Hall Mrs. Brook lodge
Brook cottage
Pether Thos. gardener to Mrs. Gree
Hunt William Henry (postal address, Clark Richard, butcher
Price Reginald W. Castle inn
Turners Court, Wallingford)
Cook Harry, haulier
Roadnight Sidney, farmer, Goal
Jenkins Miss, Thames villa
Cook James, farmer, Littleworth
grove (postal address, Ewelme.n
Lane Mrs. The Square
Edmonds Fredk. Thomas,beer retailer lingford)
Legg Rev. Edwin A.T.S. (Free Franklin John Parsons, farmer, Col­ Roche Jeremiah, Sun inn
Church), Ivy house
Roots Marian (Miss), apartmen i
lege farm
Littleboy Mrs. Crown lane
Gray Albert George, sanitaryinspector The Old Mill house
. ,
Morris Edward, Churchfield
to Crowmarsh Rural Dist. Council Saunders William Arthur, assw&
Oakes Capt. Richard John Carey, Gurney Alfred, Toad contractor
overseer A clerk to the FarK
Brookside
Hargreaves Henry, d r a p e T A tailor, Council
Pettit William, Roselea
collector A assessor of Bang’s taxes Smith William Brackley, grocer
Hatt Richard Chas. frmr. Hale farm