Kellys_1914_0485.jpg

V ILL AGE S DIRECTX )R Y
A R B O B F I E L D is a villa g e and parish on the river L o d d o n , 5 m iles
south-east from R eadin g and 3 w est from W ok in gh a m , in the Eastern
division o f the cou nty, in the hundred of Sonning, p etty sessional division
and union of W ok in gh a m , cou n ty cou rt d istrict o f R ea d in g, rural deanery
o f S on nin g, a rch deacon ry o f B erks and d iocese o f O xford. T h e church
of St. B artholom ew is a buildin g o f flint and stone in the E arly E n gli-h
style, erected in 1863 at a co st o f upw ards o f £ 4 ,0 0 0 , to w hich the late
Sir W illiam B row n hart, o f Liverpool, was the principal co n tr ib u to r ; it
consists o f chancel, nave and north p orch , w estern tow er and spire
containing 6 bells, 5 o f w hich are from the old c h u r c h : the chancel
w in dow s are stained ; there are tw o m em orial w in dow s to m em bers of
the Tovvgood f a m i ly : the church affords 220 sittings. T h e old church
o f St. B a rth olom ew , b u ilt in 1256 o f chalk and flint, stands in the
grounds of A rborfield H a l l ; it is n ow in ruins, the roof, considered
unsafe, having been taken dow n in 1863: th e piscina, sedilia and credence
table, as w ell as som e mural paintings, brasses and monuments rem ain ;
the aisles contain tom bs and tablets to mem bers o f the Standee and
C on roy fam ilies. T h e register dates from the yea r 1706. T h e liv in g is
a, recto ry , net y e a rly value £ 2 4 1 , w ith residence, in the g ift o f M rs.
H argreaves, and held since 1898 b y the R ev . Joshu a A le x a n d e r A n d e r ­
son M .A . of P em b rok e C ollege and R id le y H all, C am b ridge.
H ere is
a C ongregational ch apel, erected in 1899, seatin g 200 persons. T h e old
m anor house, n ow gon e, is d escribed in M iss M itfo rd ’ s “ O ur V i l l a g e ”
as “ the o ld house at A b e rle ig h ,” and th e L o d d o n is celebrated b y P op e
under the nam e of “ L o d o n a .” A rb orfield H a ll, the seat o f M rs. S.
H argreaves, is pleasan tly situated o n th e banks o f th e riv er L o d d o n ,
w ith grounds and park. A rb orfield G ra n ge, the residen ce o f Airs. R ic k ­
man, is a pleasant house, standing in grou nds o f lim ited e x ten t, c o n ­
ta in in g a shrubbery and a m iniature lake. T h e prin cip a l lan d ow n ers
are J oh n R . H argreaves esq. Sir G eorge A rth u r Charles R ussell hart, o f
Sw allow field pa rk , and John W a lte r esq. M .A . o f Bear W o o d .
The
soil is clay and g r a v e l; subsoil, L on don clay. T h e ch ief crop s are
w heat and barley. T h e area is 1,469 acres o f land and w a ter ; rateable
value, £ 2 ,0 4 6 ; the p op u la tion in 1911 was 234.
N ew land is a lib erty one m ile east. T h e area is 1,227 acres o f land
and w ater ; rateable value, £ 2 ,5 5 6 ; th e pop u la tion in 1911 w as 298.
Parish C lerk, W illia m C ox.
K in g ’ s T a x C o llector, W illia m H en ry N o rth , 96 R a d stock rd. R ea d in g
P ost, M . O. & T . O ., S. B. & A n n u ity & In su rance O ffice, N e w la n d .—
J oh n H en ry M a ttin gley, su b-postm aster. L etters a rriv e from R e a d ­
ing at 6.5 0 a.m . & 1.40 & 6 .2 0 p.m . (to callers on ly) ; dispatch ed at
8.15 a .m . & 1.50 & 6.25 p.m . ; Sundays, a rriv e a t 6 .5 0 a.m . ; d is ­
patched 1 2 noon