Wokingham is a
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
in
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
, England, west of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, southeast of
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, north of
Camberley
Camberley is a town in the Borough of Surrey Heath in Surrey, England, approximately south-west of Central London. The town is in the far west of the county, close to the borders of Hampshire and Berkshire. Once part of Windsor Forest, Cambe ...
and west of
Bracknell
Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Bracknell Forest, Borough of Bracknell Forest. It l ...
.
History
![Wokingham Baptist Church, Berkshire, England](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Wokingham_Baptist_Church%2C_Berkshire%2C_England.jpg)
Wokingham means 'Wocca's people's home'.
Wocca was apparently a
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
chieftain who may also have owned lands at
Wokefield
Wokefield is a hamlet and civil parish in the West Berkshire district of Berkshire, England, south of Reading. The parish includes the hamlets of Goddard's Green and Bloomfield Hatch. It also includes part of the former parish of Sulhamstead an ...
in Berkshire and
Woking
Woking ( ) is a town and borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in northwest Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'' and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement o ...
in Surrey.
In
Victorian times
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardi ...
, the name became corrupted to ''Oakingham'',
and consequently the
acorn
The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'' and '' Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains one seed (occasionally
two seeds), enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne ...
with
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
leaves is the town's heraldic charge, granted in the 19th century. Geologically, Wokingham sits at the northern end of the
Bagshot Formation
In geology, the Bagshot Beds are a series of sands and clays of shallow-water origin, some being fresh-water, some marine. They belong to the upper Eocene formation of the London and Hampshire basins, in England and derive their name from Bagsh ...
, overlying
London clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian (early Eocene Epoch, c. 56–49 million years ago) age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for its fossil content. The fossils from t ...
, suggesting a prehistorical origin as a marine estuary. The courts of Windsor Forest were held at Wokingham and the town had the right to hold a market from 1219.
The
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. The see is in the City of Salisbury where the bishop's seat ...
was largely responsible for the growth of the town during this period. He set out roads and plots making them available for rent.
There are records showing that in 1258 he bought the rights to hold three town fairs every year.
/ref>
Elizabeth I of England, Queen Elizabeth granted a town charter in 1583. From the 14th to the 16th centuries, Wokingham was well known for its bell foundry
Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting ...
which supplied many churches across the South of England
Southern England, or the South of England, also known as the South, is an area of England consisting of its southernmost part, with cultural, economic and political differences from the Midlands and the North. Officially, the area includes Gr ...
. During the Tudor period, Wokingham was well known as a producer of silk. Some of the houses involved in these cottage industries are still to be seen in Rose Street. The houses with the taller ground floors housed the looms. This can be seen from the position of the exterior beams of the houses. It is said that one of the original mulberry
''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 identif ...
bushes (favourite food of the silk worm), still remains in one of the gardens. In the years 1643–44 Wokingham was regularly raided by both sides in the Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. These raids would involve the looting of livestock and trading goods, and over thirty buildings were burnt down, accounting for nearly 20% of buildings in the town at that time. It was not until the early 18th century that Wokingham had fully recovered.
Wokingham was once famous for its bull-baiting
Bull-baiting is a blood sport involving pitting a bull against dogs.
History England
Crowds in London during the Royal Entry of James VI and I in March 1604 were entertained by bull-baiting. During the time of Queen Anne, bull-baiting was p ...
. In 1661 George Staverton left a bequest in his will giving two bulls to be tethered in the Market Place and baited by dogs on St. Thomas' Day (21 December) each year. The bulls were paraded around the town a day or two before the event and then locked in the yard of the original ''Rose Inn'' which was situated on the site of the present-day Superdrug store. People travelled from miles around to see the dangerous spectacle. A number of dogs would be maimed or killed during the event and the bulls were eventually destroyed. The meat and leather were distributed amongst the poor people of the town. Some of the spectators also sustained fatal injuries. In 1794 on the morning after the bull-baiting Elizabeth North was found dead and covered with bruises. In 1808, 55-year-old Martha May died after being hurt by fighters in the crowd. The cruel 'sport' was prohibited by the Corporation in 1821 but bulls were still provided at Christmas and the meat distributed to the poor. Bull-baiting was banned by Act of Parliament in 1833.
In 1723, the 'Black Act
The Act 9 Geo 1 c 22, commonly known as the Black Act, or the Waltham Black Act, and sometimes called the Black Act 1722, the Black Act 1723, the Waltham Black Act 1722, the Criminal Law Act 1722, or the Criminal Law Act 1723, was an Act of t ...
' was passed in Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
to make it an offence to black one's face to commit criminal acts. It was named after an infamous band of ruffians, known as the 'Wokingham Blacks', who terrorised the local area until 29 of them were arrested after fighting a pitched battle with Grenadier Guards
"Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it."
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = Slow: " Scipio"
, mascot =
, equipment =
, equipment ...
in Bracknell
Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Bracknell Forest, Borough of Bracknell Forest. It l ...
. The formerly important industry of brick-making
A brickworks, also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock (the most common material from which bricks are made), often with a quarry for cl ...
has given way to software development
Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development invol ...
, light engineering and service industries
Service industries are those not directly concerned with the production of physical goods (such as agriculture and manufacturing).
Some service industries, including transportation, wholesale trade and retail trade are part of the supply chain del ...
, and the population has greatly increased.
Governance
Northern Wokingham, centred on Ashridge, was, archaically
In language, an archaism (from the grc, ἀρχαϊκός, ''archaïkós'', 'old-fashioned, antiquated', ultimately , ''archaîos'', 'from the beginning, ancient') is a word, a sense of a word, or a style of speech or writing that belongs to a hi ...
, a detached part of Wiltshire
Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
. This area extended well into the town centre (and the area currently where the Dowlesgreen, Norreys and Bean Oak estates currently are situated) until transferred to Berkshire in 1844. The ancient parish was divided in 1894 into urban and rural civil parishes, Wokingham Without
Wokingham Without is a civil parish in the Wokingham district of the English county of Berkshire. It was formed in 1894 when the parish of Wokingham was split into two parts — one rural and one urban. The population of the civil parish as of the ...
forming the latter. Wokingham was one of the boroughs left unreformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 (5 & 6 Will 4 c 76), sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales. The legisl ...
, and was reformed subsequently in 1883. Wokingham merged with the Wokingham Rural District
Wokingham Rural District was a rural district in the county of Berkshire, England. It was created in 1894. It was named after and administered from Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town in Berkshire, England, west of London, southea ...
in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
to form the non-metropolitan district of Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town in Berkshire, England, west of London, southeast of Reading, north of Camberley and west of Bracknell.
History
Wokingham means 'Wocca's people's home'. Wocca was apparently a Saxon chieftain who may als ...
, which has been a unitary authority area
A unitary authority is a local government, local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the ...
since 1998. It consists of 54 elected councillors and is presided over by one councillor who is elected annually to be the chairman of the council.
Elections to the council are held in three out of every four years. In May 2022, the Conservative party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
lost it’s majority on the Borough Council and since then the council has been run by the Liberal Democrats in partnership with Labour and Independent councillors. The Borough Council Offices are based at Shute End in the town of Wokingham. A successor parish
Successor parishes are civil parishes with a parish council, created in England in 1974. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of urban districts and municipal boroughs: a total of 300 successor parishes were formed from the fo ...
continued in existence in Wokingham and is governed by Wokingham Town Council. The council is elected every four years and consists of twenty-five councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
s representing Emmbrook, Evendons, Norreys and Wescott, the four wards
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
of the town. Every year, they elect one of their number as mayor. Wokingham Town Hall
Wokingham Town Hall is a municipal building in Wokingham, Berkshire, England. The building is the meeting place of Wokingham Town Council and is a Grade II* listed building.
History
The original building on the site was a medieval guildhall co ...
was erected on the site of the old guildhall
A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...
in 1860. The Wokingham constituency's MP is the Conservative John Redwood
Sir John Alan Redwood (born 15 June 1951) is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wokingham in Berkshire since 1987. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Secretary of State for Wales in the Major government ...
, who has represented it since 1987.
Geography
Wokingham is on the Emm Brook
The Emm Brook, sometimes known as the Embrook or Emmbrook, is a small river in the English county of Berkshire. It is a tributary of the River Loddon which it meets at the village of Hurst.
The Wokingham suburb of Emmbrook is named after the r ...
in the Loddon Valley in central Berkshire situated west of central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
. It sits between the larger towns of Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
and Bracknell and was originally in a band of agricultural land on the western edge of Windsor Forest
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
*Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
*Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wind ...
. The soil
Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...
is a rich loam
Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...
with a subsoil
Subsoil is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. Like topsoil, it is composed of a variable mixture of small particles such as sand, silt and clay, but with a much lower percentage of organic matter and humus, and it ...
of sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...
and gravel
Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.
Gravel is classifi ...
. Wokingham has a town centre, with main residential areas radiating in all directions. These include Woosehill
Woosehill is a suburb of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire.
Woosehill – spelled incorrectly as ''Woose Hill'' on Ordnance Survey maps – is the north-western region of Wokingham, adjoining Emmbrook. The Emm Brook forms its easter ...
to the west, Emmbrook to the northwest, Dowlesgreen, Norreys Norreys (also spelt Norris) may refer to various members of, or estates belonging to, a landed family chiefly seated in the English counties of Berkshire and Lancashire and the Irish county of Cork.
Famous family members
*Baron Norreys of Rycote
* ...
, Keephatch and Bean Oak to the east, and to the south Wescott and Eastheath. Older names include Woodcray and Luckley Green.
Much of Wokingham has been developed over the past 80 years. Woosehill and Dowlesgreen were built on farmland in the late 1960s and early '70s, along with Bean Oak. Keephatch was built in the early '90s. The Norreys Estate
The Norreys Estate is a housing estate, part of the Dowlesgreen area of Wokingham in the England, English county of Berkshire, situated just east of the town centre.
Before 1844, the area was Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, officially a detach ...
was built in the 1960s; however, Norreys Avenue is the oldest residential road in that area, having been built in the late 1940s as emergency housing following the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Norreys Avenue has a horseshoe shape and occupies the site of the demolished Norreys Manor. Much of the road contains 1940s-style prefabricated house
Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes or simply prefabs, are specialist dwelling types of prefabricated building, which are manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled. ...
s, although there are some brick houses along with three blocks of 1950s police houses.
In 2010, the council set up WEL (Wokingham Enterprise Limited) to manage a £100m regeneration project to redevelop the town centre with new retail, leisure and residential facilities, parking, roads and open spaces. Several major expansion projects around the town are planned over the next decade, including a major redevelopment of the town centre, new north and south relief roads and at the former military base at nearby Arborfield
Arborfield is a village on the A327 road in Berkshire about south-east of Reading, about west of Wokingham. It lies in the civil parish of Arborfield and Newland in the Borough of Wokingham, about west of its sister village of Arborfield C ...
Garrison. As of 2015, the redevelopment of the railway station and surrounding area is complete, and large scale housing construction is underway to the north-east and south-east of the town.
Transport
The A329(M) motorway
The A329(M) is a motorway in Berkshire, England. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) long and runs from the west of Bracknell to the north west of Winnersh. It is one of a small number of parts of the motorway system in England that are managed by the ...
, accessible from the east of town, connects Wokingham to Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
and the rest of the motorway network at junction 10 of the M4. The Wokingham junction is where the A329(M) ends and becomes the A322, for Bracknell
Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Bracknell Forest, Borough of Bracknell Forest. It l ...
and the M3.
Wokingham railway station
Wokingham railway station serves the market town of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. It is down the line from via Redhill. It is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line with the North Downs Line.
South Western Railway manages the ...
is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat
* Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place.
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Antarctica
*King George Island (S ...
with the North Downs Line
The North Downs Line is a passenger-train line connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Redhill and , along the Brighton Main Line, linking many centres of population in that part of the North Downs which it traverses en route.
...
. South Western Railway manages the station and provides services, along with Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
.
Most local bus services are provided by Thames Valley Buses
Thames Valley Buses, known until 2021 as Courtney Buses is a bus company based in Bracknell, England. Founded in 1973, the company operates a network of commercial and contracted local bus services and school buses in Berkshire, north Hampshire ...
, but the services from Wokingham to Reading and Bracknell are operated by Reading Buses
Reading Buses is a bus operator serving the towns of Reading, Bracknell, Newbury, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Wokingham and the surrounding areas in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire, England, as well as parts of Greater L ...
, after First Berkshire & The Thames Valley
First Beeline Buses, trading as First Berkshire & The Thames Valley, is a bus operator providing services in and around Slough. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup.
History
In January 1986 Alder Valley North Limited, later renamed, The Berks B ...
closed their Bracknell
Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Bracknell Forest, Borough of Bracknell Forest. It l ...
depot in the summer of 2015. There is also a football bus run on Reading FC
Reading Football Club ( ) is a professional football club based in Reading, Berkshire, England. The team play in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The club is managed by Paul Ince.
Reading are nicknamed ...
match days by Stagecoach South
Stagecoach South is a bus operator providing services in South East England. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach. It operates services in Hampshire, Surrey, and Sussex with some routes extending into Brighton and Wiltshire. It operates 487 buses fr ...
to the Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium (currently known as the Select Car Leasing Stadium for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Reading. It is the home of Reading Football Club, who play in the EFL Championship. It also provides the finish for the Rea ...
.
Institutions
Charities
* The redundant Lucas Hospital, almshouse
An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...
s founded in 1663 for sixteen elderly men from the surrounding parishes.
* Wokingham United Charities providing grants to people living within the Wokingham area relieving poverty, hardship, and distress. Also providing sheltered accommodation for local people.
Churches
*All Saints' Church (CofE). Now a Grade 2* listed historic building. Founded in 1180 as a chapel-of-ease from Sonning
Sonning is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, on the River Thames, east of Reading. The village was described by Jerome K. Jerome in his book ''Three Men in a Boat'' as "the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river".
Geogr ...
. Extensively re-built in the late 15th century and restored and expanded in the mid-19th century.
* Corpus Christi Catholic Church
* St. Paul's Church (CofE), built by John Walter III in 1864
* Wokingham Baptist Church
* Wokingham Methodist Church
* Christ Church Wokingham (CofE). Officially The Church at the White House, Christ Church is not a church building but an extra-parochial congregation currently meeting temporarily in hired premises.
* Woosehill Community Church
* Norreys Church
* Kings Church Wokingham
Manors
* Evendon's Manor
* Ashridge Manor (now in Hurst, Berkshire
Hurst is a village in the civil parish of St Nicholas Hurst in the English county of Berkshire.
Geography
The parish of St Nicholas Hurst, is about north of Wokingham and south of Twyford in the county of Berkshire. It covers about and is t ...
)
* Beche's Manor (burnt down 1953)
* Buckhurst Manor (now St. Anne's Manor)
* Norreys' Manor (demolished long ago, now Norreys Avenue)
Other buildings of note
* Keep Hatch House (Built 1871–74, demolished late 1990s due to dereliction to make way for the Keephatch housing estate)
Education
Secondary schools
Wokingham is served by five state secondary schools. The Emmbrook School
The Emmbrook School is a co-educational secondary school located in Emmbrook, Wokingham, Berkshire, England, for students between 11 and 18 years of age. There are around 1,378 students at the school, with nearly 200 in the Sixth Form. The Scho ...
is a mixed-sex comprehensive school
A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
, St Crispin's School
St Crispin's School, founded in 1953, is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school and sixth form located in Wokingham, Berkshire, England. There were 1,164 students at the school in 2017, of whom 234 were in the Sixth form. The school i ...
is a mixed-sex comprehensive school. The Holt School
The Holt School is a secondary school located on the outskirts of Wokingham, Berkshire, England, on Holt Lane. It is a girls' school and currently teaches over 1,200 girls ranging from age 11–18. Boys are admitted to the sixth form. There are ...
, founded in 1931 in the Dower House of Beche's Manor, is a girls' school.
Private schools
* Holme Grange School founded in 1945 for Girls and Boys aged 3–16 years
* Luckley House School founded at Luckley House in 1918 for girls aged 11–18
* White House Preparatory School, for girls aged 2–11, now closed
Junior School
Westende Junior School is a co-educational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
junior school
A Junior school is a type of school which provides primary education to children, often in the age range from 8 and 13, following attendance at Infant school which covers the age range 5–7. (As both Infant and Junior schools are giving Primary E ...
established in 1974. The school caters for children from the ages of seven to eleven. The school is near the town centre in Seaford Road and is bordered by St Crispin's School
St Crispin's School, founded in 1953, is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school and sixth form located in Wokingham, Berkshire, England. There were 1,164 students at the school in 2017, of whom 234 were in the Sixth form. The school i ...
and the King George V playing field
A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V (1865–1936).
In 1936, after the king's death, Sir Percy Vincent, the then-Lord Mayor of London, formed a committee to determine a ...
. The majority of children at Westende come from the nearby Wescott Infant School
Wescott Infant School is a coeducational infant school located in Wokingham, Berkshire, England.
The school caters for children from ages four to seven (Reception to Year 2). Children join the school as "Rising Fives" and there is a three-term ...
, and the two schools share a joint Parent Teachers' Association. In September 1995 the school opened ‘The Acorns’, the first junior school resource in Berkshire for pupils with a diagnosis of Special Education
Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
al Need for autism spectrum disorder
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder, neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) ...
s (ASD).
Literature
In the 18th century, the Ballad of Molly Mogg
The Ballad of Molly Mogg (first published as "Molly Mogg, or the Fair Maid of the Inn") is a poem written by John Gay with contributions from Alexander Pope and Dean Swift. It is written about Molly Mogg, the beautiful barmaid at the Rose Inn, W ...
was written in Wokingham. Molly was the barmaid daughter of the publican of the old Rose Inn (not on the site of the present one). She was well known to local Binfield
Binfield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, which at the 2011 census had a population of 8,689. The village lies north-west of Bracknell, north-east of Wokingham, and south-east of Reading at the westernmost extremity of ...
man, Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...
, who, during a storm, found himself stranded at the inn with his friends, Gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
, Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
and Arbuthnot. They wrote the ballad extolling her virtues to pass the time. Wokingham is the setting of Lars Iyer
Lars Iyer is a British novelist and philosopher of Indian/Danish parentage. He is best known for a trilogy of short novels: ''Spurious'' (2011), ''Dogma'' (2012), and ''Exodus'' (2013), all published by Melville House. Iyer has been shortlisted f ...
's 2019 novel ''Nietzsche and the Burbs''. The character of Tom the chimney sweep
A chimney sweep is a person who clears soot and creosote from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys ...
in Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 – 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the working ...
's classic childhood story '' The Water Babies'' was based on the life and times of a Wokingham boy called James Seaward, who was a boy sweep in Victorian times
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardi ...
. In his later years, Seaward swept the chimneys at Charles Kingsley's home at the Rectory in Eversley
Eversley is a village and civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. The village is located around northeast of Basingstoke and around west of Yateley. The River Blackwater, and the border with Berkshire, form the northern boun ...
, Hampshire. Seaward was elected Alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
of Wokingham from 1909 until his death in 1921. He had 12 children. The Water Babies are the subject of Wokingham's first public sculpture, installed in 1999, which graces the upper-level entrance to Wokingham Library.
Film
The 1971 film '' See No Evil'', also released under the title ''Blind Terror'', was filmed in and around Wokingham, with scenes shot at the since-redeveloped Wokingham railway station
Wokingham railway station serves the market town of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. It is down the line from via Redhill. It is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line with the North Downs Line.
South Western Railway manages the ...
. Scenes for ITV series ''Primeval
Primeval may refer to:
* Primeval forest, an area of forest that has attained great age
* Primeval number, a positive integer satisfying certain conditions
* Primeval history, name given by biblical scholars to the first eleven chapters of the Bo ...
'' were filmed at Wokingham's Red Lion pub.
Sport and leisure
* There are public parks at Barkham Road Recreation Ground, Langborough Recreation Ground, Cantley Park, Chestnut Park, Elizabeth Road Recreation Ground, Elms Field, Riverside Walk, and Waverley Park.
* There is a local nature reserve called Holt Copse & Joel Park.
* The council provides a number of leisure facilities such as the Carnival Hub, St. Crispin's Sports Centre and the Pinewood Leisure Centre. Pinewood is the base for over 20 clubs and associations. There is a King George V Playing Field
A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V (1865–1936).
In 1936, after the king's death, Sir Percy Vincent, the then-Lord Mayor of London, formed a committee to determine a ...
behind St. Crispin's in memory of King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
.
* Speedway racing was staged at California in Reading. Before then the track, known then as Longmoor was used as a training track. After the war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
the track featured in the Southern Area League in the 1950s. The team were known as the Poppies. The site of the stadium is now part of a nature reserve but a few remnants of the track remain.
* The local football team is Wokingham and Emmbrook F.C.
Wokingham & Emmbrook F.C. are a association football, football club based in Wokingham, Berkshire, England. The club was formed in 1875 as Wokingham Town and adopted their current name in 2004, following a merger with Emmbrook Sports. Their nick ...
* The Wokingham Half Marathon is held each February and starts and finishes at Cantley Park.
* Wokingham Library is now located in the Carnival Hub leisure centre having relocated from Denmark Street in September 2022.
* Wokingham Cricket Club (founded 1825) played at their ground on Wellington Road before relocating to a new, bigger ground in Sindlesham in 2012.
* Wokingham Music, Food & Drink Festival is held every August. Showcasing local musicians, local food producers and also wines, beers, and ciders from Berkshire and surrounding breweries.
* Wokingham Open Air Cinema. For its second year, three films were shown the weekend before the Wokingham Festival.
Twin towns
Wokingham is twinned with:
* — Erftstadt
Erftstadt () is a town located about 20 km south-west of Cologne in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The name of the town derives from the river that flows through it, the Erft. The neighbouring towns are Brüh ...
in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
* — Viry-Châtillon
Viry-Châtillon () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
Population
Inhabitants of Viry-Châtillon are known as ''Castelvirois'' in French.
Sports
The town is home to the women's fo ...
in France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
Notable people
* Matt Allwright
Matthew Allwright (born 14 April 1970) is an English television presenter, journalist, and musician. He has presented shows such as ''Watchdog'', ''Rogue Traders'', ''Food Inspectors, The Code'', ''Fake Britain'' and ''The One Show'' for BBC On ...
, TV presenter
* Luke Bedford
Luke Bedford (born 25 April 1978) is a British composer.
He studied composition with Edwin Roxburgh and Simon Bainbridge at the Royal College of Music, and won the Mendelssohn Scholarship in 2000. This was followed by post-graduate study with Sim ...
, composer
* Thomas Bradley, chaplain to King Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
* Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of London
Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet (c. 1602 – 24 September 1669) was a London businessman who became a major-general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War, but opposed The Protectorate. He was subsequently Lord Mayor of London ...
, born in Wokingham sometime prior to 1616
* Kate Bryan
Kate Bryan (born 11 March 1982) is a British art historian, curator and arts broadcaster. In 2016, she became head of collections for Soho House globally. She presents the Sky Arts Series ''Inside Arts'' which began in 2019. She wrote and present ...
, arts broadcaster
* The Cooper Temple Clause
The Cooper Temple Clause was an English alternative rock band, formed in Wokingham, Berkshire in 1998. The band released three albums before announcing their split on 24 April 2007, following the departure of Daniel Fisher.
After signing a rec ...
, post-hardcore punk band
* Isaac Deutscher
Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was th ...
, Polish historian and political activist, lived in Wokingham from the late 1950s to 1963.
* Claude Duval
Claude Du Vall (or Duval) (164321 January 1670) was a French highwayman in Restoration England. He came from a family of decayed nobility, and worked in the service of exiled royalists who returned to England under King Charles II. Little else ...
, highwayman
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to footp ...
, supposedly owned a house in the town
* Dick Francis
Richard Stanley Francis (31 October 1920 – 14 February 2010) was a British steeplechase jockey and crime writer whose novels centre on horse racing in England.
After wartime service in the RAF, Francis became a full-time jump-jockey, winni ...
, writer
* Thomas Godwin, Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.
The present diocese covers the overwhelmingly greater part of the (ceremonial) county of Somerset and a small area of Do ...
, born and died in Wokingham
* Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Caradoc Hoult (born 7 December 1989) is an English actor. His List of roles and awards of Nicholas Hoult, body of work includes supporting work in big-budget mainstream productions and starring roles in Independent film, independent p ...
, actor and model, best known for his roles in the films '' About a Boy'' (2002) portraying Marcus, '' X-Men: First Class'' (2011) portraying Hank McCoy and for portraying Tony Stonem
Anthony "Tony" Stonem is a fictional character from the British television series '' Skins''. He is the protagonist of the first seasons. Portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, the character was created by Bryan Elsley; Tony was the series' central characte ...
in the E4 drama series '' Skins'' (2007–2008)
* Daniel Howell
Daniel James Howell (born 11 June 1991) is an English YouTuber, presenter, comedian and author. He gained prominence through his YouTube channels ''Daniel Howell'' (formerly known as ''danisnotonfire''), which reached over six million subscrib ...
, YouTuber
A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006.
Influence
Influent ...
, author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
and former BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
presenter
* Stephen Hughes, footballer, born in Wokingham
* Diane Kendal
Diane Kendal is a British-born make-up artist currently residing in New York City. She is the creative director for Rabanne Beauty.
Kendal was previously the beauty product consultant and make-up artist for Marc Jacobs Beauty, and has develo ...
, makeup artist
* Steven Lewington
Steven Paul Lewington (born 25 February 1983) is an English professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he performed under the ring name DJ Gabriel on the ECW brand. Lewington currently wrestles in ...
, professional wrestler formerly known as "The British Babe", now wrestling as "DJ Gabriel" with WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
* Frederick Lucas
Frederick Lucas (30 March 1812 – 22 October 1855) was a British religious polemicist and founder of The Tablet. His brother Samuel Lucas was a newspaper editor and abolitionist.
Biography
He was born in Westminster, the second son of Samuel H ...
, founder of ''The Tablet
''The Tablet'' is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Brendan Walsh, previously literary editor and then acting editor, was appointed editor in July 2017.
History
''The Tablet'' was launched in 1840 by a Quaker convert ...
''
* Henry Lucas, founder of the Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics at Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
* Leslie Sears
Leslie Daniel Sears (12 January 1901 – 27 June 1992) was an English cricketer who played as a left-handed batsman. He was born at Wokingham, Berkshire.
Sears made two first-class appearances for Essex against Worcestershire and Derbyshire ...
, cricketer
* Russell Slade
Russell Mark Slade (born 10 October 1960) is an English professional association football, football manager, who was most recently managerial consultant of League Two club Stevenage F.C., Stevenage.
Having had an extended career at reserve t ...
, football manager
* Anne Snelgrove
Anne Christine Snelgrove (born 7 August 1957) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Swindon South from 2005 to 2010; from June 2009 to May 2010, she was a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Prime Minist ...
, MP
* Bill Stone, veteran of both World War
A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...
s; lived in Sindlesham
Sindlesham is an estate village in the borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. It is located around southeast of Reading and around west of the town of Bracknell, and just south of the village of Winnersh, from which it is separated by the M ...
* William Talman, architect and landscape designer
* Mark Tildesley
Mark Anthony Tildesley (31 August 1976 – 1 June 1984) was a seven-year-old English child who disappeared on 1 June 1984 whilst visiting a funfair in Wokingham, Berkshire. A widespread search of the Wokingham area, involving both police offic ...
, murdered in Wokingham, on 1 June 1984, at the age of seven
* John Walter III, local benefactor and proprietor of ''The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' newspaper
* Anna Watkins
Anna Rose Watkins MBE PhD ( Bebington, born 13 February 1983) is a British rower.
A double Olympian, Watkins won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, both in the double sculls. She has also ...
, gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics and bronze medallist at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 in the women's double sculls[ ]
* Jason Watkins
Jason Watkins (born 28 October 1962) is an English stage, film and television actor. He played the lead role in the two-part drama ''The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies'', for which he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He has also ...
, actor
* Will Young
William Robert Young (born 20 January 1979) is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominence after winning the 2002 Pop Idol (series 1), inaugural series of the ITV (TV network), ITV talent contest ''Pop Idol'', making him the f ...
, singer and ''Pop Idol
''Pop Idol'' is a British music competition television series created by Simon Fuller which ran on ITV from 2001 to 2003. The aim of the show was to decide the best new young pop singer (or "pop idol") in the UK based on viewer voting and par ...
''s Series 1 (2002) winner
References
Bibliography
* Goatley, K. ''Wokingham: The Town of my Life''. Reading: Conservatree Print and Design, 2004. .
* The Wokingham Society. ''Wokingham: A Chronology'', 1978.
* Wyatt, B. ''Wokingham in Old Photographs''. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Budding Books, 1999. .
* Harison, J. ''Living Heritage – 300 years of bells, ringing and bellringers at All Saints Wokingham'', 2009. .
* Bell, J. "Memories of Wokingham Town Hall 1860 to 1946"
* Bell, J. "Wokingham and the Royal Jubilees"
* Bell, J. "Former Mayors of Wokingham 1885 to 1946"
* Bell, J. "Former Mayors of Wokingham 1947 to 1979"
* Bell, J. "A Stroll Through St. Paul´s Churchyard"
* Bell, J. "St. Paul´s Wokingham - Early 20th Century Parish Magazine Extracts"
* Bell, J. "St. Paul´s Parish Wokingham at War 1939-1945"
* Bell, J. "the Memorials Inside All Saints' Parish Church"
* Bell, J. "the Story of H.M.S. Garth"
* Bell, J. "St. Paul´s Parish Church, Wokingham"
* Bell, J. "Miss Winifred Spooner, Aviatrix"
* Bell, J. "Wokingham Remembers the Second World War"
* Bell, J. "High Stewards of Wokingham"
* Bell, J. "Five Wokingham Families"
* Bell, J. "Former Town Clerks of Wokingham"
External links
Wokingham Town Council
Wokingham Borough Council
Westende Junior School website
{{Authority control
Market towns in Berkshire
Civil parishes in Berkshire
Towns in Berkshire