Donnington, Berkshire
Donnington is a village in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington just north of the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It boasts a ruined medieval castle and a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion.
Notable buildings
Donnington Castle
Donnington Castle[1], a ruined medieval castle of some historical significance, is in the village. It was the home of Richard Abberbury the Elder. The second Battle of Newbury (27 October 1644) was fought between Newbury and Donnington, as an attack on the castle, which was held for the Royalists by Sir John Boys.[2] The main entrance range of Donnington Castle House was built in 1648 to incorporate an earlier lodge.[3]
Donnington Hospital almshouses
Donnington Hospital almshouses, established in 1393, are the oldest charity in the county (although others formed later had older charities merged into them). The earliest current building dates from 1602, but the complex is very wide-ranging, with additional modern almshouses having been built in Bucklebury and Iffley.
Others
Other notable buildings include Donnington Priory and Donnington Grove. The latter is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion built by the antiquary and translator James Pettit Andrews in 1763–72. It is now a hotel at the centre of a golf course.[4]
Transport
From 18 February 2013, Donnington is served by Newbury and District bus services 6 and 6A from Newbury.[5]
Famous residents
In birth order:[6]
- Richard Abberbury the Elder (1331–1399), chamberlain to Anne of Bohemia, queen to King Richard II of England, owned estates in Donnington.
- Albemarle Bertie (1755–1824), Royal Navy officer and later Admiral during the American Revolutionary War and Napoleonic Wars, retired to Donnington.
- Beau Brummell (1778–1840), Regency dandy, lived at Donnington Grove.
- Thomas Hughes (1822–1896), author of Tom Brown's Schooldays, lived at Donnington Priory.
- Barbara Euphan Todd (1890–1976), children's author (Worzel Gummidge series), died at Donnington.
- Sebastian Faulks (born 1953), journalist and author, was born in the village.
References
- ↑ "The siege of Donnington Castle". www.newburyhistory.co.uk.
- ↑ British History Online. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ Royal Berkshire History site. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ Royal Berkshire History site. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ http://www.newburyanddistrict.co.uk/pdf/jan13/connect-service-6-and-6A-%28effective-from-18-Feb-2013%29.pdf
- ↑ References are required for information not appearing on the subject's Wikipedia page.
Further reading
- Ditchfield, P.H.; Page, William (1907). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Berkshire, Volume 2. pp. 91–94.
- Page, William; Ditchfield, P. H. (1924). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Berkshire, Volume 4. pp. 87–97.
- Pevsner, Nikolaus (1966). The Buildings of England: Berkshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 128–29.
External links
