Josh's Thatcham

As we came to the end of walk we were told to check out a memorial on a Garden Wall just off Green Lane. On our way there we stopped by the ATS garage to say Hi to Mikey our friendly neighbourhood tyre fitter. He offered nothing of interest about Thatcham other than he'd just fixed lots of customers cars and some of them were older than St Mary's. Customers that is, not their cars.

Mikey from ATS

We found the memorial on the wall. It said the 'Site of an Ancient Village Pound'. The guy who lived at the house asked us what it said. My Dad read it out and said Pound, the guy said most people say Pond and think that's what was there. A Pond. We got it right and said a Pound or Impound.

That's what used to be on the site, the Great Barn, now an Old folks place was the Barn where animals were kept from all over Berkshire when they were bought here to be Sold and traded.

The Barn was for the Animals, the land around for Grazing and the house behind was were the owner lived who looked after things there. Workers slept in the Barn.

The Memorial

Great Barn on the site of the Ancient Village Pound

House with Plaque on the wall

High Street and On

Church Lane follows joins the High Street then onto the A4 Bath Road again. The War memorial is on the A4 now. We met members of the British Legion who told us that the Memorial was restored in 1989 and the wrong type of cement was used. This has caused the Granite to start falling away from the stone so another restoration is needed. Armistice day was upcoming when we were there and lots of people were expected to parade to remember the fallen Soldiers. I paraded with the Scouts.

War Memorial (Was on Broadway)

This year was the first year that a remembrance garden had been established near the war memorial. People were coming from all over to lay crosses with poppies on.

First time Memorial Garden

Away from the road across the car parks is the Thatcham Clock Tower. An ugly looking thing in totally the wrong place. It was built to mark the Coronation of the Queen, Elizabeth II

Clock Tower

Next along the road is the Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Assumption. A newer building for Christian Worship once again, this time the Catholic denomination. We think that they should also be made famous for having the Stone Henge of Thatcham in the Gardens. I'm not sure it really is a henge but it does look like one.

Our Lady of The Assumption RC

Thatcham Stone Henge

Church Lane

From St Mary's to the High Street is Church Lane, we saw the Hub and The Priory, two buildings owned by Thatcham Town Council. The Priory is boarded up waiting for renovation, it is Grade II listed so protected by English Heritage. The Walls around the outside were falling down but have now been re-enforced.

The Priory

The Hub

The URC Church, another Christian place of Worship. The URC or United Reformed Church was formed when some worshipers broke away from the Anglican way of Worship. A rift between the Churches existed. This has now been mended as all Churches come together and respect each others differences.

The URC Hall - United Reform Church

St Mary's Bells Tour

View through the Luvre

We wandered into the Church Yard and watched a Wedding leaving the Church. The Door to the Tower was Open and here is what we saw inside ...

Louvers at the top of the tower mute the sound of the Bells. Behind these are openings now bricked up walls and have small Vent or Sound holes covered by small doors. These doors can be lifted to let the sound out from the tower to be heard all over Thatcham.

Sound Hole

One of the bell ringers told us why the stairs up to the top are right-handed, this stops people from being able to use a sword if attacking the tower. People coming down can reach around with their sword to stop an attack. Most people are right-handed, I suppose a left-handed swordsman would have to do the job.

The bells are all facing a different direction because if they weren't the tower will crumble and fall over. You can still feel the way when they are playing the bells though.

Church Gate

St Mary’s – The church has been there for over 10 centuries.In 1344, the Earl of Salisbury, William Montacute of Bisham Manor, was killed in a jousting tournament at Windsor. Work was halted as nearly half the people in the parish died from the Black Death. In 1480 a north aisle was constructed. In 1500 the upper part of the tower was completed and three or four bells were installed. In 1857 the church was completely renovated. It is the Church of England. For the next three hundred years the external appearance of the church changed very little.

However there were some changes. Six new bells were added in 1624. The Meeting Room was constructed at the back of the church in 1979. Floodlights were installed in 2000 and the heating system replaced in November 2001. The tower bells were augmented to eight in 1927 and to ten in 1969. There are now (2012) 11 bells at St Mary’s one of them ways as much as a car and is as big as a fridge! This is how the bells work.

The Broadway

We strolled along the Broadway from the A4 through to Church Gate. There are quite a few pubs along the way. The Kings Head the first as you enter the Broadway. It says best traditional pub in Thatcham, my Dad said he'll let me know. There are other pubs and meeting places in Thatcham too.

The Millenium Monument on the Broadway depicts some of the notable dates in Thatcham’s long history. The area has been occupied continuously from prehistoric times, and is listed in the Guinness Book of records as the oldest continuously inhabited place in England. (Taken from Town Guide)

Millenium Monument

The Broadway Green shown below hosts town events and the weekly market. The War memorial was here once but this has since been moved to a location on the A4.