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.
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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.
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The Memorial |
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Great Barn on the site of the Ancient Village Pound |
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House with Plaque on the wall |