Bagnor
Encyclopedia
Bagnor is a hamlet
close to the town of Newbury
in the English county of Berkshire
and on the banks of the River Lambourn
. It is best known as the home of the nationally famous Watermill Theatre
. It was recorded in the Domesday Book
as Bagenore.
It is located in the West Berkshire
district. The Blackbird, a public house, has stood in the village since the 17th century. It is near the villages of Speen
, Donnington
, Boxford
, and Winterbourne
. Donnington Castle
lies less than a mile to the east.
, which is itself part of the district administered by the unitary authority
of West Berkshire
.
with gardens beside the River Lambourn
, and seats 220 people. It retains many of its original architectural features such as the waterwheel, which is viewed through a screen on entry to the auditorium. Many successful actors have begun their careers at the Watermill Theatre
, most notably Sean Bean
, Bill Nighy
, and David Suchet
. It is one of only five theatres to have been awarded a National Touring remit by Arts Council England
, and previous productions have subsequently moved to Broadway
and the West End
.
. Ownership was later transferred to Henry de Bagenore, who sold the property to the Priory and Convent of Poughley in 1232. The transfer was agreed in return for a yearly payment of 8 marks, food and clothing for Henry's two sons, and an agreement that the Prior would find a suitor for his youngest daughter, Celestria.
The priory was dissolved in 1524 and its lands seized by Henry VIII
. The Manor was granted to Wolsey College (later Christ Church
), Oxford
in 1531. Bagnor Manor was later transferred to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster
in return for lands in St. James's Park
. They built the present Grade II listed building in the 17th century, but the estate did not pass into private ownership until 1871,
when it was purchased by a wealthy family from Donnington Grove. It is now a private residence.
Rack Marsh is a small nature reserve in the village which is managed by BBOWT. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI). It was the scene of protests during the construction of the Newbury bypass
which passes close to the east of the village. This was partly due to the presence on the reserve of the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail
.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
close to the town of Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
in the English county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and on the banks of the River Lambourn
River Lambourn
The River Lambourn is a chalk stream in the English county of Berkshire. It rises in the Berkshire Downs near its namesake village of Lambourn and is a tributary of the River Kennet, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-Perennial River:...
. It is best known as the home of the nationally famous Watermill Theatre
Watermill Theatre
The Watermill Theatre is an award -winning, professional repertory theatre with charitable status. It is a converted watermill with gardens beside the River Lambourn, in Bagnor, near Newbury, Berkshire, England...
. It was recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Bagenore.
"Humphrey the Chamberlain holds Bagenore from the King. Wulfeva held it freehold from King Edward. Then it answered for 4 hides; now 1 hide. Land for 3 ploughs: In hardship 1 (plough) 3 villagers and 3 smallholders with 2 ploughs. 1 slave: a mill at 20s meadow 22 acres: woodland at 4pigs".
It is located in the West Berkshire
West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.-Geography:...
district. The Blackbird, a public house, has stood in the village since the 17th century. It is near the villages of Speen
Speen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
, Donnington
Donnington, Berkshire
Donnington is a village in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington just north of the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England.Donnington Castle, a ruined medieval castle of some historical significance, is in the village. Donnington Hospital almshouses, established in 1393, are the oldest charity in...
, Boxford
Boxford, Berkshire
Boxford is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of West Berkshire, part of Berkshire in England.The village is on the east bank of the River Lambourn, about northwest of Newbury but south of the M4 motorway...
, and Winterbourne
Winterbourne, Berkshire
Winterbourne is a village and civil parish in the Berkshire Downs about north of Newbury in West Berkshire.-Parish church:The Church of England parish church of Saint James was completely redeveloped in the 18th and 19th centuries. The north chapel was added in 1712 and the bell tower in 1759. The...
. Donnington Castle
Donnington Castle
Donnington Castle is a ruined medieval castle, situated in the small village of Donnington, just north of the town of Newbury in the English county of Berkshire.- History :...
lies less than a mile to the east.
Local government
Bagnor forms part of the civil parish of SpeenSpeen, Berkshire
Speen is a village and civil parish in the unitary district of West Berkshire and county of Berkshire, England. The parish is about north west of Newbury....
, which is itself part of the district administered by the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of West Berkshire
West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.-Geography:...
.
The Watermill Theatre
The Watermill Theatre is a privately owned repertory theatre which has operated since 1981. It is a converted watermillWatermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
with gardens beside the River Lambourn
River Lambourn
The River Lambourn is a chalk stream in the English county of Berkshire. It rises in the Berkshire Downs near its namesake village of Lambourn and is a tributary of the River Kennet, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-Perennial River:...
, and seats 220 people. It retains many of its original architectural features such as the waterwheel, which is viewed through a screen on entry to the auditorium. Many successful actors have begun their careers at the Watermill Theatre
Watermill Theatre
The Watermill Theatre is an award -winning, professional repertory theatre with charitable status. It is a converted watermill with gardens beside the River Lambourn, in Bagnor, near Newbury, Berkshire, England...
, most notably Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
, Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
, and David Suchet
David Suchet
David Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
. It is one of only five theatres to have been awarded a National Touring remit by Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
, and previous productions have subsequently moved to Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
.
Bagnor Manor
Bagnor Manor is a country home standing near the centre of the village. The house in its current form dates from the 17th century. Previously the manor and its estate had been held for the King, and was recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. Ownership was later transferred to Henry de Bagenore, who sold the property to the Priory and Convent of Poughley in 1232. The transfer was agreed in return for a yearly payment of 8 marks, food and clothing for Henry's two sons, and an agreement that the Prior would find a suitor for his youngest daughter, Celestria.
The priory was dissolved in 1524 and its lands seized by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The Manor was granted to Wolsey College (later Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
), Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1531. Bagnor Manor was later transferred to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in return for lands in St. James's Park
St. James's Park
St. James's Park is a 23 hectare park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St. James's area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less.- Geographical location :St. James's...
. They built the present Grade II listed building in the 17th century, but the estate did not pass into private ownership until 1871,
when it was purchased by a wealthy family from Donnington Grove. It is now a private residence.
Notable residents
A number of notable individuals have lived in the village or its immediate surroundings. They include:- Jill FraserJill FraserJill Fraser, MBE was a British theatre owner and director.The daughter of the actor Alec Fraser, who played the Vagabond King in New York, and the West End actress Guinevere Fraser, she co-owned , and was artistic director of, the Watermill Theatre from 1981 until her death.The Watermill Theatre...
MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, theatre owner and director, who was artistic director of the Watermill TheatreWatermill TheatreThe Watermill Theatre is an award -winning, professional repertory theatre with charitable status. It is a converted watermill with gardens beside the River Lambourn, in Bagnor, near Newbury, Berkshire, England...
from 1981-2006. - Lord Hanson, industrialist, who lived on the outskirts of the village.
- Jack HargreavesJack HargreavesJack Hargreaves OBE was an author and television presenter in the UK. His enduring interest was to comment without nostalgia or sentimentality on accelerating distortions in relations between the city and the countryside....
OBE, television presenter and author, who bought and converted Brook House on the Winterbourne in 1948, moving on to Lymington in 1960. - Sir Michael HordernMichael HordernSir Michael Murray Hordern was an English actor, knighted in 1983 for his services to the theatre, which stretched back to before the Second World War.-Personal life:...
, actor, who moved to the village in 1956 to fish for trout and grayling in the River LambournRiver LambournThe River Lambourn is a chalk stream in the English county of Berkshire. It rises in the Berkshire Downs near its namesake village of Lambourn and is a tributary of the River Kennet, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-Perennial River:...
. - George MellyGeorge MellyAlan George Heywood Melly was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism.-Early life and career:He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe...
, jazz musician and writer - Baron Palumbo, property developer and art collector, who lived in Bagnor Manor.
Rack Marsh
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). It was the scene of protests during the construction of the Newbury bypass
Newbury bypass
The Newbury bypass, officially known as The Winchester-Preston Trunk Road , is a stretch of dual carriageway road which bypasses the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England...
which passes close to the east of the village. This was partly due to the presence on the reserve of the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail
Desmoulin's whorl snail
Desmoulin's whorl snail, scientific name Vertigo moulinsiana, is a species of minute air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc or micromollusc in the family Vertiginidae, the vertigo snails....
.