Donnington, Berkshire
Encyclopedia
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 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
. Other notable buildings include Donnington Priory and Donnington Grove
. The latter is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion, now an hotel at the centre of a golf course.
Shaw-cum-Donnington
Shaw-cum-Donnington is a civil parish in West Berkshire, Berkshire, England, just north of the town of Newbury. It includes the villages of Shaw and Donnington.The parish church is St Mary's Church at Shaw and there is also a Church of England primary school....
just north of 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 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
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 :...
, a ruined medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
castle of some historical significance, is in the village. Donnington Hospital
Donnington Hospital
Donnington Hospital is a series of almshouses at Donnington in the English county of Berkshire, run by the Donnington Hospital Trust.It was established in 1393 by Sir Richard Abberbury the Elder. The original site on the Oxford Road is now occupied by almshouses built in 1602. A further complex was...
almshouses, established in 1393, are the oldest charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
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
Bucklebury
Bucklebury is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire. The village is about north-east of Newbury and about north of the A4 road. It has a population of 2,066.-Geography:...
and Iffley
Iffley
Iffley is a village in Oxfordshire, England, within the boundaries of the city of Oxford, between Cowley and the estates of Rose Hill and Donnington, and in proximity to the River Thames . Its most notable feature is its original and largely unchanged Norman church, St Mary the Virgin, which has a...
. Other notable buildings include Donnington Priory and Donnington Grove
Donnington Grove
Donnington Grove is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion, now an hotel and country club, and associated Golf Course at Donnington in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington, near Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. It is overlooked by Donnington Castle....
. The latter is a Strawberry Hill Gothic mansion, now an hotel at the centre of a golf course.
Famous residents
- Albemarle BertieSir Albemarle Bertie, 1st BaronetAdmiral Sir Albemarle Bertie, 1st Baronet, KCB, was a long-serving and at time controversial officer of the British Royal Navy who saw extensive service in his career but also courted controversy with several of his actions....
, Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer and later AdmiralAdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to... - Beau BrummellBeau BrummellBeau Brummell, born as George Bryan Brummell , was the arbiter of men's fashion in Regency England and a friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV...
, Regency dandy, lived at Donnington Grove - Sebastian FaulksSebastian Faulks-Early life:Faulks was born on 20 April 1953 in Donnington, Berkshire to Peter Faulks and Pamela . Edward Faulks, Baron Faulks, is his older brother. He was educated at Elstree School, Reading and went on to Wellington College, Berkshire...
, Journalist and author, born in the village in 1953 - Thomas HughesThomas HughesThomas Hughes was an English lawyer and author. He is most famous for his novel Tom Brown's Schooldays , a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had attended. It had a lesser-known sequel, Tom Brown at Oxford .- Biography :Hughes was the second son of John Hughes, editor of...
, author of Tom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at Rugby School, a public school for boys, in the 1830s; Hughes attended Rugby School from 1834 to 1842...
, lived at Donnington Priory