Harwell, Oxfordshire
Encyclopedia
Harwell is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse
2 miles (3.2 km) west of Didcot
. It was part of Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred it to Oxfordshire
.
in the village, the White Hart, on the corner of High Street. Formerly there were five: The Crown is now a nursing home, The Chequers and The Kicking Donkey have both been converted to private houses and The Crispin has also closed.
The village supports two shops, Bobs the Butcher's and White Horse News (which is also an off licence). Two other general stores have closed in the village over the last 20 years, and the village bakery. At one point the village even had a brewery. This is now a private house and located opposite the White Hart public house.
of Saint Matthew is a Grade 1 listed building and was formerly dedicated to Saint Mary
. The nave
roof dates from 1220, and the screen dividing the chancel
from the nave also dates from the 13th century. The church is notable for the quality and age of the peal of 8 bells housed in the belfry, and 1 sanctus bell, dating from 1611 to 1932. The tenor weighs 16 cwt. There is a single-handed clock on the tower's west face. In 1975, a two floor extension was built on the north wall which now contains a parish office. A new church hall was built in 1994.
The Harwell Feast is a celebration held on the Monday of the May Bank Holiday
each year. The celebrations include a parade of decorated floats and people through the village. The recreation ground is turned over to various fund raising stalls and demonstration from sheep dog handling to vintage cars. Either a cow or a couple of pigs is roasted to supply the meat for the feast.
orchards. In 1937, an airfield was built between Harwell and Chilton
and named RAF Harwell
. The airfield was used during World War II
to launch glider
-borne troops for the Normandy invasion.
In 1946, this airfield was taken over to become the new Atomic Energy Research Establishment
, the main centre for nuclear power
research in the UK, and become known as Harwell Laboratory. It was the site of Europe's first nuclear reactor
in 1946, and once housed five nuclear reactors, all of which have been shut down. Two have been completely dismantled, and it is anticipated that the other three will be decommissioned by 2022.
Other parts of the airfield were later used by other scientific organisations, including the Science and Technology Facilities Council
's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
which runs the ISIS neutron source
and is home to the Diamond Light Source
synchrotron
joint venture. Part of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment is now operated by Research Sites Restoration Limited who are undertaking decommissioning work on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The former airfield site as a whole is now known as the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
and is managed by the international property group, Goodman.
Vale of White Horse
The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
2 miles (3.2 km) west of Didcot
Didcot
Didcot is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire about south of Oxford. Until 1974 it was in Berkshire, but was transferred to Oxfordshire in that year, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire...
. It was part 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...
until the 1974 boundary changes
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
transferred it to Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Amenities
There is one public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in the village, the White Hart, on the corner of High Street. Formerly there were five: The Crown is now a nursing home, The Chequers and The Kicking Donkey have both been converted to private houses and The Crispin has also closed.
The village supports two shops, Bobs the Butcher's and White Horse News (which is also an off licence). Two other general stores have closed in the village over the last 20 years, and the village bakery. At one point the village even had a brewery. This is now a private house and located opposite the White Hart public house.
Parish Church
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Matthew is a Grade 1 listed building and was formerly dedicated to Saint Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
roof dates from 1220, and the screen dividing the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
from the nave also dates from the 13th century. The church is notable for the quality and age of the peal of 8 bells housed in the belfry, and 1 sanctus bell, dating from 1611 to 1932. The tenor weighs 16 cwt. There is a single-handed clock on the tower's west face. In 1975, a two floor extension was built on the north wall which now contains a parish office. A new church hall was built in 1994.
Sport and leisure
There are a good number of clubs and societies in the village. These include an Royal Legion, a Scout Group, an Girls Brigade, a Horticultural Society, Harwell Feast Committee, Harwell Rugby Club, Football clubs, and others.The Harwell Feast is a celebration held on the Monday of the May Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
each year. The celebrations include a parade of decorated floats and people through the village. The recreation ground is turned over to various fund raising stalls and demonstration from sheep dog handling to vintage cars. Either a cow or a couple of pigs is roasted to supply the meat for the feast.
Airfield and Atomic Energy Research Establishment
Before 1946, Harwell was probably best known for its cherryCherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
orchards. In 1937, an airfield was built between Harwell and Chilton
Chilton, Oxfordshire
Chilton is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse about southwest of Didcot. The parish was part of Berkshire until the 1974 local government boundary changes transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire....
and named RAF Harwell
RAF Harwell
RAF Harwell was a Royal Air Force airfield in former Berkshire, England, near the village of Harwell, later the site of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The site is now in Oxfordshire....
. The airfield was used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to launch glider
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
-borne troops for the Normandy invasion.
In 1946, this airfield was taken over to become the new Atomic Energy Research Establishment
Atomic Energy Research Establishment
The Atomic Energy Research Establishment near Harwell, Oxfordshire, was the main centre for atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1990s.-Founding:...
, the main centre for nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
research in the UK, and become known as Harwell Laboratory. It was the site of Europe's first nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
in 1946, and once housed five nuclear reactors, all of which have been shut down. Two have been completely dismantled, and it is anticipated that the other three will be decommissioned by 2022.
Other parts of the airfield were later used by other scientific organisations, including the Science and Technology Facilities Council
Science and Technology Facilities Council
The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy .-History:It was formed in April 2007 as a merger of the Particle...
's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council . It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom...
which runs the ISIS neutron source
ISIS neutron source
ISIS is a pulsed neutron and muon source. It is situated at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom and is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council...
and is home to the Diamond Light Source
Diamond Light Source
Diamond Light Source is the UK's national synchrotron science facility in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Its purpose is to produce intense beams of light whose special characteristics are useful in many areas of scientific research...
synchrotron
Synchrotron
A synchrotron is a particular type of cyclic particle accelerator in which the magnetic field and the electric field are carefully synchronised with the travelling particle beam. The proton synchrotron was originally conceived by Sir Marcus Oliphant...
joint venture. Part of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment is now operated by Research Sites Restoration Limited who are undertaking decommissioning work on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The former airfield site as a whole is now known as the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is a science and technology campus near the villages of Harwell and Chilton, Oxfordshire, England. The site is about south of Oxford...
and is managed by the international property group, Goodman.
Notable residents
- Christopher ElderfieldChristopher Elderfield-Life:The son of William Elderfield, he was born at Harwell, Berkshire, where he was baptised 11 April 1607. He studied at a local school kept by Hugh Lloyd, M.A., the vicar, and in 1621 he entered St. Mary Hall, Oxford, as a batler...
, 17th century divine and author - John HarewellJohn HarewellJohn Harewell was a Roman Catholic Bishop of Bath and Wells in medieval England.Harewell came from Harwell in Berkshire . He was in the employ of the Black Prince before being selected, on 14 December 1366, as Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was consecrated on 7 March 1367 and died around 16 July...
, 14th century Bishop of Bath and WellsBishop of Bath and WellsThe Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in... - Klaus FuchsKlaus FuchsKlaus Emil Julius Fuchs was a German theoretical physicist and atomic spy who in 1950 was convicted of supplying information from the American, British and Canadian atomic bomb research to the USSR during and shortly after World War II...
, nuclearNuclear physicsNuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
scientistScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and communistCommunismCommunism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
spyEspionageEspionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...