Mongewell
Encyclopedia
Mongewell is a village in the civil parish of Crowmarsh
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Wallingford in Oxfordshire
. Mongewell is on the east bank of the Thames, linked with the west bank at Winterbrook
by the nearby Winterbrook Bridge. The earthwork Grim's Ditch
, now part of the Ridgeway
long-distance footpath, passes through Mongewell.
. The parish church of St John the Baptist
dates back to the 12th century.
Mongewell was a strip parish, a thin strip of land exyending into the Chiltern Hills
including part of Stoke Row.
The parish became a civil parish in the 19th century, but in 1932 the civil parish was abolished. Most of the parish joined the new civil parish of Crowmarsh, but a small part was added to Rotherfield Greys
parish.
, former Bishop
of Llandaff
.
Replacing the original Georgian
Mongewell House of Barrington, a large brick mansion in William and Mary
style was built in 1890 for Alexander Frazer whose initials can be seen on the lodge gates (Pedgley and Pedgley, 1990). After Fraser died in 1916, the house became a hospital for wounded officers in World War I
. In 1918, it was sold to the American millionaire Howard Gould
. Because he was an atheist, he had the lane to the now ruined Mongewell church sunk so that he would not see the parishioners attending service. He sold the house in 1939 and the Royal Air Force occupied it until 1945. In 1942 it became the Headquarters for No 2 Group RAF of Bomber Command
led by Air Vice Marshal Basil Embry
. On the Staff there for six months before his capture as a POW was the World War II
night fighter
ace
, Wing Commander
Bob Braham
(Braham, 1984).
At the end of the war the house was once more used as a hospital before becoming derelict. A Jewish boarding school
, Carmel College, was based at Mongewell Park from 1948 to 1997.
As of June 2007, it is planned to redevelop the site for housing.
Crowmarsh
Crowmarsh is a civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England.-Formation and constituent settlements:The civil parish was formed on 1 April 1932 by the amalgamation of four existing parishes....
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Wallingford in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Mongewell is on the east bank of the Thames, linked with the west bank at Winterbrook
Winterbrook
Winterbrook is a small settlement in the English county of Oxfordshire, which adjoins the south end of Wallingford and sits on the west bank of the Thames. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire....
by the nearby Winterbrook Bridge. The earthwork Grim's Ditch
Grim's Ditch
Grim's Ditch, Grim's Dyke or Grim's Bank is a name shared by a number of prehistoric bank and ditch earthworks...
, now part of the Ridgeway
Ridgeway
A ridgeway is a road or path that follows a ridge, or the highest part of the landscape.-Roads and pathways:*The Ridgeway, an ancient track in southern England, which now forms part of the Ridgeway Path or National Trail...
long-distance footpath, passes through Mongewell.
History
Mongewell was an ancient parish, mentioned in 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...
. The parish church of St John the Baptist
St John the Baptist's Church, Mongewell
St John the Baptist's Church, Mongewell, is a redundant Church of England parish church, now partly in ruins, in the hamlet of Mongewell, Oxfordshire, England. English Heritage has designated it a Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
dates back to the 12th century.
Mongewell was a strip parish, a thin strip of land exyending into the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
including part of Stoke Row.
The parish became a civil parish in the 19th century, but in 1932 the civil parish was abolished. Most of the parish joined the new civil parish of Crowmarsh, but a small part was added to Rotherfield Greys
Rotherfield Greys
Rotherfield Greys is a village and civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in South Oxfordshire. It is west of Henley-on-Thames and just over east of the village of Rotherfield Peppard....
parish.
Mongewell Park
Mongewell Park had previously been home to Shute BarringtonShute Barrington
Shute Barrington was an English churchman, Bishop of Llandaff in Wales, as well as Bishop of Salisbury and Bishop of Durham in England.-Life:...
, former Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
.
Replacing the original Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
Mongewell House of Barrington, a large brick mansion in William and Mary
William and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
style was built in 1890 for Alexander Frazer whose initials can be seen on the lodge gates (Pedgley and Pedgley, 1990). After Fraser died in 1916, the house became a hospital for wounded officers in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1918, it was sold to the American millionaire Howard Gould
Howard Gould
Howard Gould was a financier and the son of Jay Gould.- Birth and marriage :He was the son of Jay Gould and Helen Day Miller . He married Katherine Clemmons on October 12, 1898. She was an actress whose career had been heavily subsidized by William F. Cody...
. Because he was an atheist, he had the lane to the now ruined Mongewell church sunk so that he would not see the parishioners attending service. He sold the house in 1939 and the Royal Air Force occupied it until 1945. In 1942 it became the Headquarters for No 2 Group RAF of Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
led by Air Vice Marshal Basil Embry
Basil Embry
Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Edward Embry GCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars, DFC, AFC, RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force commander...
. On the Staff there for six months before his capture as a POW was the 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...
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Bob Braham
Bob Braham
John Randall Daniel 'Bob' Braham DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, CD, was a British pilot and one of the most highly decorated airman of the RAF in World War II. He claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, probably destroyed one more, and damaged 6 in 318 operational flights...
(Braham, 1984).
At the end of the war the house was once more used as a hospital before becoming derelict. A Jewish boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, Carmel College, was based at Mongewell Park from 1948 to 1997.
As of June 2007, it is planned to redevelop the site for housing.
Further reading
- Braham, J.R.D. (1984) Night Fighter, Specially illustrated edition, New York : Bantam Books, p. 186–195, ISBN 0-553-24127-3
- Pedgley, B. and Pedgley, D. (1990) Crowmarsh – A history of Crowmarsh Gifford, Newnham Murren, Mongewell and North Stoke, Crowmarsh History Group, p. 50–54, ISBN 0-9516305-0-4