Tadley

Tadley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE) became the area's largest employer, and a large number of houses were built during this period to accommodate AWRE workers. Though the establishment was located in the parish of Aldermaston, most of these houses were built in Tadley.

Geography

Tadley lies next to the northern border of Hampshire, where it meets Berkshire. At one time, part of Tadley lay in Berkshire; the boundary has since been moved so that the entire town is now in Hampshire.

It is six miles north of Basingstoke, ten miles south west of the large town of Reading and ten miles south east of Newbury.

Nearby towns and cities are Basingstoke, Newbury, and Reading.

Nearby villages are Aldermaston, Baughurst, Heath End, Bramley, Mortimer, and Silchester

A nearby place of interest is Silchester Roman Town

Economy

Shops on Mulfords Hill, part of the main shopping area

The growth in shopping facilities has been slower than the growth in the population. Though there are shops in small groups throughout the town, there is only one significantly-sized shop, a supermarket. For more extensive choice, it is necessary to go to one of the larger nearby towns, Basingstoke, Reading, or Newbury.

The main shopping areas in Tadley are on Mulfords Hill and Bishopswood Road, though there are isolated shops in other parts of the town and parish.

Tadley has a Chamber of Trade, which aims to encourage business in the Tadley area.

Culture

A local legend dating from the late 19th century claims that there were treacle mines located in the village, and until well into the 20th century the locals were referred to as "Tadley Treacle Miners". This is perhaps a reference to the heavy clay soil in the area. Tadley holds an annual "Treacle Fair" in honour of this legend in early June. It is organised by the Loddon Valley Lions Club, a member of Lions Club International.

A group of teenagers run Tadley Community Projects, which aims to create and manage a series of online community sites for Tadley and the surrounding area.

There is a club dedicated to road running, Tadley Runners.

Other clubs include Tadley Youth Drama, which is a local drama group held every week to rehearse plays.

Administration

Tadley Library

Tadley is a civil parish with an elected town council. Tadley falls within the area of Basingstoke and Deane District Council and of Hampshire County Council and all three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government.

Children aged 11 to 16 that receive state-funded education are likely to attend The Hurst Community College, though this school is actually located in the adjacent village of Baughurst.

Burnham Copse Infant School

Children attending the Hurst school are likely to have attended, aged 5 to 11, one of several primary schools in Tadley or nearby villages. The schools are: Bishopswood Infant and Junior Schools, Burnham Copse Junior School, Silchester Church Of England Primary School, Tadley Community Primary School, and The Priory Primary School. The two junior schools cater only for children aged 7 to 11, but have associated with them infant schools which cater for children aged 5 to 7. However, Hampshire County Council intends to merge the Burnham Copse Infant School with the associated junior school in 2007. For a more comprehensive list of local schools see the list of Hampshire schools.

History

The origin of the name is uncertain, in old maps and books Tadley can be found spelled as Taddanleage, Tederlei, Titherley, Tudurley, Tadel and Taddeley. As with many other rural British communities, it is assumed that the village began as a clearing in the dense forest which at one time covered the greater part of England. In Old English, Tadde means 'Toad' or 'Frog' and ley being 'a clearing in the woods', so it possibly means a clearing in the woods with frogs. Most sources, however, say that the name means "woodland clearing belonging to Tada's people".

In 909, Edward the Elder granted the 'Manor of Overton' to Frithstan, Bishop of Winchester. In the confirmation of this a wood at Tadley is mentioned. The village is mentioned frequently in documents relating to the grant. There was an independent estate in the parish called the 'Manor of Tadley' but later was known as the 'Manor of Withford or Wyford'. In 1166 this property was held by William Hotot. He was succeeded by his son, Robert Hotot in 1205. The first reference to a church at Tadley is in 1286 when Andrew Hotot is recorded as owning the Manor and Church. It could be assumed that a settlement and therefore a church existed at an earlier date in view of the documented references to owners of land at Tadley from 909.

St. Peter's church, near to the site of the original village

Although the exact location is unknown, it is believed that originally Tadley was a rural agricultural village located near to St. Peter's church. This village flourished until the 17th century. At that time, 12 cottages were pulled down by Henry Ludlow and the villagers scattered. They resettled on the fringe of Pamber Forest and woodland crafts became the main employment. By the 18th century, the center of the village had moved a couple of miles to the northeast, St Peter's had become isolated from its congregation and in 1888 a new church, St. Saviour's, was built by The Green. Burrell's Farm, a cottage on Main Road, is reputed to have been built in the 1400s and is thought to be the oldest building in Tadley. A congregational chapel was founded in Tadley in 1662; this may be identified with a chapel which was converted into the first village school in 1820. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were many gypsies or didicoy in Tadley — they had given up their travelling life to marry into non-gypsy families and become property owners.

Until the 1950s, the parish was still heathland and common land covered in gorse and blackberries, with a few scattered settlements. Bricks used to be made at Tadley Common and the manufacture of besom brooms — the type of broom that witches are traditionally said to carry — was, and still is, another local industry. Tadley considers itself the home of besom broom making; the brooms that are used on the Queen's premises are manufactured in Tadley. Relics of these industries can be seen in the names of houses in the village such as Kiln House and Broom Cottage.

With the advent of World War II an airfield, RAF Aldermaston, was built on the grounds of Aldermaston Court which was located on the northern edge of the village. Numerous barracks, administration buildings and maintenance facilities were located throughout Tadley. Local streets such as Hangar Lane bear witness to its former usage.

In recent years Tadley has become a township, with residential estates covering the former heathlands. Development has occurred on either side of the Hampshire/Berkshire border following the growth of the Atomic Weapons Establishment on the old Aldermaston airfield in the 1950s and the designation of Basingstoke as a London overspill town in the 1970s.

Since the opening of AWE in 1957 many anti-nuclear demonstrations have taken place around the base.

See also

• List of places in Hampshire
• List of civil parishes in Hampshire
• List of schools in Hampshire (Area 1)

Further reading

• Tadley and District History Society
• Tadley Town Council website