> Marshalls Home
Like many areas near the Thames, Dunsden has poorly defined boundaries.
Situated on the uplands rising from the river between Caversham and Shiplake,
the area was apparently used from early times as a passageway between the low
lying, often flooded river valley at Sonning and the higher ground at Sonning
Common where safe grazing could be found.
The name appears in Domesday Book as Dunesden. Much of the land was wild
heathland and belonged to the Bishops of Sarum, whose influence was considerable
as they owned the manor of Sonning and huge tracts of land in Berkshire.
Bishopsland Farmhouse still stands at the northern end of the parish,
commemorating the connection.
For many hundreds of years farming has been the main activity. The names of more
than ten farms are commemorated by farmhouses which are now in private hands.
The lands have been amalgamated and form part of Phillimore Farms operated by
the Phillimore Settled Estates. The Phillimore family have been benevolent and
conscientious landowners for over 150 years. Members of the family still live at
Coppid Hall and are much respected; it is largely due to their careful husbandry
that Dunsden remains a rural sanctuary even though only a few miles from the
town of Reading.
Although not strictly in Dunsden, the brickworks in Kiln Lane at Binfield Heath
must have provided local employment. A resident remembers the explosion when
the works were blown up and demolished in around 1932. Ancient bricks can still
be found and many people have used them to build garden walls or incorporated
them in their houses.
Chalk quarrying was another activity.
Playhatch House is a fine old building and one of the most gracious houses in
the parish. Several houses and two pubs make up the hamlet of Playhatch around
the foot of the steep hill that leads to Dunsden from the main Reading to Henley
road. This hill road is of comparatively recent origin. The original road, known
as Foxhill Lane, still exists, as does the old drovers’ road from the Flowing
Spring public house, going up the hillside and coming out at the George and
Dragon pub, now a private dwelling. There are probably more footpaths and old
roads in the area than macadamised roads and walkers are well rewarded by
peaceful scenery and spectacular views. Another pub now turned into a house is
the Old Black Boy at Dunsden Green. This was also a post office but now
customers must travel to Binfield Heath for their stamps and pensions.
An old covered well stands at a fork in the road near the top of the hill by the
village green. This was opened for use in June 1878 and is 150 ft deep but has
been closed off for safety. It was provided by Miss Susanna Palmer and Mrs
Isabella Crawshay. The Crawshays were ironfounders from Wales who owned
Caversham Park, then the local ‘stately home’, and the Palmers were part of the
famous Reading biscuit family. The two families also founded the village school
in 1846 which was described at the time as ‘superior to anything hitherto seen
in that rather wild and inaccessible country’. The school closed at Christmas
1973, the remaining children being transferred to Shiplake Church of England
primary school, and the building fast fell into disrepair. Eventually the
descendants of the owners were traced, the building was renovated and it has
now become a village hall of considerable character, retaining its raftered
ceiling and high windows, no doubt designed to prevent idle pupils being able to
stare out at the view of the valley spread out below.
The church was built in 1842, the architect being John Turner who also designed
Rugby school. The land was given by the Crawshay and Palmer families and lies a
mile away from the village green further to the north. It is a fine example of
Victorian simplicity, built of grey and pink brick with a slate roof. Inside is
a memorial plaque commemorating the First World War poet Wilfred Owen who lived
for a time at Dunsden vicarage as assistant to the vicar. The graves of his
parents and sister can be seen in the churchyard. After Wilfred’s death they
came to live in nearby Emmer green.
An interesting feature of the area is the incidence of swallow holes or
‘swillies’ as they are known locally. These are apparently bottomless ponds and
streams that surface only intermittently and then are ‘swallowed up’. An
impressive example of this occurred in 1955 when a pond formed in old clay
workings collapsed into a pit 100—150 ft deep, taking four mature trees with it.
During heavy rain, water will collect for a time in certain areas and then
disappear suddenly overnight.
Dunsden has its own ghost. The legend is that a girl from Coppid Hall used to
travel regularly to Caversham to visit her lover. When her husband discovered
the liaison he went to Caversham, found her and murdered her. Her ghost is now
said to haunt the road that leads to Caversham past the Coach and Horses.
Click here
for a quote and to instruct your survey online
> Marshalls Home