Arborfield
Local History Society

 Old Churchyard Working Parties

Home

Time Line

Families

Properties

Auctions

Churches

Parish Councils

Memories

Census data

Picture Gallery

Visitors' book

Related sites:

Berkshire History

Berkshire Record Office

Museum of English Rural Life

 

Old Church

The Old Churchyard has been the responsibility of Arborfield and Newland Parish Council since the 1950s, and until recently, vegetation has been kept down by sheep grazing among the gravestones. Unfortunately, they can damage the site, and they don't prevent trees from encroaching.

In 2011, members of Arborfield Local History Society and other volunteers have formed working parties to improve the Old Churchyard and conserve what's left of the church ruins and the old boundary wall.

If you visit the site, you will see that we are making progress.

News, January 2012:

Message from Tony Harden, Chairman of Arborfield Local History Society :

"We recently had a meeting with representatives of the Parish Council, the Church and a solicitor from the Oxford Diocese with a view to setting up a separate group to look after the old churchyard. It was a very good and useful meeting and there was a lot of common ground.
 
"The Church is, in principle, quite happy for a dedicated group to work on the site and, subject to the necessary legal formalities being completed, to take over day-to-day maintenance and restoration of the churchyard and, possibly the church itself at a later date. The solicitor felt that the best way of doing this would be initially to create a Trust with representatives of all three parties being represented.
 
"The Village Hall has been booked for a public meeting on the evening of Monday 20th February at 8.00pm to establish the level of support locally for such a project. Any support in getting this project off the ground will be appreciated, even if you don’t want to become a volunteer . As well as work on the site itself, help will also be needed in such areas as publicity, fund raising and general administration.
 
"For those who are unaware of the location of the old church , it is in the grounds of Hall Farm, on a private road just off the main road to Reading just before you cross the River Loddon, but can easily be seen from the public footpath from Church Lane in Arborfield to Cutbush Lane in Shinfield .

"Arborfield has had church buildings since Saxon times. The Saxon wooden church was replaced in the 13th Century by a flint and chalk building and it is picturesque ruins of this building which the new group hopes to rescue. It fell into disrepair by 1862, when the decision was made to build a replacement building on a site much closer to the main settlement at Arborfield Cross. 
 
"Once the new group is formed we hope to able to apply for funding from various bodies and organisations.
 
"Please come along on 20 February to find out more; there will be no commitment to become involved.”

Tony Harden, Chairman, ALHS.

NOTE:

Due to the freezing conditions at the end of January 2012,
Working Parties have been suspended for a few weeks.
We shall advertise the next Working Party on this web-page
as soon as the date is confirmed.

Back to Properties Page