Evidence of Bramley's first inhabitants can be found in Bullsdown Camp, a prehistoric settlement, where remnants of flint-scrapers, a spear-head, a core and flint-flakes have been found. This is thought to be a late Celtic "triple-walled dun".This fortification can still be seen today, situated to the east of the village south of the Bramley to Sherfield road. The Reverend Robert Toogood wrote a history of the village and church. It includes some anecdotes about King Henry VIII's connections with the village and Cufaude Manor. The Romans occupied Calleva Atrebatum and built a walled city known today as Silchester. Bramley is on the Chichester to Silchester Way Roman road and has remains of a Romano-British villa nearby. The Church of St James stands at the west of the village and originally dates from 1160, however it features many historical alterations and additions up to the 20th Century. It is a Grade I listed building. St James' church, Bramley, Hampshire. Within the church, images were uncovered which dated back to the pre-Reformation. The famous physicist Lise Meitner is buried in the burial ground next to the church, near the grave of her brother Walter. The railway line between Reading and Basingstoke was built through the village in 1848. The village had to wait another 47 years until on 1 May 1895 a station in the village opened, at the insistence of the then Duke of Wellington, a prominent landowner in the area. During 1935 parts of the film 'The Last Journey' were shot on the railway within the village.
Geography
Bramley is located ten miles south of the large town of Reading, and five miles north of Basingstoke. The village is the site of Bramley railway station, on the line between Reading and Basingstoke, and is served by Great Western Railway's local services. The station is 5 miles north of Basingstoke.
Governance
The civil parish of Bramley includes the village of Bramley and the neighbouring settlements of Bramley Green and Bramley Corner. The village is also part of the Bramley and Sherfield ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council. The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County Council. All three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government. At Borough level, Bramley is represented by Councillors Nicholas Robinson and Venitia Rowland who, together, represent the Bramley and Sherfield Ward. At County level, Bramley is represented by Cllr. Keith Chapman, MBE who represents the Calleva and Kingsclere Division.
Bramley Camp is a military training area south of the village, used mainly by 21 SAS and the BerkshireArmy Cadet Force and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Army Cadet Force. Due to civilian houses close to the boundaries of the training area there are time limits for specific activities such as live firing. The camp has also been used to shoot parts of the Channel 4 television series Scrapheap Challenge, and the ITV1 series Midsomer Murders. Because the 900 acre site is not open to the public and in many ways is undisturbed, it is a valuable haven for wildlife, being home to badgers, deer and pheasant to name a few.
Publications
The village is served by three village magazines: the original parish magazine edited by the Reverend Robert Toogood and others, the Bramley 265 and the View Magazine. The Bramley 265 has been running for two years and was edited by Emma Cunningham until December 2009. As of 2010 it will be edited by Scott Millard. Bramley265 also has website, which is administered by Chris Wright. The View Magazine is run by two sixteen-year-old boys; George Blower and Oliver Yorke. Set up in 2008 the magazine has grown to have the largest distribution in the area, now serving 4000 homes. The View was nominated for two business awards in November 2009 at the regional Inspire 09 awards for New Business of the Year & Micro Business of the Year.
