Stanford Dingley


Stanford Dingley is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, between Newbury and Theale.

Geography

Stanford Dingley fills part of both sides of the valley of the upper part of the River Pang, on the minor roads between the A4 Bath Road and the M4 motorway. The parish mostly consists of farmland, with some woodland in the upland regions. The southern parish boundary runs along the edge of the woodland on the northern slopes of Clay Hill. The official and actual northern boundary is the motorway which is buffered by the area's only area of woodlands, covering about a fifth of the total area. Bucklebury lies to the west and Bradfield to the east. The village spreads north-south along Cock Lane, that runs between Bradfield Southend and Yattendon. Slightly detached to the south is the hamlet of Jennetts Hill and to the north is 'The Buildings'. The pond complex around the 'Blue Pool', containing artesian aquifers, though generally thought of as part of Stanford Dingley is actually just across the parish boundary in Bradfield.

Demography

History

Stanford is from the Old English for "Stoney-Ford", perhaps indicating a Roman river-crossing of the Pang heading towards Dorchester-on-Thames.
Dingley was the name of the lords of the manor. One of their wives has a brass memorial in the 12th century Church of England parish church of Saint Denys. The church has remnants of the original Saxon church within its inner walls. The main door and nave wall paintings date from the 13th century and the white wooden bell tower was built in the 15th century. The churchyard is notable for a number of sweet chestnut trees.

Notable residents

Public houses

There are two pubs, the 15th century Bull and the 18th century Old Boot Inn.
The latter has a regular Burns Night celebration at which Pippa Middleton, from nearby Chapel Row, has carried the haggis in accompanied by bagpipes.

Parish

Stanford Dingley is an ecclesiastical parish in the Church of England, recorded as such since in the Domesday Book following the Norman Conquest. It shares in events and clergy with the benefice of Bucklebury, Bradfield and Stanford Dingley.

Nearest places