You are in [Places] [Eddington]
The village of Eddington lies on the north bank of the River Kennet. Nowadays it is usually considered part of Hungerford, but it has a rich and long history of its own.
See also:
- Photo gallery of Eddington Bridge and River Kennet
- Hardings and the Saw Mill site
- Vickers Armstrong / Fertiliquid factories
- 4 Bath Road, The Thatched Cottage
Various names over the centuries:
The entry in Domesday is written "Eddevetone", and the name has changed over the subsequent centuries:
- Edevetona 1101-1118
- Edineton(a) 1147
- Edivetone 1167-1168
- Edivatona 1167
- Edinton 1195
- Edineton 1220
- Edyveton 1241
- Edeneton 1314
- Edyngtone 1428
- Edynton Pounde 1552-153
- Edington Pound 1591
- Eddington 1761 (Rocque)
Photo Gallery:
Eddington from across the River Kennet, c1910
Laying the gas pipe in Eddington, undated
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1914 [Parsons]
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [Barnard's Series, Hungerford]
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1930
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1920
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [Freeman Series]
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1920
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [F E Jessett, Post Office, Eddington]
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1912 [Parsons]
Folly Hill, Eddington, c1912
The Hermitage, Folly Hill, Eddington, c1912
Buckland House, Oxford Street, undated
Oxford Street, Eddington, c1911 [P O Collier, "B620"] (SH)
Eddington from across the River Kennet, c1910 [PO Collier "C511"] (DM)
Eddington undated c1940s.
Garage and JT Gibbs builders premises, c1970.
![19860000 Black Barn, Eddington-01 [Ivor Speed]](https://new.hungerfordvirtualmuseum.co.uk/images/phocagallery/Modern_Hungerford/Eddington/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_19860000 Black Barn, Eddington-01 [Ivor Speed].jpg)
Black Barn, Upper Eddington prior to demolition, 1986 [Ivor Speed]
![19860000 Black Barn, Eddington-02 [Ivor Speed]](https://new.hungerfordvirtualmuseum.co.uk/images/phocagallery/Modern_Hungerford/Eddington/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_19860000 Black Barn, Eddington-02 [Ivor Speed].jpg)
Black Barn, Upper Eddington prior to demolition, 1986 [Ivor Speed]
Eddington Corner - later Cottrell Close, Feb 1996.
- Eddington from across the River Kennet, c1910
- Eddington from across the River Kennet, c1910 [PO Collier "C511"] (DM)
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [Barnard's Series, Hungerford]
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [Freeman Series]
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910 [F E Jessett, Post Office, Eddington]
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1911 [P O Collier, "B620"] (SH)
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1914 [Parsons]
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1920
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1920
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1930
- Buckland House, Oxford Street, undated
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1910
- Oxford Street, Eddington, c1912 [Parsons]
- Folly Hill, Eddington, c1912
- The Hermitage, Folly Hill, Eddington, c1912
- Eddington undated c1940s
- Laying the gas pipe in Eddington, undated
- Garage and JT Gibbs builders premises, c1970
- Black Barn, Upper Eddington prior to demolition, 1986 [Ivor Speed].
- Oxford Street, Eddington, Jul 1991.
- Eddington Corner - later Cottrell Close, Feb 1996.
Some notes on Eddington Manor:
900: Bequeather in his will by King Alfred to his widow, Queen Ealhswith, together with Lambourn and Wantage. This was his personal property, not crown land.
The Domesday Book entry for Eddington
1086: Eddington is listed in the Domesday survey. It was a Crown manor, granted by WIlliam II to Robert, Count of Mellant.
The transcribed entry states:
Eddington: Azor held it in freehold from King Edward. Then for 10 hides; now for 2 less ½ virgate. Land for 6 ploughs. In lordship 1 plough;
- 6 villagers and 2 smallholders with 2 ploughs.
- 1 slave; a mill at 15s; meadow, 34 acres; woodland at 10 pigs.
Value before 1066 £6; later 100s; now 70s.
1155: A chapel was built at Eddington on ground given by Bartholomew of Denford.
1534: Leased to Richard Watkins on 1 Dec for 90 years. On his death it reverted to the Crown.
1558: George Clifford was lessee
Eddington Mill:
The watermill at Eddington was mentioned in the Domesday survey, and it continued in use until c1952. Follow this for much more on Eddington Mill.
Follow this for photo gallery of Eddington Bridge and River Kennet.
It is also interesting to mention that there was a windmill in Eddington (position unknown, but presumably on the high ground to the north of the village) around 1336-37 (from John Newton's notes). John Newton also recorded that there were two watermills in Eddington in records dated 1525, 1588-89 and 1780 (source unknown).
The Besselsleigh to Hungerford Turnpike:
The road north from Eddington towards Oxford (now the A338) passes through Wantage, before joining the Swindon to Oxford road (now A420) near the village of Bessels Leigh before reaching the outskirts of Oxford. This road was turnpiked between 1771 and 1878/ The Eddington Turnpike gate and tollhouse stood on the hill running north from Eddington until c1878. Follow this for more on local Turnpike Trusts.
Eddington Iron Foundry:
One of Hungerford's two large iron foundries was in Eddington. Levi Cottrell started his Eddington iron works c1869. There was a disastrous fire there in Dec 1892, but was soon rebuilt, and went on trading until 1911. Follow this for more on Cottrell's iron works.
After Cottrell's Iron Works closed in 1911, the site was used as a motor business, initially called Eddington Garage. In 1922 it was bought by Bill Norman, and the business ran under the name of Norman's Garage until 1970. This became the Total Service station in the 1980s, and, in Sep 2012, the Shell Petrol Station.
Close by was Hardings Steam Traction proprietors. They opened on the opposite (south) side of the road in 1911, taking over the workshops and sheds previously used by Cottrell's. They operated until 1918 when the site was sold to the Barr family, who opened the timber mill on the site (now Garden Art). Follow this for more on Hardings and the Saw Mill site.
Oxford Street, Eddington:
Bob Wheeler emailed (Oct 2019) to add: "I used to live at 25 Oxford St, where the Kennet Court flats are now. Opposite the road to Eddington Mill was the workshop of the plumber Ted Willis which had earlier been an old Chapel. Ted used to take snuff and the empty tins could be found scattered around Oxford St. The house to the left of his workshop (Buckland House) had flats let to USAF personnel from Greenham. When we left the village, the houses (which had been owned by farmer King of Folly Farm) were demolished and Kennet Court was built."
The Post Office:
The first town Sub Post Office was opened in Oxford Street on 10 April 1899 under a postmistress, Miss Mary Brothers. A Victorian wall box was placed outside. Follow this for more on the Eddington Post Office, and Victorian letter boxes.
The Post office was run for many years by the Jessett family, who also ran a bakery business on the site. There are more photographs on the Eddington Post office page.
St Saviour's church, Eddington:
St Saviour's church was built 'for the convenience of the northern part of the parish' and was dedicated in 1868. Follow this for more on St Saviour's Church.
Memories of Eddington, by Anne Gresham Cooke:
Anne Gresham Cooke, nee Pinckney, grew up in Hungerford Newtown. In c1990 she shared some notes on many of the Eddington characters:
"Robert Haines - lived at The Hermitage, a farmer.
Richard Middleton and his brother Jim - both carpenters and undertakers.
Billy Wiggins - blacksmith and wheelwright.
Misses Alice and Emily Winkworth - ran the general stores and off licence on the corner of Oxford Street. Their father had been a baker. Alice was also a school teacher.
George Willis - plumber, decorator, glazier. "You name it - he did it!"
Dr Starkey-Smith - lived at The Laurels.
Buckland House - occupied by the Gibbons family (of the iron foundry).
No 17 and No 13 used to be inns.
Barr's timber yard - "still going strong".
Charles May - cycle repairs and hire.
Mr Hunt - cobbler and postman [Lived opposite the post office - now Kennet Court-HLP].
Sid and Percy Jessett - Post Office, grocers, off licence, baker.
R J Robinson - miller at Eddington "now Mr Peters".
Cotterel's Engineering Works - where Norman's Garage and Christmas Card store now stand.
William Hedges - nurseryman and orchards where Thatched House, bungalow and caravan site are. [now the vets and garden centre-HLP]
We, as children, spent our time in the Donkey Meadow, just above the cemetery or paddling or minnowing in the rivers by the bridges, and the fishermen went further along the river. By the Kennet Bridge the road slopwed right into the river so that the carters could drive their carts into the water to expand the dried wheels after a day's work.
There were around 16 children of school age in 1921. We walked to and from twice a day coming home for dinner!"
See also:
- Photo gallery of Eddington Bridge and River Kennet
The Canal Wharf, 2011