FARINGDON, Description and History from 1868 Gazetteer

FARINGDON, (or Farringdon, Great), a parish and market town in the hundred of Faringdon, county Berks, 15 miles S.W. of Oxford, and 30 W.N.W. of Reading. The Faringdon Road station of the Great Western railway is 5 miles from the town of Faringdon, and 63 3/4 from London. The parish includes, besides the town of Faringdon, the chapelries of Little Coxwell and Littleworth, and the hamlets of Hospital and Wadley. In the Saxon times it was called Fearndun, and had a royal palace, wherein Edward the Elder died in 925. After the Conquest a castle was erected here by the Earl of Gloucester, which was afterwards razed by Stephen, who built upon its site a priory for Cistercian monks, subject to the abbey of Beaulieu, in Hants. Upon the dissolution of monasteries its lands were given to the Seymours and Inglefields.

At the end of the 14th century a battle was fought near Radcot Bridge, about 3 miles to the N. of the town, between Robert Vere, Duke of Ireland, and the Earl of Derby, afterwards King Henry IV. During the Civil War the town was attacked by the army of Cromwell, and the spire of the church battered down, but the garrison, under Sir Marmaduke Rawdon, successfully resisted the assault.

The situation of the town is on a gentle eminence in the vale of Whitehorse, sheltered by Faringdon Hill, up the slopes of which are circular plantations of firs, and from the summit a most extensive prospect is obtained. The town, which in 1861 had a population of 2,943, is cleanly kept, well paved, amply supplied with water, and lighted with gas. It contains a townhall, two banks, savings-bank, and union poorhouse, besides several private seminaries. Petty sessions are held in the town, also a county court. The inhabitants are almost wholly agricultural, and a considerable trade is done in hogs and bacon, malting and brewing. In the vicinity hops are cultivated.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Oxford, value with Little Coxwell, £300. The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, is a handsome cruciform structure, with low square tower, the spire having never been rebuilt. It contains four brasses of the Parker family, the earliest 1471, and a monument to Unton, Queen Elizabeth's ambassador, who challenged the Duke of Guise for speaking against his queen.

The Independents, Baptists, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have chapels, and the Friends a meeting-house. There are two National schools. The charities produce £153 per annum, of which Unton's endowment forms part. Faringdon Grove is a meet for the Old Berks hounds. The chief residence is Faringdon House, once belonging to Pye, the poet-laureate. Faringdon is the head of a Poor-law Union, embracing 25 parishes in Gloucestershire, 4 in Berks, and 3 in Oxfordshire. It is also the seat of a County Court and of a superintendent registry. Tuesday is market day for corn; and an excellent cattle and sheep market is held on the first Tuesday in every month. Fairs are held on Old Candlemas Day, Whit-Tuesday, 29th October, and an annual horse-fair on the 13th February, besides a statute fair on the 18th October for hiring servants.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]