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Bisham

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"BISHAM, a parish in the hundred of Beynhurst, in the county of Berks, 1 mile from Marlow, and 5 miles to the N.W. of Maidenhead, its post town and nearest railway station. It is situated in a beautiful country, on the banks of the river Thames. It was the site of a preceptory of the Knights Templars, founded in the reign of Stephen, and converted into a priory of the Augustine order by William de Montacute, in 1338. This priory had a revenue of about £327, and flourished nearly 200 years. It was then re-founded by Henry VIII., as a Benedictine abbey, but shortly after dissolved, and granted by Edward VI. to the Hoby family. In this parish are Temple Mills, formerly employed for the manufacture of copper articles, but now converted into paper mills. The living is a the diocese of Oxford, value £156, in the patronage of G. Vansittart, Esq. The church, which stands by the river, is dedicated to All Saints, and has recently been restored. The most ancient portions are in the Norman style; and the church contains some interesting monuments of the Hoby family." (There is more of this description).

From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland(1868). Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003.

Other descriptions can be found from other periods in various trade directories covering Berkshire from the early 19th century onwards from Berkshire FHS (members only) and from A Vision of Britain Through Time.

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Archives & Libraries

In addition to those listed on the Berkshire home page, see the Research Wiki from Family Search (the Church of Latter-day Saints (Genealogical Society of Utah))

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Bisham which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

  • Stubbings is a parish created in1874 from parts of Bisham and Cookham Dean
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History

  • Bisham Abbey - home of the Vansittart (later Vansittart Neale) family - George Vansittart was educated at Reading School, made his fortune in India, settled here in 1780, died in 1825 having established a new dynasty of local gentry, whose archive is available from the BRO (ref. D/EX73) (see Vol 67, 2014 and Vol 69, 2014 page 3 of the Berkshire Echo).
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SU850833 (Lat/Lon: 51.542207, -0.775717), Bisham which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Bisham was in the Cookham Union.  For more information, see Poorhouses.