Chieveley

"CHIEVELEY, a parish in the hundred of Faircross, in the county of Berks, 4 miles N. of Newbury, its post town, and 4½ from Ilsley. It comprises the chapelries of Oare, Winterbourn, and Leckhampstead, and the tythings of Courage, Snelsmore, and North Heath. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Oxford, value with the curacies of Oare, Winterbourn, and Leckhampstead annexed, £1,460, in the patronage of James Dand, Esq., and Miss Wasey alternately. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is in the early English style. There is a National school for both sexes at North Heath. The Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, and Baptists have each a place of worship. The charities amount to £86 per annum, of which Henshaw's school has £16."

"COURAGE [aka Curridge], a tything in the parish of Chieveley, in the county of Berks, 3 miles N. of Newbury. There is a large tract of common.

"LECKHAMPSTEAD, a chapelry in the parish of Chieveley, hundred of Faircross, county Berks, 7 miles N. of Newbury, its post town, and 3 N. of Chieveley. The village is considerable, but chiefly agricultural. The living is a curacy annexed to the vicarage* of Chieveley, in the diocese of Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. James, is a modern edifice, in which is a circular font encircled by a scroll of foliage. The Marquis of Downshire is the sole owner."

"OARE, (or Cure), a chapelry in the parish of Chieveley, hundred of Faircross, county Berks, 5 miles N.E. of Newbury, and 5 from Ilsley. The village is small and chiefly agricultural. The living is a curacy annexed to the vicarage* of Chieveley, in the diocese of Oxford. The church is a small edifice, without a tower, not capable of containing more than 70 persons. The Society of Friends have a burial-ground.

"SNELSMORE, a tything in the parish of Chieveley, county Berks, 4 miles N. of Newbury."

"WINTERBOURN, a chapelry in the parish of Chieveley, county Berks, 3 miles N.W. of Newbury."

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, and from A Vision of Britain Through Time.