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Hampstead Marshal

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"HAMPSTEAD MARSHAL, a parish in the hundred of Kintbury Eagle, county Berks, 4 miles S.W. of Newbury, its post town, and 7 S.W. of Hungerford. The parish is of small extent, and is situated on the Kennet and Avon canal. It formerly belonged to the earls marshal of England, from which circumstance it takes the adjunct to its name. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable and pasture, with about 300 acres of woodland. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £290. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Oxford, value £269. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient brick building, and has a tomb of Sir B. Gerbler, who built Hampstead House, now the residence of the Earl of Craven, who is lord of the manor. There is a chapel for Independents."

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

Alternative spellings: any permutation of Hamsted, Hamstead, Hampstead, Marshall, Marshal

Other descriptions can be found from other periods in various trade directories covering Berkshire from the early 19th century onwards, from Berkshire FHS, Hampstead Marshal.net, and 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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Church History

Further information about some of the churches can be found below:

  • Congregational: The chapel opened in a house in 1809 and a chapel erected later, closed in1936, now a private house.  For early history, see The History of the Congregational Churches in the Berks, etc.  "The dissenters’ gospel first came to Hamstead in 1809, brought by the Rev William Dryland, founder of Newbury’s Congregationalists. A small but growing body of worshippers then kept the faith at a succession of meeting houses around the village. In 1846 a small cottage and garden came up for sale “in the most desirable spot in all Hamstead”. A 100-seater chapel was built at a cost of £152, and on 9 June 1846 the Rev John Curwen preached to an overflowing congregation of 200 souls, many of whom had travelled far for the occasion. Thereafter, the chapel prospered for nearly 90 years. An organ was obtained. Tea-meetings were popular, often attracting worshippers from Newbury and surrounding villages. Preachers usually came from neighbouring congregations, but from time to time Hamstead had its own resident evangelist, such as Mr Farnsworth in 1885. The chapel continued to be used regularly until the 1930s, when congregations were lessening. In 1933 it was closed and converted into a house. The builder who carried out the conversion was Mr Gibbs of Clareville Cottage, and his son Paul presented the current owners with the chapel bible, which had come into his family’s possession." from Craven Country by Penelope Stokes with kind permission.
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Hampstead Marshal which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

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History

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SU414654 (Lat/Lon: 51.386142, -1.406452), Hampstead Marshal which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Hampstead Marshal was in the Newbury Union.  For more information, see Poorhouses.