a timeline of curridge
953AD King Eldred gave a charter for 'Custeridge' to his thane, Alfric.
1086 The Domesday Book listed 'Coserige' as land held by Ralph de Mortimer in the Thatcham Hundred. The Abbot of St Pierrre-sur-Dives held 2 hides in 'Coserige'.
1207 King John visited Curridge on August 3rd.
1248 The manor of Curridge had been a Medieval division of Chieveley Parish, but was given to the Priory of Poughley at Chaddleworth by Roger de Curridge. The grant was confirmed by the King in 1248AD The manor of Curridge was chosen for holding Manorial Courts, a kind of administrative centre, and the house became known as 'Priors Court'.
1644 It is rumoured (no substantial evidence) that Oliver Cromwell stayed at what is now Lanolee Farm during the Second Battle of Newbury.
1817 The oldest map of Curridge is the Enclosure Map of 1817 in a large leather-bound book called the 'Courage Award' by George Barnes of Andover. The prominent landowners in 'Courage' were the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, John Thomas Wasey and Tobias Ilsley.
There was a little community of three dwellings and a pond near The New Inn (now The Bunk). Chapel Lane and Crabtree Lane were important 30 ft. wide roads. There was a cluster of dwellings on the site of Chieveley Motors Garage. Sandy Lane was a main thoroughfare.
Where Marsh Lane meets Curridge Road there were about six dwelling, a farm and a large pond.
Along the present Curridge Green there was another little community of at least seven buildings clustered around the farm. Even then the tracks formed a triangle as they do now.
1841 The Census shows the area of 'Courage' was mainly agricultural with farms and farm cottages - 277 residents in 66 dwellings
1856 onwards: Curridge School Miss Mary Wasey and Mrs Jane Stackpole, sisters of John Thomas Wasey (a Newbury solicitor and owner of Prior's Court) leased a plot of land from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster and built a private school. The school was licensed for Divine Service. In 1879 the school was transferred to the Education Committee of the Parishes of Chieveley and Winterbourne ('The Board') on condition that it could be used as a church on Sundays and Holy Days. (This arrangement continued until the early 1970s, when the ecclesiastical parish of Curridge was transferred to Hermitage).
In 1903 responsibility or the school was transferred to Berkshire County Council. In 1986 the school was threatened with closure because there were only 30/35 children on roll. After a concerted campaign by villagers the Council retained the school, appreciating the special characteristics of rural schools.The building of an extra classroom and hall was authorised. Since then additional classrooms and facilities have been added.
1871 In the Census Curridge was spelt as we know it. The name 'Oakhouse' appeared, probably the house that was later renamed 'Oaklands' and then demolished in 1995 for 5 houses to be built on the site.
1880 On the OS Map the farm in Marsh Lane was marked as Brown's Farm ( now Lanolee). The school, the Parsonage and the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Chapel Lane were shown, as was the Baptist Chapel on Long Lane (closed 2004). Rookery Farm was called Curridge Farm.
1891 In the Census the area by The New Inn (now The Bunk) was called, 'The City'. By this time 234 people lived in Curridge in 63 houses.
1899 On the OS Map 2nd. Edition Brown's Farm had been renamed Lee's Farm. The Brick and Tileworks (later Bates'Yard and now Curridge Park) was marked. The kilnworkers' cottages, which were originally built parallel to Kiln Drive, were demolished and rebuilt in their present position in 1914.
1919 Curridge WI was started. In the early years 50 members met once a month in the school.
They established 'The Hut Fund' and in 1923 the WI put up a hut for £325 on land they rented from the Church Commissioners for one shilling (5p) a year. In 1953 the WI bought the land outright. In 2003/4 they raised over £23,000 to build a small extension to the WI Hall to provide facilities for the disabled.
1930s Mr H.E. Bateman, a famous cartoonist, lived at The Parsonage. Mrs Bateman had been one of The Bluebell Girls.
1974 (04/03/1974) A general stores at 'Faircross' on the Curridge Road closed down.
1987-89 Forty-three houses (Curridge Park) were built on the site of Bates' Yard.
1988 The New Inn was renamed The Bunk - a nickname it may have had originally amongst the brickworkers who 'bunked off" from work.
1992 (21/05/1992) The shop and Post Office which had occupied 6, Kiln Terrace, closed down.
2003 Curridge was Runner-up in the Calor Berkshire Village of the Year Competition.
1086 The Domesday Book listed 'Coserige' as land held by Ralph de Mortimer in the Thatcham Hundred. The Abbot of St Pierrre-sur-Dives held 2 hides in 'Coserige'.
1207 King John visited Curridge on August 3rd.
1248 The manor of Curridge had been a Medieval division of Chieveley Parish, but was given to the Priory of Poughley at Chaddleworth by Roger de Curridge. The grant was confirmed by the King in 1248AD The manor of Curridge was chosen for holding Manorial Courts, a kind of administrative centre, and the house became known as 'Priors Court'.
1644 It is rumoured (no substantial evidence) that Oliver Cromwell stayed at what is now Lanolee Farm during the Second Battle of Newbury.
1817 The oldest map of Curridge is the Enclosure Map of 1817 in a large leather-bound book called the 'Courage Award' by George Barnes of Andover. The prominent landowners in 'Courage' were the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, John Thomas Wasey and Tobias Ilsley.
There was a little community of three dwellings and a pond near The New Inn (now The Bunk). Chapel Lane and Crabtree Lane were important 30 ft. wide roads. There was a cluster of dwellings on the site of Chieveley Motors Garage. Sandy Lane was a main thoroughfare.
Where Marsh Lane meets Curridge Road there were about six dwelling, a farm and a large pond.
Along the present Curridge Green there was another little community of at least seven buildings clustered around the farm. Even then the tracks formed a triangle as they do now.
1841 The Census shows the area of 'Courage' was mainly agricultural with farms and farm cottages - 277 residents in 66 dwellings
1856 onwards: Curridge School Miss Mary Wasey and Mrs Jane Stackpole, sisters of John Thomas Wasey (a Newbury solicitor and owner of Prior's Court) leased a plot of land from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster and built a private school. The school was licensed for Divine Service. In 1879 the school was transferred to the Education Committee of the Parishes of Chieveley and Winterbourne ('The Board') on condition that it could be used as a church on Sundays and Holy Days. (This arrangement continued until the early 1970s, when the ecclesiastical parish of Curridge was transferred to Hermitage).
In 1903 responsibility or the school was transferred to Berkshire County Council. In 1986 the school was threatened with closure because there were only 30/35 children on roll. After a concerted campaign by villagers the Council retained the school, appreciating the special characteristics of rural schools.The building of an extra classroom and hall was authorised. Since then additional classrooms and facilities have been added.
1871 In the Census Curridge was spelt as we know it. The name 'Oakhouse' appeared, probably the house that was later renamed 'Oaklands' and then demolished in 1995 for 5 houses to be built on the site.
1880 On the OS Map the farm in Marsh Lane was marked as Brown's Farm ( now Lanolee). The school, the Parsonage and the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Chapel Lane were shown, as was the Baptist Chapel on Long Lane (closed 2004). Rookery Farm was called Curridge Farm.
1891 In the Census the area by The New Inn (now The Bunk) was called, 'The City'. By this time 234 people lived in Curridge in 63 houses.
1899 On the OS Map 2nd. Edition Brown's Farm had been renamed Lee's Farm. The Brick and Tileworks (later Bates'Yard and now Curridge Park) was marked. The kilnworkers' cottages, which were originally built parallel to Kiln Drive, were demolished and rebuilt in their present position in 1914.
1919 Curridge WI was started. In the early years 50 members met once a month in the school.
They established 'The Hut Fund' and in 1923 the WI put up a hut for £325 on land they rented from the Church Commissioners for one shilling (5p) a year. In 1953 the WI bought the land outright. In 2003/4 they raised over £23,000 to build a small extension to the WI Hall to provide facilities for the disabled.
1930s Mr H.E. Bateman, a famous cartoonist, lived at The Parsonage. Mrs Bateman had been one of The Bluebell Girls.
1974 (04/03/1974) A general stores at 'Faircross' on the Curridge Road closed down.
1987-89 Forty-three houses (Curridge Park) were built on the site of Bates' Yard.
1988 The New Inn was renamed The Bunk - a nickname it may have had originally amongst the brickworkers who 'bunked off" from work.
1992 (21/05/1992) The shop and Post Office which had occupied 6, Kiln Terrace, closed down.
2003 Curridge was Runner-up in the Calor Berkshire Village of the Year Competition.
