Swallowfield

Swallowfield
Village
All Saints' parish church
Swallowfield
Location within Berkshire
Population1,961 (2001 Census)
1,971 (2011 Census)[1]
OS grid referenceSU7264
Civil parish
  • Swallowfield
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townReading
Postcode districtRG7
Dialling code0118
PoliceThames Valley
FireRoyal Berkshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament

Swallowfield is a village and civil parish in the Wokingham district, in Berkshire, England, about 5 miles (8 km) south of Reading, and 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the county boundary with Hampshire. The civil parish of Swallowfield also includes the nearby villages of Riseley and Farley Hill. In 2011 the parish had a population of 1971.

Geography

Swallowfield has a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the south western edge of the village, called Stanford End Mill and River Loddon[2] The village has a local nature reserve called Swallowfield Meadow.[3] Swallowfield Park is a stately home situated in an estate half a mile north east of the village. The current mansion has been converted into exclusive apartments.

Notable residents

Swallowfield has been the home of a number of famous persons including Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt, the Governor of Fort St. George; William Backhouse, the Rosicrucian philosopher; Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon;[4] and, in his childhood, Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon. The 19th century author Mary Russell Mitford retired to the village and is buried in the churchyard.

References

  1. ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighboiurhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. ^ Magic Map Application
  3. ^ "Magic Map Application - Swallowfield Meadow". Magic.defra.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  4. ^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1891). "Hyde, Henry (1638-1709)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 28. London: Smith, Elder & Co.