A WA L K
AROUND
TH E A L E
Theale today is a thriving and
dynamic village community which
owes its prosperity to its location
close to the M4 corridor and the hitec industries of ‘silicon valley’.
Despite its proximity to Reading it
has maintained a distinct identity
and sense of community. Unlike
many villages, it continues to
support a primary school,
secondary school, Post Office and
an impressive array of public
houses. The wide range of shops
and businesses in the High Street
and its bustling life during the
working day bear witness to its
active commercial life, but it has
also retained some residential
character. The modern landscaped
Arlington Business Park on the
S.E. outskirts testifies to its success
in attracting a wide range of big
name companies to the area.
Theale has generally been an
adaptable community evolving
to meet changing economic
circumstances whilst holding on
firmly to its architectural heritage
and semi-rural character.
Riots of 1830, a protest against low agricultural wages, irregular
employment and payment of tithes. Berkshire then being a poor
county there was much local rioting, rick burning and machine
smashing. Theale did not riot but a rioter from West Woodhay
was arrested here.
Situated five miles west of Reading on the main road to the
thriving port of Bristol and the fashionable spa resort of Bath,
Theale became a major halt for a change of horses and a comfort
stop for passengers. Inns multiplied and by c.1840 there were 11
in Church Street and High Street alone. Theale’s shops could
provide for the needs of travellers and local craftsmen could
supply everything this growing industry needed. Blacksmiths,
harness makers, saddlers, basket makers, wheelwrights, rope
makers, soap makers all plied their trade here. A barbersurgeon and a vet also practised in the village at this time to
tend to the needs of human and animal travellers. Some of its
pubs retain their coaching yards and stable buildings and a
pump at the west end of the village reminds us of the need to
water the road in summer to keep down the offensive mixture
of dust and horse dung. Theale was a service station long before
the advent of motorways.
There has been a settlement at Theale since the Bronze Age
and its growth was related to the importance of the gravel
terraces which provided a dry site for habitation and firm
trackways above the floodplain of the Kennet. Its Saxon
name derives from a causeway built to bridge a gap in the
gravel and carry a track across wet land. Gravel extraction
for road maintenance was an important industry from the
Middle Ages onwards and there is ample evidence of this
activity around Theale today. For much of its history Theale
depended for its prosperity on farming, passing traffic, and
craft industries geared to serve their demands.
The completion of the Kennet and Avon
Canal in 1810 provided a London-Bristol
waterway and Theale became an
important link in this chain too. A quay
existed south of the village where goods
such as coal, iron, stone and rags (for
paper) were unloaded and local products
such as timber, grain and peat were
dispatched. Little remains of this now
but the canal still provides important
recreational facilities and rural walks.
The building of the Great Western
Railway from Paddington to Bristol
brought a visit to Theale by Isambard
Kingdom Brunel, but the advent of the
railway in 1841 heralded the decline of
long distance horse traffic and the canal,
both vital to the past prosperity of Theale.
In the early 19th Century following the Napoleonic Wars
there was a period of social unrest culminating in the Swing
Theale went into decline for much of the late 19th Century and
early 20th Century. Older residents who were children here in
the 1920s and 1930s describe a quiet rural community
geared to the rhythms of the farming year and the
countryside. Theale owed its resurgence yet again to road
traffic in the late 20th Century. The building of the M4 and
Theale’s position at Junction 12 necessitated a village bypass opened in 1971. The motorway gave easy access to
London, Heathrow and all parts of the UK and increased
Theale’s desirability as a place for industry, residence and
commuters. A 1930s population of 900+ has expanded to
4000+ and new housing development necessary to
accommodate this has dramatically changed the face of the
original linear village. Houses now stand on the water
meadows painted by Constable and only the gravel pits
serve to remind us of Theale’s watery past. The village owes
its development and survival to its ability to utilise its
location and natural resources and its capacity to respond to
changing economic trends. Adaptability is the key to
Theale’s success and it has weathered its changing fortunes
without losing its essential character.
The village trail is designed to take you through the most
architecturally interesting areas of the old village and give
you some insight into its past history.
This leaflet was produced by
the Theale Local History
Group supported by funding
from the West Berkshire
Community Education Fund.
Our walk begins behind the library where you may be able to park your car. Paragraph
numbers refer to circled numbers on map.
1. No te the carved slab "Po lice Statio n". This is all that rem ains o f the o ld p o lice statio n
built in 1920. Because o f the im p o rtance o f the Bath Ro ad , Theale becam e the centre o f
a beat co vering eleven p arishes. Reo rganisatio n resulted in its d em o litio n and
rep lacem ent by a sub p o lice statio n (1984) and library (1989).
2. Behind yo u is Theale Green Co m m unity Scho o l. Develo p ed o n fo rm er allo tm ents, it
o p ened in 1963 as a gram m ar scho o l. It becam e co m p rehensive in 1971. To d ay it has
1400 p up ils and is no ted fo r its sp ecialism as an arts co llege.
3. Now into Church Street and turn right. Here is a terrace o f tw elve d w ellings d ated 1882.
Its neat façad e o f grey head ers, m o uld ed yello w brick s and arched sash w ind o w s has been a
little d iversified o f late. A sm all yard at the rear rep laced a gard en. It w as assum ed resid ents
w o uld rent
an allo tm ent. Until the 1950s a single p um p sup p lied their w ater.
4. Turn back. Continue along Church Street. Tw o blo ck s o f gabled ho uses stand back fro m the
ro ad . Erected c.1920 they are p art o f 18 sem i d etached co uncil ho uses called
Lam bfield s. A unique d evelo p m ent, it reflects gard en city p lanning, and the arts and
craft m o vem ent in co ttage architecture enco uraged by architects such as Charles
Vo ysey and Ed w in Lutyens. In co ntrast to Victo rian ho using they d isp lay an
enlightened attitud e to w ard s w o rk ing class need s and the p o st 1918 sp irit o f "Ho m es fit
fo r Hero es".
5. The Lam b d ates fro m c.1870. In the d ays o f the Bath Ro ad Hund red cycling race it w as
an im p o rtant centre fo r co m p etito rs. An early 20th century land lo rd ran a turnery behind
the Lam b, using lo cal brushw o o d to m ak e bro o m s, beso m s, fencing, hurd les and to o l
hand les.
6. No s. 55-57 are typ ical Englefield Estate co ttages. Built c.1860 fo r farm w o rk ers, they
w ere sp acio us fo r their tim e, each having a p um p , o utho use, p igsty and big gard en. After
the agricultural d ecline, no . 57 becam e the p o lice statio n until 1920.
7. The thatched p ro p erty d ating fro m 1487 is the fo rm er Lam b Inn. After co nversio n into
tw o co ttages c.1870, its o ld functio n w as resto red first as a teaho use in 1948 and later as a
m o tel. Insid e are a heavily tim bered ro o m , a firep lace w ith fire iro ns c.1660, and so m e
graffiti left o n a w ind o w by a w ealthy custo m er w earing a d iam o nd ring in 1704.
8. The w hite build ing o p p o site, no s. 51-53, reflecst changes o f functio n so typ ical o f
Theale.
An 1840’s ho use and sho p becam e tw o ho uses. Fro m 1973 to 1994 it w as the d o cto r’s
surgery. No w it is o ffices.
9. The large stucco rend ered ho use, no s. 47-49, d ates fro m c.1831. One o f Theale’s few o ld
m id d le class ho uses, its curved w alls, recessed w ind o w s and gard en crink le crank le w all
ind icate Regency style. In the late 19th century the left hand sid e becam e a p rivate scho o l,
later a resid ence. To d ay, it is flats.
No . 49 w as the d o cto r’s resid ence and surgery fro m 1926 until 1973.
10. Theale’s scho o l build ing is am o ng the o ld est in Berk shire. Op ened in 1833 und er the
ausp ices o f the Anglican Church, the m aster’s ho use attached , it co ntinued as an all age
scho o l until 1964.
Its fo und er, the Rev. Tho m as Shep p ard , left £20 yearly fo rever fo r the establishm ent o f a
scho o l "to teach p o o r child ren to read … and to instruct them in their d uty to Go d as taught
by the Church Catechism and o ur excellent liturgy". Fro m 1965 it becam e a p rim ary
scho o l but link s w ith the Church o f England are retained .
11. Turn left through the two gate piers. Befo re yo u is Ho ly Trinity, a grad e o ne listed
build ing and rep uted to be o ne o f the best 19th century, p re-Victo rian churches in
England . Its fo und er w as So p hia Shep p ard aid ed by her bro ther Martin Ro uth,
Recto r o f Tilehurst and Presid ent o f Oxfo rd ’s Magd alen Co llege. They called fo r an
act o f p arliam ent to m ak e Theale an ind ep end ent ecclesiastical p arish. Ed w ard
Garbett d esigned the bo d y o f the church, d raw ing insp iratio n fro m Salisbury
Cathed ral in w ho se d io cese w e w ere. The cho ice o f Early English Go thic w as unusual
at this d ate, but its fo und er fo resaw the lik eliho o d o f a religio us revival resto ring so m e
p re-refo rm atio n p ractices. It em erged later as the Oxfo rd Mo vem ent. Jo hn Buck ler
"d esigned and sup erintend ed " the to w er and ad jo ining assem bly ro o m . The w ho le w as
co m p leted in 1832 after thirteen years, at a co st o f £39,520 includ ing the recto ry and
end o w m ent, all p aid fo r by So p hia Shep p ard . The Kennet and Avo n Canal m ad e p o ssible
the im p o rtatio n o f sto ne fro m the w est. The build ing’s cathed ral-lik e stature d raw s
co m m ent. Built in the afterm ath o f the Sw ing Rio ts it w as a sym bo l o f ecclesiastical
autho rity and so cial o rd er.
Turn left at the west front. Proceed through the grave-yard and enter the recreation field.
Walk round the playground and follow a paved footpath to the Englefield Road. No te the
classical style o ld Recto ry (12) o n yo ur right, and new Med ical Centre. Turn right to w ard s
the steely sp ire o f St Luk e’s Ro m an Catho lic Church (13) built 1969. Alo ngsid e St Luk e’s is a
fo o tp ath sign. Fo llo w the p ath into Cro w n Lane. Observe a curved w all (14) o f o versized
brick s. This w as d o ne to red uce the num ber o f brick s need ed and so lessen the brick tax
p ayable befo re 1852.
Upon reaching Crown Lane look to your left. No te a flat ro o fed blo ck o f d w ellings (15).
Because o f a labo ur sho rtage, the Ministry o f Sup p ly c.1940 built o ne hund red bo m b-blast
p ro o f ho m es o f this k ind to ho use p eo p le fro m Lo nd o n to w o rk in a lo cal arm am ents
facto ry.
16. Continue up Crown Lane towards the High Street. No te the co ttages o n yo ur right
c.1840, built fo r artisans and farm w o rk ers. There is go o d use o f red and grey hand m ad e
brick s. So m e o riginal d o o rs and sash w ind o w s rem ain.
17. Op p o site are terraces o f c.1890. Evid ent is the unifo rm ity o f m achine m ad e brick s and
significant is the use o f yello w brick s ind icating the influence o f the 19th century art and
architectural critic, Jo hn Rusk in.
18. Upon reaching the High Street look right. The Cro w n w as o ne o f Theale’s lead ing co aching
inns. Rebuilt in 1710, but its w est w ing m ay be o ld er. In 1792, its land lo rd "hum bly so licits the
favo urs o f the no bility, gentry and tho se travelling the Bath-Bristo l ro ad ", having refurbished the
inn "in a genteel and co m m o d io us m anner".
Turn left. Yo u are lo o k ing d o w n the length o f the High Street. No te the varied ro o f line giving
co herence w ith variety. The unity o f scale and curve sho w to ad vantage the co m p act m ix o f m o stly
19th century and earlier build ings.
19. Continue down the lefthand side. The first build ing, No 1, c.1830 w as the New Inn. In the
1850s it becam e a p rivate scho o l and later the ho m e o f a transp o rter w ho becam e Theale’s first
Parish Co uncil Chairm an in 1894 w hen the civil p arish w as fo rm ed .
20. This ro w o f farm co ttages no s. 3-9 c.1860 w as erected by the Englefield Estate. The last
w heelw right lived in the first ho use until the 1960’s, his yard no w o ccup ied by the so cial
services build ing.
21. Q-Tel No .15 and the Village Tea Sho p No .17 w ere built in 1913. The first w as a d rap er’s
until c.1960, the seco nd a bank . Originally J & C Sim m o nd s & Co a Read ing Bank , m erged
w ith Barclays in 1921. It clo sed in 1992.
22. The bulk o f Ho rticultural Ho use No .19 w as erected in 1912 as a butcher’s sp ecialising in
fo reign m eat. It is an exam p le o f the fo o d ind ustry cashing in o n railw ays o p ening up new
land s, the gro w th o f Em p ire and d evelo p m ent o f refrigerated ship s. In the late 1960s it w as
co nverted into o ffices.
23. The Wo k No .21 used to be k no w n as Waterlo o Ho use. An early 19th century w ind o w
survives. In the 1860s it w as a chem ist’s, abo ut 1900 a bask et m ak er’s sho p , later a d rap er’s,
then a haird resser’s.
24. This build ing, No s.27-27a, o f c.1840 has a façad e o f grey head ers o ften used as a substitute
fo r sto ne. The last sad d ler and harnessm ak er w o rk ed here, tho ugh by the 1960’s co bbling had
beco m e m o re p ro fitable. Subsequently it has been subd ivid ed into three sho p s.
25. Lo nd is, No .29, is a sho p p ro bably o n early 18th century fo und atio ns. Its k eep er o f c.1900 had
the nick nam e o f "Pinchp lum " because he w as so p articular in giving exact w eight.
26. The Falco n is ano ther lead ing inn w ith an early 18th century façad e, stables and a d o uble archw ay. It had
the d istinctio n o f being the p o sting inn till 1841. Inns w ere the equivalent o f to d ay’s citizen’s ad vice bureau,
estate agents and all so urces o f new s. At the rear w as a bo w ling green.
27. The Bak ery No .33 and Beautician o ccup y the site o f the Castle Inn, clo sed c.1906 it also served as
co ttages and d o cto r’s surgery.
28. No . 35, no w the Tax Haven, Oriental Bar and o ffices, altho ugh altered , is p ro bably late 17th century.
Fro m at least 1780 until 1948 it w as a bak ery. In the 20th century fo ur m en d id the bak ing, includ ing the
m ak ing o f fam o us lard cak es, and shared d elivery via ho rse d raw n vans. The sho p ’s m anager w o uld
have no thing to d o w ith p etro l engines.
29. No .37 The Lim es, no w o ffices, w as the ho m e o f the Ho lm d en fam ily fo r o ver a century. Kno w n as
"Sniffy", cattle d ealing w as Mr Ho lm d en’s o ccup atio n but his fo rebears had been also butchers and
farm ers.
30. The Bull is ano ther im p o rtant inn d ating fro m at least the 17th century. In 1782 its
land lo rd rep o rted : "sto len fro m a gard en tank 60lbs o f eels". He o ffered a 5gns rew ard fo r
help ful info rm atio n. The lo cal m agistrates held their m o nthly p etty sessio ns here until
the 19th century jud icial refo rm s, fo llo w ed by the Unity Co urt o f The Ancient Ord er o f
Fo resters (a w elfare so ciety) fro m 1861 to 1968.
31. Walk behind The Bull. Observe the Co o p er’s Ho use and rem o d elled brew ery
build ings all serving as o ffices. Parallel to the ro ad is Brew ery Ho use c.1820. The Drap er
fam ily began a m altings here in the early 18th century to sup p ly m alt fo r ho m e brew ing.
Abo ut 1820 they integrated m alting w ith brew ing. In 1854 Jasp er and Hugh Drap er so ld
the business to Frank and William Blatch, in w ho se fam ily it rem ained until 1965.
32. Mo st o f the rem aining ho uses d ate fro m the 18th century. Luk ers No .47 is c.1740. Fo r
p art o f the 19th century it w as a p rivate scho o l. Fro m 1880’s to 1916 it w as a clo thing and
sho e sho p . To d ay it’s resid ential. The grey ho use, No .49, (33) has a go thic d o o rw ay. It w as the
Ancho r Inn until c.1840.
34. Beaum o nt Ho use 1997, o ccup ies the site o f the King’s Head Inn and Metho d ist Chap el. The
latter’s fo und atio n sto nes survive in the east w all.
Cross the road to walk up the south side. The slip w ay link s the High Street to the by-p ass, the
rero uted A4.
35. The Chestnuts, No.60, w ith its arched w ind ow s, unusual shutters rising from the sill and tuck
pointing is c.1760. Ed w ard Brow n (1851-1939) a pioneer in poultry science, d eveloped a poultry
college here from 1898 to 1910. His publications, lecturing and introd uction of such chick en breed s
as Rhod e Island Red s earned him a k nighthood . The Cumber family, long resid ents of Theale and
w ell k now n in the 20th century as cattle d ealers, shire horse breed ers, butchers and farmers lived
here from 1918 to 1974 . William Cumber (1878-1974) w as active in public life includ ing a period
as Chairman of Berk shire County Council. In 1902, he w as Theale’s first car ow ner.
36. Wisteria, No .58, has an early 18th century fro ntage o f red and grey brick w ith tuck
p o inting.
37. No .56 w as the ho m e o f Theale’s last black sm ith. His Statio n Ro ad fo rge clo sed in
1969.
38. The p ink p lastered co ttages, No s.54-56, co nceal a tim ber fram e o f the
15th century.
39. Ho use No .50 w as Theale’s 19th century p o st o ffice.
40. Llo yd ’s Bank , No s.42-42A, w as the slaughter ho use until the
1950s. Anim als w ere herd ed thro ugh the village and grazed in
p ad d o ck s behind . They w ere k illed o n the p rem ises and the m eat
so ld in the ad jo ining butcher’s sho p .
41. No s. 40-40A, the butcher’s and ad jacent ho use, w ere rebuilt
in the 1890s. At first the Cum ber fam ily lived here, later the
sho p ’s m anager. The butchery began c.1820, altho ugh it has
been Cum ber p ro p erty since 1746. Fo r m any years it
sp ecialised in ho m e p ro d uced m eat.
42. No.38 There has been a d airy and greengrocery on this
site since the 1860s. Walk up the driveway a few paces. Notice
some old photos in the butcher’s w ind ow, the unusual lattice
ventilator in the w all of Croppers, and the row of green garage d oors!
43. Co ngregatio nalism in Theale began in the k itchen o f the Cum ber’s
ho use c.1820. As num bers grew services w ere held in the butcher’s sho p
until a chap el w as built by 1832 behind the sho p –the site o f the green d o o r
garages. In 1912 the Angel Inn w as d em o lished and the p resent chap el
o p ened o n the site in 1913. The chap el clo sed in May 2000.
44. No s.28-36 This m id 19th century terrace w as nick nam ed "Gutty Ro w ".
At No .36 lived Theale’s last shep herd w ho se step so n earned fam e as a
m em ber o f a sm all team o f m id get subm arine crew s w ho , in the 1939-45,
w ar p enetrated the No rw egian fjo rd s to sink the Tirp itz.
45. The blo ck o f new sho p s o p ened in 2001 rep laces a garage w hich
evo lved fro m a 19th century black sm ith’s fo rge.
46. No .20 The Blue Co bra has a Victo rian up p er sto rey and ro o f rid ge.
Fo r o ver half a century it w as o ne o f Theale’s m ain gro cery sho p s.
47. No s.18-18A The estate agent’s has d evelo p ed fro m tw o m id 19th
century co ttages. Next to the Co bra, lived the village’s last hurd le
m ak er.
48. The w ine m erchant’s w as p revio usly an iro nm o nger’s. Until 1891
it w as the d w elling o f Theale’s veterinary surgeo n. Ho rse
m anagem ent o f all k ind s, lik e to d ay’s m o to rcars, w as big business
fo r centuries. Theale co uld p ro vid e all the necessary services.
49. No s.6-8, The Po st Office, an Ed w ard ian m ix o f styles, w as
p urp o se built in 1908. It has survived threatened clo sure. It w as
here Theale first learned o f the d eclaratio n o f w ar in August
1914.
50. Westfield Ho use No .4, c.1830 w as in the d ays o f the
Tem p erance So ciety and Band o f Ho p e, the Tem p erance Ho tel.
The lo cal gro up used to m eet in a hall behind , d em o lished fo r
o ffice extensio ns to the Co -Op .
51. The Co -Op erative sto re began as a bak ery and gro cery
c.1820. It clo sed in 1948, after abo ut 80 years und er the
m anagem ent o f the Flo w er fam ily. With the p resent
m anagem ent there has been p ro gressive m o d ernisatio n.
52. You have reached Station Road. Ap p ro xim ately w here
stand s the new sp ap er k io sk , in 1832 sat Jo hn Co nstable, the
land scap e artist, to p aint a w aterco lo ur o f the church. And
in the early 20th century tw o m em bers o f the Blo o m sbury
Gro up , Do ra Carringto n and Lytto n Strachey used to w alk
fro m Tid m arsh to Theale statio n fo r the New bury train.
Cross Station Road. Walk up Church Street towards the library
53. Next to the Red Lio n are the tw o co ttages w hich feature in
Co nstable’s w ater co lo ur.
54. Op p o site the Red Lio n no te the arc o f fo rm er co uncil ho uses,
d esigned in the Vo ysey co ttage style.
55. To yo ur left the land slo p es. This is a w ell d efined p art o f the gravel
terrace sup p o rting the Bath Ro ad .
56. No .29 Church Street is at right angles to the street. An exam p le o f early
19th century gentrificatio n, its stucco hid es a tim ber fram e, p ro bably late
17th century.
57. No te the beautifully crafted church w all o f k nap p ed flints ro o fed w ith
Bath sto ne.
The walk is completed. Yo u w ill have no ticed that m uch o f Theale w as
red evelo p ed and exp and ed in the early 19th century, the p erio d w hen stage
co aching and ho rse traffic w ere at their p eak . To d ay, the gro w th o f ro ad
transp o rt is having a sim ilar im p act. With changes o f functio n, the p ast is
being rew o rk ed into the p resent.