Letcombe Regis, Berkshire Family History Guide
Letcombe Regis is an Ancient Parish in the county of Berkshire. East Challow and West Challow are chapelries of Letcombe Regis.
Alternative names:
Parish church:
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1536
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1607
Nonconformists include: Wesleyan Methodist
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales 1895
Letcombe Regis, a village, a township, and a parish in Berks.
The village stands on a branch of the river Ock, 1 ½ mile SW of Wantage, and 3 ¾ miles SW from Wantage Road station on the G.W.R. It has a post and telegraph office under Wantage; money order office. Wantage. Acreage of township, 2156; population, 407; of the ecclesiastical parish of Letcombe Regis, 483.
The parish includes the township and ecclesiastical parish of East and West Challow. Acreage, 4883; population, 1092.
The manor of Letcombe Regis is held by the Silver family. The court rolls are among the most ancient in the kingdom, and some of the wooden tallies used on the occasion of holding the courts in the reign of Henry III. (1216-72) are still in perfect preservation, and may be seen, as well as the court rolls of the same reign, in the Public Record Office, London.
A modem house, surrounded by a moat, occupies the site of what is thought to have been a hunting-box of King John. It has lately been considerably enlarged.
A beautiful hill, called Castle Hill, rises behind the village, and is crowned by a nearly circular camp of about 26 acres, thought by some antiquaries to have been the site of a British town, and by others to have been a Roman encampment. Large quantities of water cresses are sent to the London market.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Oxford; gross value, £224 with residence. Patrons, Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The church is Late Norman, with Perpendicular English additions, consists of nave, chancel, S porch, and embattled western tower, and contains a Norman font.
Source: Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales; Brabner, John Henry Fryden; Volume: 4; William Mackenzie, London. 1895.
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
LETCOMBE-REGIS, a village, a township, and a parish, in Wantage district, Berks.
The village stands on a branch of the river Ock, 1½ mile SW of Wantage, and 3½ SE by S of Challow r. station; and has a postal pillar-box under Wantage.
The township includes the village, and extends much beyond it. Real property, £3,512. Pop., 431. Houses, 101.
The parish contains also the townships of East Challow and West Challow. Acres, 3,720. Real property, £8,183. Pop., 1,014. Houses, 228. The property is much subdivided.
The manor of Letcombe-Regis is held by F. Parr, Esq., under the Dean and Chapter of Westminster; and the manor of West Challow belongs to C. Ferard, Esq A modern house, surrounded by a moat, occupies the site of what is thought to have been a hunting-box of King John.
A beautiful hill, called Castle Hill, rises behind the village; and is crowned by a Roman camp. Very large works, for the making of engines and agricultural implements, are in East Challow. Large quantities of watercresses are sent to the London market.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Oxford. Value, £245. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Winchester. The church is late Norman, with perpendicular English additions; consists of nave and chancel, with embattled tower; and contains a Norman font. The p. curacy of East Challow is a separate benefice.
There are a national school, and charities £18.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Maps
Vision of Britain historical maps
Administration
- County: Berkshire
- Civil Registration District: Wantage
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Berkshire
- Diocese: Pre-1836 – Salisbury, Post-1835 – Oxford
- Rural Deanery: Abingdon
- Poor Law Union: Wantage
- Hundred: Kintbury Eagle
- Province: Canterbury