Blewbury

"BLEWBURY, a parish in the hundred of Reading, partly also in that of Moreton, in the county of Berks, 5 miles to the S.W. of Wallingford, its post town. It is situated on the Ridge Way, and contains the chapelries of Aston Upthorpe and Upton, and the liberty of Nottingham-Fee. The parish is crossed by the ancient way called Ickleton or Icknield Street. The the diocese of Oxford, of the value, with the curacies of Aston-Upthorpe and Upton annexed to it, of £161, in the patronage of the Bishop of Oxford. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. This parish has the benefit of an important charitable endowment founded in 1700 by William Malthus, the produce of which amounts to about £1,010 per annum. This sum is applied, under the directions of the Court of Chancery, to the maintenance of 10 boys at the blue-coat school, Reading; to the support of two schools for boys and girls; to apprenticing and clothing of poor children, and other benevolent purposes. There is an endowed almshouse, founded in 1732, and other charities, the value of which is about £55 per annum. In this parish was formerly a spacious building, called the Charter-house; and the ancient manorhouse was defended by a moat and rampart of earth. On Blewbarton Hill are remains of an extensive encampment, and there are some barrows in the vicinity."

"ASTON UPTHORPE, a chapelry in the parish of Blewbury, in the hundred of Morton, and county of Berks, 4 miles to the S. of Wallingford. The living is a perpetual curacy annexed to the vicarage of Blewberry, in the diocese of Salisbury. This place is said to have been the scene of the battle in 659, in which the King of Wessex was defeated by Wulfere, son of Penda, and his dominions annexed to Mercia."

"NOTTINGHAM FEE, a liberty in the parish of Blewbury, hundred of Morton, county Berks, 5 miles S.W. of Wallingford."

"UPTON, a chapelry in the parish of Blewbury, hundred of Moreton, county Berks, 7 miles from Wallington, its post town, and 3 from Didcot railway station. The living is a curacy annexed to the vicarage of Blewberry, in the diocese of Oxford. The Wesleyans have a chapel. There are day and Sunday schools."

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

Other descriptions can be found from other periods in various trade directories covering Berkshire from the early 19th century onwards from Berkshire FHS (members only) and from A Vision of Britain Through Time.