Compton, Berkshire

Compton is a village and civil parish in the River Pang valley in the Berkshire Downs about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Didcot which is buffered from neighbouring settlements by cultivated fields to all sides. The village is in a gently-sloped dry valley and the fledgling Pang seasonally enters from the north west and discharges in the south east and may be joined at the centre of the village by the Roden from the North, when winter bournes rise to fill their channels. Elevations vary from 95 to 155m AOD.

Compton

Medieval church of the ecclesiastical parish of Compton, dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas

Fields of barley with narrow roadside hedgerows cover a large portion of Compton.
Compton
Location within Berkshire
Area15.02 km2 (5.80 sq mi)
Population1,571 (2011 census)[1]
• Density105/km2 (270/sq mi)
OS grid referenceSU5279
Civil parish
  • Compton
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNewbury
Postcode districtRG20
Dialling code01635
PoliceThames Valley
FireRoyal Berkshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
WebsiteCompton Parish Council

Parish church

The bell tower of the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary and Saint Nicholas was built in the 13th century[2] and has Perpendicular Gothic features[2] that were added in the 15th century.[3] In 1850 the nave and chancel were modernised[3] or rebuilt[2] and in 1905 the Gothic Revival architect John Oldrid Scott added the north aisle.[2]

Transport

Former railway

In 1882 the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway was completed through the parish and Compton railway station was opened. British Railways withdrew passenger services from the line and closed Compton station in 1962. BR had closed Compton goods yard by 1964. Through freight traffic was withdrawn in 1964 and the line was closed and dismantled during 1967.

Bus service

From 18 February 2013, Compton is served by Newbury and District bus services 6 and 6A from Newbury.[4]

Amenities and economy

The academically successful The Downs School local authority secondary school is in Compton. In the 21st century its Science building was built, named The Hubble after American astro-physicist Edwin Hubble. The Primary School, Compton Church of England Primary School is located on School Road. The School emblem is a stag.

The Institute for Animal Health is at Compton. Substantial portions of the BBC Television series Trainer were filmed in and around Compton and the next nearest village, East Ilsley.

The village is also known as where footballer Theo Walcott grew up as he went to Compton Primary School and The Downs School.

Geography

Compton has a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) just to the south west of the village, called Ashridge Wood.[5]

Demography
2011 Published Statistics: Population, home ownership and extracts from Physical Environment, surveyed in 2005[1]
Output areaHomes owned outrightOwned with a loanSocially rentedPrivately rentedOtherkm² roadskm² waterkm² domestic gardensUsual residentskm²
Civil parish14723913468100.1220.0110.300157115.02

Nearest places
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References
  1. Key Statistics: Dwellings; Quick Statistics: Population Density; Physical Environment: Land Use Survey 2005
  2. Pevsner, 1965, page 120
  3. Page & Ditchfield, 1925, pages 15-21
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Magic Map Application". Magic.defra.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

Sources
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