Berinsfield

Berinsfield is an English village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish population as 2,806.[1]

Berinsfield

Parish church of St. Mary & St. Berin
Berinsfield
Location within Oxfordshire
Area3.73 km2 (1.44 sq mi)
Population2,806 (2011 Census)
• Density752/km2 (1,950/sq mi)
OS grid referenceSU5796
Civil parish
  • Berinsfield
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townWallingford
Postcode districtOX10
Dialling code01865
PoliceThames Valley
FireOxfordshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
WebsiteBerinsfield Parish Council

History

Palaeolithic and Roman artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village. The Roman road between Dorchester-on-Thames and Alchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield.[2] An Anglo-Saxon cemetery was also found at Berinsfield.[3]

The village is on the site of RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in Europe. Miller performed for the US service personnel at the base in December 1944 before his fateful flight from RAF Twinwood Farm which disappeared en route to Paris.

After World War II the disused airbase was occupied by squatters,[4][5] some of whom stayed for over a decade until, in 1957, the Air Ministry sold the airfield for civilian use. Bullingdon Rural District Council decided to build a new council estate[6] to be named after Birinus or Berin, a local saint. The word 'field' was added because the Americans called their base an airfield.[4] Many new residents at that time lived in the former Royal Air Force huts until brick-built houses were constructed on the site.

part of Fane Drive, the main road within the village

Berinsfield is the first English village to be built on virgin land for more than 200 years. It was designed by the architect and town planner William Holford in 1960.[7] The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary and Saint Berin was designed by Rev. Harold Best, vicar of Dorchester, and built in 1962.[8]

Amenities

Berinsfield has a primary school,[9] a public library,[10] The Abbey Sports Centre,[11] a row of shops including a post office. Berinsfield Football Club previously played in the Reading Football League but have since transferred to the North Berks Football League as a result of their position in Oxfordshire. There is a Berinsfield Amateur Boxing Club. Berinsfield has a Women's Institute. Berinsfield also had a youth club, Berry Youth Club, for 10 to 21-year-olds.

Thames Travel bus routes X38, X39 and X40 indirectly serve Berinsfield. Between them they give the village links to Oxford, Reading and Wallingford seven days a week and also Henley-on-Thames from Mondays to Saturdays.[12]

References
  1. UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Berinsfield Parish (E04008106)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  2. Ordnance Survey (2006). Oxford, Chipping Norton and Bicester (Landranger Maps). Ordnance Survey. ISBN 0-319-22913-0.
  3. Boyle et al. 1995
  4. "Berinsfield the Community". Berinsfield Parish Council. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  5. Ward, Colin (1 September 2004). "The hidden history of housing". History and Policy. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  6. Lobel 1962, pp. 39–62.
  7. Sherwood & Pevsner 1974, p. 451.
  8. Sherwood & Pevsner 1974, p. 452.
  9. Abbey Woods Academy
  10. "Berinsfield Library". Oxfordshire County Council. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  11. South Oxfordshire District Council: Leisure Centres
  12. "river rapids X38 X39 X40 NX40" (PDF). Thames Travel. Retrieved 5 December 2019.

Sources
Houses in the northeast part of Berinsfield
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