English Heritage sites near Cold Ash Parish
DONNINGTON CASTLE
3 miles from Cold Ash Parish
The striking twin-towered 14th-century gatehouse of this castle, later the focus of a Civil War siege and battle, survives amid impressive earthworks.
SILCHESTER ROMAN CITY WALLS AND AMPHITHEATRE
10 miles from Cold Ash Parish
Originally a tribal centre of the Iron Age Atrebates, Silchester became the large and important Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum.
CHISBURY CHAPEL
14 miles from Cold Ash Parish
This pretty thatched and flintwalled 13th century chapel survived after the Reformation in 1547 by being used as a barn as part of Chisbury Farm.
UFFINGTON CASTLE - WHITE HORSE AND DRAGON HILL
16 miles from Cold Ash Parish
Three atmospheric sites lie along the Ridgeway. Uffington 'Castle' is a large Iron Age hillfort, Dragon Hill a natural mound associated in legend with St George.
WAYLAND'S SMITHY
17 miles from Cold Ash Parish
A fine and atmospheric Neolithic chambered long barrow 2km (11/4 miles) along the Ridgeway from the Uffington White Horse: it was once believed to be the habitation of the Saxon smith-god Wayland.
ABINGDON COUNTY HALL MUSEUM
17 miles from Cold Ash Parish
This splendid 17th century Baroque building housed a courtroom for assizes, raised on arches over a market space. It now houses the Abingdon Museum.
Churches in Cold Ash Parish
Cold Ash: St Mark
Cold Ash Hill
Cold Ash
Thatcham
07467 611194
http://www.hermitage-team.org.uk
An impressive 19th Century building with wonderful views.
The Church of England parish church of St Mark was designed by the architect C.N. Beazley and built in 1864-65. It is a brick Gothic Revival building with a polygonal apsidal chancel. At the west end of the nave is a bellcote with two bells. The chancel windows have tracery in a late 13th-century Decorated Gothic style. The chancel windows have stained glass: the east window by Clayton and Bell and the north and south windows by C.E. Kempe. The churchyard, which is of moderate size, is surrounded by a brick wall with a lychgate on the east side.
An extension was added in 1998 which provides good facilities for toddler groups, young people, study groups, lunches and so on. This hall (The Fisher Room) can be hired by contacting Pat Shaw by email ([email protected])
The War memorial
It was designed by the architect, Spencer Slingsby Stallwood, who was the Diocesan Surveyor of Berkshire. Mr Burgess, a builder of Cold Ash, erected the memorial. It was unveiled on 16 February 1919 with the Service of Dedication conducted by the Rev W S Grindle, vicar of St Mark's, and William Dawson, the father of W R A Dawson, whose name appears on the memorial, reading from Revelations 9.
The memorial comprises a hooded oak Calvary cross with a figure of Christ. Two bronze panels set in oak frames either side of the cross are embossed with the names of the fallen, arranged in alphabetical order of surname, with 16 names to each panel.
Activities include:
Monthly Lunch Club for Parishioners on the second Wednesday of the month in the Fisher RoomMonthly Coffee Morning on the last Friday of the month in the Fisher Room
Pubs in Cold Ash Parish
Castle Inn
Cold Ash Hill, Cold Ash, RG18 9PS
(01635) 863232
thecastleatcoldash.co.uk
Lamb
Lamb, Curridge
Spotted Dog
Gladstone Lane, Cold Ash, RG18 9PR
(01635) 862458
spotteddogcoldash.co.uk/
Sun in the Wood
The pub is surrounded by woodland with a pleasant patio and garden area. Inside there are several dining areas. Menu includes stone baked pizza, pub classics and changing specials. Occasional live music.