| Berinsfield | |
|---|---|
 Parish church of St. Mary & St. Berin | |
  Berinsfield Location withinOxfordshire | |
| Area | 3.73 km2 (1.44 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,806 (2011 Census) |
| • Density | 752/km2 (1,950/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU5796 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Wallingford |
| Postcode district | OX10 |
| Dialling code | 01865 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Berinsfield Parish Council |
| |
Berinsfield is an English village andcivil parish inSouth Oxfordshire, about 7 miles (11 km) southeast ofOxford. The2011 Census recorded the parish population as 2,806.[1]
Palaeolithic andRoman artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village.[citation needed] TheRoman road betweenDorchester-on-Thames andAlchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield.[2] AnAnglo-Saxon cemetery was also found at Berinsfield.[3] The village is on the site ofRAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by theUnited States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars includingBob Hope,Dorothy Lamour andGlenn 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 fromRAF Twinwood Farm which disappeareden route to Paris.
AfterWorld 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 afterBirinus 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 formerRoyal Air Force huts until brick-built houses were constructed on the site. Berinsfield is the first English village to be built on virgin land for more than 200 years.[citation needed] It was designed by the architect and town plannerWilliam Holford in 1960.[7] TheChurch of England parish church ofSaint Mary andSaint Berin was designed by Rev. Harold Best, vicar ofDorchester, and built in 1962.[8]
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 aWomen's Institute.[citation needed] 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 toOxford,Reading andWallingford seven days a week and alsoHenley-on-Thames from Mondays to Saturdays.[12]
Media related toBerinsfield at Wikimedia Commons