Castrol was founded byC.C.Wakefield in 1899, making lubricants (Wakefield lubricator) for railways.
The research site is based at Bozedown House, a former private residence originally built by William Fanning c.1870 and then rebuilt by Charles Palmer in 1907[2] after the original house was destroyed by fire. It became a chemical research site in the 1950s and was purchased by Castrol in 1976.
In 1993 it won the Queen's Award for Technological Achievement for its Castrol Marine Cyltech 80.[3] Castrol employs around 7,000 staff worldwide. Castrol was bought by BP in 2000.[4]
The site is around three-quarters of a mile north of theRiver Thames, east of the B471, accessed from theA4074 atWoodcote. The site has around 500 staff.[citation needed]
Castrol has twelve research sites around the world. The site at Pangbourne is the largest of the twelve sites. Research is done onrheology and theviscosity ofengine oil.
