| Tidmarsh | |
|---|---|
| Village andcivil parish | |
 The 13th century Greyhound pub | |
  Tidmarsh Location withinBerkshire | |
| Area | 7.02 km2 (2.71 sq mi) |
| Population | 501 (2011 census including Sulham)[1] |
| • Density | 71/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU6374 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | READING |
| Postcode district | RG8 |
| Dialling code | 0118 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Royal Berkshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°28′01″N1°05′13″W / 51.467°N 1.087°W /51.467; -1.087 | |
Tidmarsh is a village andcivil parish in theWest Berkshire district, in the ceremonial county ofBerkshire, England. Its development is mainly residential and agricultural, and is centred on theA340 road betweenPangbourne andTheale. The rural area is bounded by theM4 motorway to the south. It is centred 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Pangbourne, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west ofReading and 40 miles (64 km) west ofLondon. Tidmarsh shares agrouped parish council with the neighbouring parish ofSulham. In 2021 the parish had a population of 414.
Its elevation ranges between 42 m (138 ft) in the north-east, and 85 m (279 ft)AOD in the western projection. The vast majority of the parish (more than 90%) is at more than 5 m (16 ft) above theRiver Pang. Much of the main street is between 1–10 m (3 ft 3 in – 32 ft 10 in) above the river level.
Woodland covers less than a tenth of its total area but about a quarter of the western or south-western higher ground. The Pang flows north through the village and then through theMoor Copse Nature Reserve on its way to join theRiver Thames atPangbourne. In December 2006 the reserve was doubled in size, to about 57 hectares (140 acres).[3] The Tidmarsh and Sulham circular walk, about 4.0 km (2.5 miles) long, passes through the reserve and both villages.
The Tidmarsh section of the A340 is thought to follow theRoman road from the Roman town ofCalleva Atrebatum inSilchester (about 7 mi or 11 km south), either toDorchester-on-Thames (about 10 mi or 16 km north)[citation needed] or a river-crossing at Pangbourne.[citation needed] If so, however, the southern portion has been straightened in later years.[citation needed] The earliest mention of Tidmarsh was in 1196.[citation needed] In 1239 there was a land-ownership dispute concerning the manor. There are records of a water corn-mill and a fishery in Tidmarsh in 1305.[4] The 18th century successor to the mill is now Grade II listed and converted to domestic accommodation.[5] There are multipleWorld War IIpillboxes surrounding Tidmarsh, which made up part of theGHQ Line.[6]
The most conspicuouslisted building in Tidmarsh is the 13th century half-timbered GreyhoundPub,[7][8] which suffered a serious fire in 2005.[9]
Another historic building is the Grade I listed, 12th century church, which is dedicated to St Laurence. The church is particularly notable for itsNorman south doorway, "very rare 13th century polygonal apse"[citation needed] and 13th centurylancet windows. The church was restored and modified in the 19th century.[10] The oldrectory dates from 1856.
Other notable buildings include the Grade II listed Round House and Mill House.[11][12]
There are two tiers of local government covering Tidmarsh, atparish andunitary authority level: Tidmarsh with Sulham Parish Council andWest Berkshire Council. The parish council is a grouped parish council, also covering the neighbouring parish of Sulham. Parish council meetings are generally held at Tidmarsh Village Hall.[13]
| Output area | Homes owned outright | Owned with a loan | Socially rented | Privately rented | Other | km2 roads | km2 water | km2 domestic gardens | Usual residents | km2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil parish | 83 | 81 | 2 | 35 | 5 | 0.130 | 0.071 | 0.171 | 501 | 7.02 |
Notable residents include authorLytton Strachey (1880–1932) and painterDora Carrington (1893–1932), who lived in the Mill House between 1917 and 1924,[14] and mathematicianJohn Pollard (born 1941).[15] Carrington painted the Greyhound Pub sign in the village.[citation needed]Rex Partridge, renamed Ralph by theBloomsbury set,[16] also settled at Tidmarsh and formed a very 'Bloomsbury' trio with Lytton and Dora.[16]
