:For other uses, see: Hungerford (disambiguation)

Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in the south-east of England, close to Newbury. It covers an area of 6,729 acres and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,700.

Hungerford is best remembered today for a particularly tragic aspect of the town’s history, the Hungerford Massacre, which was considered all the more remarkable for occurring in a sleepy place such as this.

Geography

Hungerford is located on the River Dun in the Kennet Valley. It is the westernmost town in Berkshire, situated on the border with Wiltshire, and within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Kennet separates Hungerford from what might be described as the town’s only suburb, the small hamlet of Eddington.

The parish was formerly divided into four tithings: Hungerford or Town, Sanden Fee, Eddington with Hidden and Newtown and Charnham Street. North and South Standen and Charnham Street were always officially detached parts of Wiltshire until transferred to Berkshire in 1895. Leverton and Calcot were transferred to Hungerford parish from Chilton Foliat in Wiltshire in 1895. All the land south of the Kennet was formerly included in Savernake Forest.

Position:

Nearby places

Towns: Marlborough, Newbury, Swindon, Reading

Villages: Chilton Foliat, Great Shefford, Kintbury, Little Bedwyn, Froxfield, Ramsbury, Shalbourne, Ham, Inkpen, Aldbourne, Lambourn, Burbage

Places of interest: Crofton Pumping Station, Wilton Windmill, Littlecote House, Hungerford Marsh,

Communications

Hungerford is situated on several transport routes, of both historic and current importance, including the M4 motorway (junction 14), the Old Bath Road (A4), and the Kennet and Avon Canal (opened 1811). It also has a railway station, on the West of England Main Line; a reasonable rail service to Newbury, Reading and London means that the Hungerford has developed into something of a dormitory town.

Local government

Hungerford is part of the district administered by the unitary authority of West Berkshire. It is also a civil parish in its own right, with parish council responsibilities undertaken by Hungerford Town Council.

Hungerford Town Council consists of fifteen volunteer councillors and committee members, supported by a full time clerk. The mayor is elected from amongst their numbers.

Hungerford is twinned with Ligueil in France.

Hungerford is part of the Newbury parliamentary constituency. Its MP is the Conservative Richard Benyon, son of Sir William Benyon of Englefield House. He has represented the two towns since 2005.

Hocktide

Hungerford is the only place in the country to have continuously celebrated Hocktide or Tutti Day (the second Tuesday after Easter). Today it marks the end of the town council's financial and administrative year, but in the past it was a more general celebration associated with the town’s great patron, John of Gaunt (see below). Its origins are thought lie in celebrations following King Alfred's expulsion of the Danes.

The 'Bellman' (or Town Crier) summons the Commoners of the town to the Hocktide Court held at the town hall, while two florally decorated 'Tutti Men' and the 'Orange Man' visit every house with commoners' rights (almost a hundred properties). Originally they collected 'head pennies' to ensure fishing and grazing rights. Today, they largely collect kisses from each lady of the house. In the court, the town's officers are elected for the coming year and the accounts examined. The court manages the town hall, the John of Gaunt Inn, the Common, Freemen's Marsh, and fishing rites in the Rivers Kennet and Dun.

Legends

There is an old legend that Hingwar the Dane (alias Ivarr the Boneless) was drowned accidentally while crossing the Kennet here, and that the town was named after him. This stems from the mistaken belief that the Battle of Edington took place at Eddington in Berkshire rather than Edington in Wiltshire.

History

Hungerford is a Saxon name meaning 'Hanging Wood Ford'. The town’s symbol is the six-pointed star and crescent moon.

The place does not occur in the Domesday Book, but certainly existed by 1173. By 1241, it called itself a borough. In the late 14th century, John of Gaunt was lord of the manor and he granted the people the lucrative fishing rights on the Kennet.

Elizabeth I’s coachman died at Hungerford during a Royal visit. During the English Civil War, the Earl of Essex and his army spent the night here in June 1644. In October of the same year, the Earl of Manchester’s cavalry were also quartered in the town. Then, in the November, the King’s forces arrived in Hungerford on their way to Abingdon. During the Glorious Revolution of 1688, William of Orange was offered the Crown of England whilst staying at the Bear Inn here.

The noble family of Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford originated from the town. Although they very early moved to Heytesbury in Wiltshire.

In the late 19th century, two policeman were shot by poachers in Eddington. Their memorial crosses still stand where they fell.

Notable People

*Ivarr the Boneless, Danish Invader
*John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III
*William Greatrakes, connected with the authorship of the Letters of Junius
*Thomas Hayward, editor of the British Muse
*Sir Robert de Hungerford, 14th century statesman
*Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford

See also

*List of places in Berkshire
*List of civil parishes in England
*List of towns in England

External links

*Hungerford Town Council
*Hungerford in West Berkshire
*Hungerford Historical Association
*Royal Berkshire History: Hungerford

Category:Towns in Berkshire
Category:English market towns