Twyford, Berkshire

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Twyford is a large village/small town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated, at grid reference SU794752, in the heart of the Thames Valley on the A4 between Reading and Maidenhead, close to Henley-on-Thames and Wokingham.

1 Government
2 History
3 Communications
4 Sport and Recreation
5 External links

[edit] Government

Twyford has its own parish council, but is also in the District of Wokingham, and the ceremonial county of Berkshire. Prior to this is was in Wokingham Rural District and the hundred of Charlton. Before 1895, Twyford was part of the parish of Hurst, within the liberty of Broad Hinton. Between the 13th century and 1844, Broad Hinton was officially a detached part of Wiltshire.

[edit] History

The town's name is Anglo-Saxon in origin, and means double ford. It is a common name in England. Twyford does indeed have two fords, although one in now bridged.

William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, spent the final years of his life in Ruscombe Fields, a property close to Twyford, and is remembered by a residential street named 'Pennfields'.

Twyford remained an agriculturally-based settlement until the coming of the railway in 1838. The greatest expansion, however, has taken place since the Second World War, particularly in the last 20 years, effectively transforming it from a village to a minor town, although it is still considered a village by many of its older inhabitants.

[edit] Communications

Situated in the Thames Valley, it is 10 miles from the M4, M40 and M3 motorways and 25 miles from the M25. Twyford railway station is on the Great Western Main Line and served by trains between Reading and London Paddington stations. These transport links make Twyford very popular with commuters. The major town of Reading is 10 km (6 miles) to the west, with Maidenhead 12 km (7.5 miles) to the east and Henley-on-Thames 8 km (5 miles) to the north. London is 56 km (35 miles) to the east.

[edit] Sport and Recreation

There are two recreation grounds in Twyford, both owned and managed by the Parish Council.

1. King George's Field (aka The Rec), lying between London Road and Wargrave Road has football pitches, children's playgrounds and a youth shelter. There is a project in hand to add a skate park and ball court.

2. Stanlake Meadow, off Waltham Road, has football pitches, a cricket square used by Twyford Cricket Club and a pavilion which is also used as a nursery school.

Indoor sports clubs use the parish hall, Loddon Hall.

[edit] External links

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Settlements in Wokingham District
Towns: Earley \| Wokingham \| Woodley
Civil parishes: Arborfield and Newland \| Barkham \| Charvil \| Finchampstead \| Remenham \| Ruscombe \| St Nicholas Hurst \| Shinfield \| Sonning \| Swallowfield \| Twyford \| Wargrave \| Winnersh \| Wokingham Without
Other villages: Arborfield Cross \| Arborfield Garrison \| Cockpole Green \| Crazies Hill \| Farley Hill \| Grazeley \| Hare Hatch \| Holme Green \| Kiln Green \| Riseley \| Ryeish Green \| Sindlesham \| Spencers Wood \| Three Mile Cross