About Binfield

A Short History

Until the early 19th century Binfield was situated in Windsor Forest and the remains of the oak tree at the Stag and Hounds public house is thought to have been in the middle of the forest. Bin is said to be from the Anglo Saxon word for bent and refers to bent or waving grass. The word field comes from the Anglo Saxon word for forest clearing or feld. The forest was cleared after the Enclosure Act of 1813 when Forestal Rights were abolished and people bought parcels of land for agriculture it was at this point that villages like Binfield expanded when there was work for farm labourers.

The nearness to London and to the Court in Windsor had made Binfield an attractive location for the rich and famous, this accounts for the large number of considerable properties in the area. Binfield Manor was built in 1754 for William Pitt who became Prime Minister in 1756. Binfield House, now converted into flats for elderly people, is a very attractive 18th century property. The oldest house in the village is Binfield Place with a history which is said to go back to the reign of Henry VII. It has 16th century moulded beams and a chimney marked 1702.

There are over 50 buildings and other features such as gate piers and gardens which are considered worthy of listing. The oldest public house is the Stag and Hounds, part of the building dates from the 14th century and it is said to have been an inn since 1722. There are two Anglican Churches in Binfield; All Saints has a pulpit dated 1628 and 15th century glass in the S.E. window although most of the present building dates from the Victorian Period. St Marks Church was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1866. Pevsner described the design as “curiously neat”.

The B3034 goes through Binfield and follows the route of the late 18th century Turnpike Road which linked Windsor and Reading.

From the late 19th century to the 1960s brick making was an important industry in the area with the Binfield Brick and Tile works at Amen Corner being an important employer. The presence of large houses in the area, most of them without estates to support them, meant that many tradesmen could make a living in the village and it continued to flourish until the development of Bracknell New Town.

The founding of a Working Mens Club in 1884 was the idea of the vicar of the time Canon Savory and land was donated by Miss Caswall. The building was paid for by public subscription and wealthy local people were urged to give not only money but also books for the library and magazines and newspapers. The Memorial Hall was opened in the early 1920s at the cross roads. For ordinary working people Binfield was a poor village with most people working on the land or in the big houses. This situation existed until after the Second World War and the development of Bracknell with its High Tech industries. In spite of great expansion since the early 1980s Binfield has retained a community spirit with many clubs and societies and its own library opened in 1998.