Faringdon Community Website.
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Faringdon's history, people and places

PictureSketch of All Saints' Church with spire
            
Faringdon has a long and varied history with evidence of habitation by Prehistoric man, Romans and Saxons, Normans and Vikings.
It ranked the 3rd town of importance in the Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. Faringdon is derived from Ferendune- the fern covered hill- and recorded in the Domesday survey of 1086.
 
In 1218 King Henry III gave the town a Royal Charter to hold a weekly market.  Faringdon became the main market centre for the area with 2 annual horse fairs, a servants hiring and regular cattle, sheep, corn and dairy markets.
 
The town became important because of its position on the London to Cirencester Road and on the old wool merchants route from the Cotswolds to the South East. This position resulted in there being many inns and public houses in the town. Even in the 1960s there were about 21 public houses for a population of around 3500.
 
In the 1780s stage coaches were used for delivery of the post and by 1840 came through Faringdon twice daily. Gummed envelopes were invented in Faringdon in the mid 19th century.( no evidence has been found)
Faringdon was prominent in the Civil War, with Charles I staying in Oxford. Faringdon was one of the last places in England to hold out for the King. Oliver Cromwell briefly occupied the town in 1645, attacking unsuccessfully the Royalist garrison defending the church and Faringdon House. 
 
The seige of Faringdon House started  in April 1645. By the end of the Civil War Faringdon was ruined (Parliament judged that Faringdon and Torrington in Devon were the two worst war- damaged towns in England) and did not recover until the  coaching age.
Until boundary changes in the 1970s Faringdon was in Berkshire. 

A Short History of Faringdon by Gerald Taylor
From 1218 through the Civil War, the coaching era, the railway and into the mid 20th century

Faringdon through history  
Market Charter in 1214, Stephen and Matilda, Civil War, Coaching era, World War I and II memorial names and the Coleshill Secret Army.

Faringdon in World War 2
Faringdon's War Memorial and WW1 commemorative records

Notable Faringdon people  
Lord Berners, Robert Heber-Percy, Robert Pye and family, the Bennett family, Untons of Wadley Manor,  Russell Spinage ( and the Youth Club)  and more.
​
Past Shops and Businesses
A street by street guide to  the changing shops and businesses from early 20th century

Faringdon's Street names
​
Buildings and Places 
Corn Exchange, Old Town Hall, Pump Rooms, Regent Cinema, Police  Fire  and Railway Station, Old Town Hall, Faringdon's pubs
Folly Tower, Faringdon Girls Grammar School, ​Faringdon House, Great Barn, Faringdon Sponge gravels.

Churches and Cemeteries         
Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Congregational and Roman Catholic churches. Canada Lane, Coach Lane and All Saints Cemeteries. World War 1 and 2 memorial records
  • Census data from 1911
  • Housing Developments in Faringdon since WW2
Faringdon History  Walk. History Society
Faringdon Newspapers ( link to History Society site)
Historical & Archaeological Society 
Index for History Society records(pdf) 
Faringdon on wikipedia 
Memories of Faringdon 
Obituaries 
Photos and maps ​Faringdon Facts and Myths  
Council extracts from 1912, John Gillman
Historical directories, including Berkshire 
Berkshire History online
Listed Buildings in Faringdon(pdf) 
Faringdon Street names 
Extract from Nichols' directory 1884 (pdf)
Faringdon Inns circa 1900 
Town Trail. Historic Buildings (pdf)  

Home and Tell us about...
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Villages and Towns
Directories
Shops and Businesses
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Clubs and Organisations
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Local Public Services  
History People & Places
Faringdon through history
Notable Faringdon people
Buildings and Places
Churches and Cemeteries
Photos & Maps    


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