Me thinks the battle of Thatcham and Newbury should be re introduced
Going way off topic, there used to be a bottle kicking match between two villages up where I was brought up back in the day. Something like that on boxing day would be excellent. You start at a central point, and the idea is that your team kick the bottle back to the market place / centre of the village / town etc. Nothing like a bit of town / village pride!!!
In 1125, King Henry I granted the manor of Thatcham to his new foundation of Reading Abbey. Thus the all powerful Abbots became lords of the manor and, as well as being exempt from taxes and having the right to hold their own manor courts , they were allowed to hold a Sunday market in the church. It was during this period that Thatcham became the great rival of nearby Newbury, a 'new town' set up soon after the Norman Conquest. Henry II issued three charters confirming Thatcham's market and compelling the men of Berkshire to attend, but the Newbury townsfolk became jealous and attacked the Thatcham merchants, overturning their stalls and scattering their wares. The King immediately ordered that the Newbury folk restrain themselves; but the animosity between the two towns remained and this was not helped by a further grant, in 1222, for a fair in Thatcham, to be held on St. Thomas A'Becket's Day (7th July). Around the same time, the town's prosperity was reaching its peak and the Abbot of Reading, being in financial difficulties, appears to have used his influence with King Edward I to gain borough status for Thatcham. The incorporation charter no longer exists but, by the early 14th century, Thatcham was certainly one of the 'four boroughs of Berkshire'.
In 1125, King Henry I granted the manor of Thatcham to his new foundation of Reading Abbey. Thus the all powerful Abbots became lords of the manor and, as well as being exempt from taxes and having the right to hold their own manor courts , they were allowed to hold a Sunday market in the church. It was during this period that Thatcham became the great rival of nearby Newbury, a 'new town' set up soon after the Norman Conquest. Henry II issued three charters confirming Thatcham's market and compelling the men of Berkshire to attend, but the Newbury townsfolk became jealous and attacked the Thatcham merchants, overturning their stalls and scattering their wares. The King immediately ordered that the Newbury folk restrain themselves; but the animosity between the two towns remained and this was not helped by a further grant, in 1222, for a fair in Thatcham, to be held on St. Thomas A'Becket's Day (7th July). Around the same time, the town's prosperity was reaching its peak and the Abbot of Reading, being in financial difficulties, appears to have used his influence with King Edward I to gain borough status for Thatcham. The incorporation charter no longer exists but, by the early 14th century, Thatcham was certainly one of the 'four boroughs of Berkshire'.
Is the granting of a fair not celebrated these days? I thing that would be a great little event for Thatcham, an annual fair on or around 7th July.
Before I go way WAY off topic again... has the bridge closure brought traffic movement around the town centre to a crashing halt? (I haven't been into town this week) And are the mindless drivers with brains in neutral (who used to wait for hours to use Parkway Bridge regardless of the fact that the A339 was running freely) just sat in their cars in a queue along Parkway honking their horns and wondering why they're not moving?
Presumably it's easier for drivers to get out of the Wharf St car parks and join Bear Lane if there's nothing coming over the bridge?
As for Thatcham, interesting bit of history there Brian. I quite like the place (not ALL of it). In a town that boasts continual habitiation since 7,700BC we seem to still have more than our fair share of Neanderthals wandering around with vacant expressions and knuckles dragging, but if you know the pubs to avoid then it's not too much of a problem.
Even though there has been plenty of warning about the closing of park way bridge people still cannot read, I just spent 20 miniutes standing at the camp hopson end & the amount of cars that still tried to go over the bridge was unbeliveable, one guy was even trying to move the barriers. sorry but it seems that most driv ers are blind idiots that cannot read.
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Even though there has been plenty of warning about the closing of park way bridge people still cannot read, I just spent 20 miniutes standing at the camp hopson end & the amount of cars that still tried to go over the bridge was unbeliveable, one guy was even trying to move the barriers. sorry but it seems that most driv 
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