Colne Brook Horton

Colne Brook
The Colne Brook flows southwards

Post to the east Horton
Post to the south Wraysbury Station

Bells Lane
Little Court. Cottage from the 17th or earlier. It is Timber framed and brick clad


Champney Close
This housing was built on the site of a post war industrial site known as ‘The Paper Works’. This does not appear to be connected with the earlier paper mill in the area, and seems unlikely to be a paper making site.


Foundry Lane
Berkin Manor. The house was built in the mid 19th century on the site of previous house, supposed to have been that rented by Milton's father in 1632, and pulled down in the18th with the exception of a dovecote. Milton wrote early poems while living here for six years.  The house belonged to the Tyrell family and in 1945 was bought by the Rayner family. The house is now said to be derelict.
Dairy.  Built in 1860 for Edward Tyrell. It is square, in red brick. There is a veranda and a cold store. Inside is a geometric-patterned coloured tile floor; white hexagonal glazed tiles on the walls and a marble shelf
Berkin Manor Farm. This part of the Rayner family estate.
Moat – there is a fragment of homestead moat near the farm.
plaque  - there is a blue plaque on the gates to the estate 'John Milton lived here 1632-1638' at Berkyn Manor Farm, Horton, Berkshire, England
Ashgood Farm. 17th building re-faced with modern brick, but with some original timber-framing and old brickwork. There is a central chimneystack of 17th brick, and some ceilings with original beams.
Granary of timber, weather-boarded, which had a thatched roof.


Horton Road
Horton Road Church School. Now used as offices


Village Green
War Memorial. This is a granite Celtic cross standing on the green with commemorative inscriptions to the dead in both World Wars.
The Crown. Pub


Mill Lane
Works. In 1956 James Byrnes, a motor racing enthusiast and designer Bernie Roger conceived a racing car based on a Standard Triumph model. First called the Warwick it was renamed the 'Peerless 2 Litre GT' . Following a number of difficulties and attempts at production, they moved to Mill Lane as Bernard Rodgers Developments Ltd. Work began on the prototype and there were many design changes. By 1961, serious financial difficulties arose and the firm closed that year.


Park Lane
This appears to lead to remaining buildings of Horton Manor and Horton Manor Farm, marooned between post Second World War flooded gravel workings. Horton Manor was described in 1902 as a mansion standing in a timbered park, with an associated farm and two cottages,


Stanwell Road
St.Michaels Church. The Church dated from c.1160, and built of flints, white clunch, limestone and red bricks. Inside is a mediaeval roof with tie-beams supporting octagonal crown-posts. The font is 12th and is a large tub. There is a Royal Achievement of William IV showing the Hanoverian arms with an elector's crown. The North Chapel with an 18th brass chandelier is a memorial to the village dead of the Great War.   The chapel was the responsibility of the Lords of the manor with a big private pew. There is a marble slab, to Sarah Milton, 1637 mother of the poet John Milton. There are six bells oldest bell, cast during the civil war, is inscribed "Feare God 1647". Electricity was installed in 1927 at by the Datchet and Slough Electricity Supply Company.
Churchyard. Gate in the wall to Place House demolished in 1785. Both the lych gate and flint c wall date from 1886. The Tree of Heaven was planted in 1973 to replace a giant yew which was destroyed in a storm in 1970.
Place House. This was a Tudor house demolished in 1785 which stood alongside the church
Gardeners Country Home. Opened by the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution in 1952. Called Perennial this is a charity of 1839 to help people concerned with gardening and commercial nurseries.  A particular problem related to tied cottages, with many gardeners losing their homes when they became too old to work.  After the Second World War Money was raised to buy a home in Horton, many of the people living there were fit and active. In 1969 the decision was taken to move the home to Henfield in West Sussex. It was previously the Margaret Champney home 1930s set up in 1929 as a bequest for people worried or tired by overwork. Buildings on the site appear to be New Horton Manor.
Five Bells. Pub
Champney Hall. The Village Hall which is now run as a local charity. This was the parish hall which was renamed as part of a bequest of 1926 by a member of the Champney family.
Horton Church Lake. This is a commercial carp fishery in a relatively recent gravel working.  The fish have names –poor creatures fished up and chucked back.
Kingsmead 1 Lake, another fishery in a recent gravel working.
The Horton Boat Pool, another fishery in a recent gravel working. This was is a specialist catfish venue
Island Lake.  Another fishery in a recent gravel working. This one has an island and a place to put your boat.
Horton Crayfish Pool. Another fishery in a recent gravel working.

Sources
British History online Buckinghamshire
British Listed Buildings. Web site
Horton Waters. Web site
Peerless GT. Web site.
Perennial. Web site
St.Michael's Church. Web site
War Memorials online. Web site

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