:East Garston
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|type= Village
|official_name= East Garston
|static_image_name= EastGarston(AndrewSmith)Aug2006.jpg
|static_image_caption= Junction of Front Street, Back Street and Roger's Lane
|coordinates = {{coord|51.486|-1.476|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|os_grid_reference= SU3676
|population= 459
|population_ref=(2011 census){{Cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |title=Key Statistics: Dwellings; Quick Statistics: Population Density; Physical Environment: Land Use Survey 2005 |access-date=5 December 2014 |archive-date=11 February 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211201309/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |url-status=dead }}
|area_total_km2=8.05
|civil_parish= East Garston
|lieutenancy_england= Berkshire
|unitary_england= West Berkshire
|region= South East England
|country= England
|post_town= Hungerford
|postcode_district= RG17
|postcode_area= RG
|dial_code= 01488
|constituency_westminster= Newbury
|website= [http://www.east-garston.com/ The Berkshire Village of East Garston]
}}
East Garston is a village and civil parish on the River Lambourn, about {{convert|5.5|mi|km}} north of Hungerford in West Berkshire. The river flows through the village, dividing many houses from the main road, so that each has a bridge over the river to the front door.
Toponymy
East Garston was known by its earlier Saxon name Argeston until the end of the 19th century, and locals called the village Argeston into the early 20th century.{{Cite book |last=S |first=L |title=Untravelled Berkshire |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. |location=London |publication-date=1909 |pages=58}} The origin of the name is uncertain. It may have meant the "ton" of Esgar: a ton being a principal house for a lord, with surrounding dwellings for tenants.
Government
The civil parish of East Garston comprises the village of East Garston, together with a considerable area of rural downland to the north and south. The parish has approximately 226 dwellings. In 2011 the population was 449, in an area of {{convert|4500|acre|km2}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.eastgarston.info/|title=Welcome to the village of East Garston|year=2007|author=East Garston.info|access-date=2007-01-10}}
{{cite web |url= http://www.election-maps.co.uk/ |title= Election Maps |publisher= Ordnance Survey |access-date= 2008-02-27 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080307072911/http://www.election-maps.co.uk/ |archive-date= 7 March 2008 |url-status= dead }} The parish has boundaries with the Berkshire parishes of Fawley, Great Shefford, Hungerford and Lambourn, and with the Oxfordshire parish of Letcombe Bassett.
Notable people
- Charles Thomas Wooldridge, murderer and dedicatee of The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde, was born in the village.'A Key to "In Memoriam by Oscar Wilde" – notes made by Mary Grave bound into her sister Eleanor Grave's 1899 copy of The Ballad of Reading Gaol held at the British Library – researched by Glenn Christodoulou
Amenities
The Church of England parish church of All Saints is a flint built church dating back to the 12th century. Situated on the northwestern edge of the village, it is Grade II* listed.{{NHLE|grade=II*|desc=Church of All Saints|num=1321874|date=6 Feb 1982}} The East Garston Bellringers was re-formed in 1998.
The village has a village hall, social club and cricket club, and is the home of the Garston Gallopers, a mixed Morris dancing side. The Gallopers' colours are purple and green, the "village" colours from the school uniform and the racing colours of a prominent racehorse trainer from the village.{{cn|date=January 2022}}.
Demography
Gallery of images
File:Bridges over the River Lambourn, East Garston, Berkshire.jpg|Bridges over the River Lambourn
File:River Lambourn, East Garston, Berkshire.jpg|River Lambourn
File:East Garston Down, East Garston, Berkshire.jpg|East Garston Down
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|East Garston}}
{{West Berkshire}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Villages in Berkshire