Wallingford
Contents Ancient settlement
Viking fire 1066
and all that Wallingford Castle
Parliament 1154 Black
Death Civil War destruction
Notable residents
Although now a modest town of about 7000 inhabitants, Wallingford played a very important and interesting part in British history. As with most of the towns along the banks of the Thames, Wallingford's location owes much to the fact that here the river was shallow enough to cross or 'ford'. The building of a bridge at this crossing point on the river ensured that Wallingford became an important military and commercial centre.
Ancient settlement
The original settlement at Wallingford dates back to the dawn
of British history, when its founders showed a remarkable amount
of discrimination in choosing its site. Nestling in a fertile
valley on the river banks, it was an ideal place for fishing,
agriculture and the rearing of cattle. The ancient trackways
in particular the Icknield Way gave it lines of communication
converging on its ford. The remains of the ramparts, which still
surround the town, are the successors of the rudimentary fortifications
of the old British settlement, and were adapted in turn by Roman,
Saxon
and Norman conquerors.
Viking fire
The Danish invaders of AD871 were defeated nearby, at Aston
Down, but in 1006 the Danish King Sweyn burnt and almost destroyed
the town. It was rebuilt two generations later by King Edward
the Confessor.
1066
and all that
The strategic importance of the town and its bridge over
the Thames was never more apparent than during the Norman invasion
over 900 years ago. William,
victorious at the battle
of Hastings in October 1066, then marched his army northwards
to capture London, but was strongly repulsed at Southwark on the
southern bank of the Thames. Frustrated by the natural obstacle
of the river, William promptly marched his army almost fifty miles
upstream to cross the Thames at Wallingford. The army then marched
back to London on the northern side of the river, and entered
the city unopposed. William was crowned King of England in Westminster
Abbey on 25 December 1066.
Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle begun in 1067 and finished in 1071,
complete with three water-filled moats for centuries played
a part in English history, at various times being turned into
a fortress, royal residence and a state prison (see also 'Civil
War destruction' that follows for more information about Wallingford
Castle). In its heyday it was one of the most important castles
in England. During the civil war between Queen Matilda and King Stephen
the castles on the Thames were of great strategic importance,
and it was to Wallingford Castle that the Queen fled over the
frozen river after her dramatic escape from Oxford. The Treaty
of Wallingford, in 1153, concluded the war. If you are interested
in castles then Castles
on the Web will take you to an excellent collection of castles
from around the world.
Parliament 1154
For some hundreds of years Wallingford was a town of great
importance. King
Henry II held his first Parliament there in 1154, and in the
next year he presented the great Charter to the town, thus officially
recognising it as one of the earliest English boroughs.
Black Death
The town suffered severely as a result of the Black Death
of 1349 and some ninety years later only forty-four houses remained.
During the reign of King Henry VIII the Priory was dissolved (the
proceeds helping to establish Christ Church College, Oxford),
and the great bridge over the Thames fell into disrepair, but
under his daughter, Queen Elizabeth, the fortunes of the borough
revived.
Civil War destruction
The Civil War of 16426 brought great destruction upon
the town. Wallingford was occupied by supporters of King Charles
I and besieged by Parliamentary forces under the command of Sir
Thomas Fairfax. Much damage, mostly from fires, was caused in
the town; Oxford, Abingdon
and Reading had fallen, Charles had fled northwards. The besieged
Royalists, under Colonel Blagge, held out in Wallingford Castle
for sixteen weeks before negotiating an honourable surrender in
July 1646. The Castle was then demolished stone by stone on the
personal order of Oliver Cromwell; all that now remains are the
ruins of a tower facing the river, a small section of the hall
overlooking the northern moat, the massive earthworks and a castle
mound.
It is planned to mark the 350th anniversary of the siege by holding a re-enactment of the siege of Wallingford Castle over the weekend of 2728 July 1996. This will be a spectacular and noisy occasion involving over one thousand volunteer soldiers in full period battle-dress, complete with flags, drums, horses, swords, pikes, muskets and cannon.
From that time the town's importance began slowly to decline, such that it became a centre for largely local industry and trade. A disastrous fire in 1675 destroyed many of the old houses. However, despite the ravages of war, plague, fire and famine, Wallingford still retains much architecture of the Middle Ages. Of the remaining links with the past, Wallingford's great bridge over the Thames must take pride of place. The magnificent stone bridge is similar to the old London Bridge. Both bridges have nineteen arches, and Wallingford Bridge is 900 feet long 15 feet shorter than the old London Bridge.
Notable residents
Wallingford's most celebrated recent inhabitant was the mystery
crime writer, Agatha
Christie. Dame Agatha died in 1976 and was buried in the village
of Cholsey, just outside Wallingford. The surrounding area is
home to actors Jeremy
Irons (Watlington) and Michael
Caine (North Stoke), and ex-Beatle George Harrison (Henley-on-Thames).
Another nearby village, Moulsford, is home to Kevin Maxwell, son
of the late Robert Maxwell (but that is another story altogether).
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