A Brief History of Thatcham

This talk traces the story of Thatcham from the earliest Palaeolithic finds to the present day.

It explores the hunter-gatherer communities who lived here, a hillfort and ancient trackways. Plus, the development of Thatcham through the Roman and Saxon periods, including the origins of the modern town centre. The story continues through the medieval and later history of the town, including the church, Chamberhouse Castle, Dunston House, local industries and traditions such as the Maypole and anvil firing. Finally, the talk looks at the dramatic population and housing growth of the 20th century, and how Thatcham developed from a small market town into the commuter town it is today.

2 - 3.15pm

Pre-booking is required, because the event link will be sent in advance.                             

First-time users of Zoom, will be asked to download a small piece of software, before joining the talk.     

Image: Thatcham Broadway in the early twentieth century (cropped) colourised by Jim Bradshaw and reproduced with his kind permission.

About Berkshire Family History Society

This talk is organised by Berkshire Family History Society CIO, a registered charity number 1204390.