|
|
Ardington
and East and West Lockinge are essentially estate villages with much
of the property owned by the Lockinge Estate. The estate extends to
approximately 7500 acres of farmland and 210 domestic and commercial
units. The villages are located just off the road between Wantage and
Harwell and nestle at the foot of the Berkshire
Downs.
The villages are classic Victorian estate villages. Many footpaths lead
through them and through woodlands planted in 1993 on a hillside with
views over the villages, older woodlands and the Downs. A series of
lakes and connecting streams run through the two parishes.
Ardington is the larger of the three with an award winning public house
and a village store, the latter offering post office facilities and
a bistro. The village is also home to a conference centre, the Loyd
Lindsay Rooms, and a nursery school. Many of the original Victorian
farm buildings located throughout the three villages have been sympathetically
converted into commercial accommodation.
Ardington also has a thriving shop/tearoom/bistro/Post office where,
unusually for a small village, serving refreshments which may be enjoyed
inside or in the attractive garden.
The Church of Holy Trinity in Ardington dates from c.1200 (nave, chancel
and north doorway) and is in the Early English style. It was restored
and enlarged at the cost of Lord Wantage in 1887.
East Lockinge is by far the larger of the Lockinges. All Saints' Church
at East Lockinge stands in a delightful rural location close to the
lake. The earliest parts date from c.1150 (north doorway and font).
West Lockinge appears to be little more than West Lockinge Farm, which
was where Best Mate, a three-time winner of Cheltenham Gold Cup, was
trained. His statue stands on the Green in East Lockinge.
|
|
Images
of Ardington
|
|
(Click
to view)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Images of the Lockinges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|