Bradfield

A delightful approach bordered by the River Pang with brick and timber cottages. Roughly half way between the Kennet and Thames valleys, this is an extensive parish reaching into the wooded country on either side of the valley of the River Pang. The village, with many l7th and l8th century cottages and a church largely restored by George Gilbert Scott in 1847/8, is dominated by the buildings of the public school, Bradfield College. The college was founded in 1850 by the Rev. Thomas Stevens who was the local squire and rector. He used the site of Bradfield Place of which some fragments still survive.

It was Stevens who financed Scott's restoration of the parish church. Stevens had plans to make this church a cathedral and to recruit a choir for it. He founded his school for sons of gentlemen. The school, with over 100 pupils, flourished and new buildings, largely around a quadrangle, were erected. The rector, however, could not properly lead his school. A decline in standards and number of pupils set in and he was forced to resign.

A new master, Dr. Gray was appointed and gradually the school was built up to its present status.