Shinfield (St. Mary)

SHINFIELD (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Wokingham, hundreds of Charlton, Reading, and Theale, county of Berks, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Reading; containing, with the liberty of Hartley-Dummer, 1125 inhabitants. The parish is situated on the road from Reading to Basingstoke, and comprises 4514 acres, of which 421 are common or waste land. The living is a vicarage, with that of Swallowfield annexed, valued in the king's books at £20. 3. l½.; patrons and appropriators, the Dean and Chapter of Hereford. The great tithes of the parish have been commuted for £930, and the vicarial for £200; the appropriate glebe comprises 15 acres, and the vicarial 29. There is a place of worship for Independents. A free school was founded in 1707, by Richard Piggot, who endowed it with land and houses producing at present £57. 16. per annum. Another school, endowed by Mary Spicer in 1697, has £11 a year, arising from a house and land.