East Garston

East Garston is a village and civil parish on the River Lambourn, about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) north of Hungerford in West Berkshire. The river flows through the village, dividing many houses from the main road, so that each has a bridge over the river to the front door.

East Garston
Village
Junction of Front Street, Back Street and Roger's Lane
East Garston Location within Berkshire
Area	8.05 km2 (3.11 sq mi)
Population	459 (2011 census)[1]
• Density	57/km2 (150/sq mi)
OS grid reference	SU3676
Civil parish	East Garston
Unitary authority	West Berkshire
Ceremonial county	Berkshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Hungerford
Postcode district	RG17
Dialling code	01488
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Royal Berkshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Newbury
Website	The Berkshire Village of East Garston
List of places UK England Berkshire 51°29′10″N 1°28′34″W

Toponymy

East Garston was known by its earlier Saxon name Argeston until the end of the 19th century, and locals called the village Argeston into the early 20th century.^[2] The origin of the name is uncertain. It may have meant the "ton" of Esgar: a ton being a principal house for a lord, with surrounding dwellings for tenants.^[2]

Government

The civil parish of East Garston comprises the village of East Garston, together with a considerable area of rural downland to the north and south. The parish has approximately 226 dwellings. In 2011 the population was 449,^[1] in an area of 4,500 acres (18 km²).^[3][4] The parish has boundaries with the Berkshire parishes of Fawley, Great Shefford, Hungerford and Lambourn, and with the Oxfordshire parish of Letcombe Bassett.^[4]

Notable people

• Charles Thomas Wooldridge, murderer and dedicatee of The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde, was born in the village.^[5]

Amenities

The Church of England parish church of All Saints is a flint built church dating back to the 12th century. Situated on the northwestern edge of the village, it is Grade II* listed.^[6] The East Garston Bellringers was re-formed in 1998.

The village has a village hall, social club and cricket club, and is the home of the Garston Gallopers, a mixed Morris dancing side. The Gallopers' colours are purple and green, the "village" colours from the school uniform and the racing colours of a prominent racehorse trainer from the village.^{[citation needed]}.

Demography

2011 Published Statistics: Population, home ownership and extracts from Physical Environment, surveyed in 2005^[1]

Output area	Homes owned outright	Owned with a loan	Socially rented	Privately rented	Other	km2 roads	km2 water	km2 domestic gardens	Usual residents	km2
Civil parish	51	47	48	33	4	0.08	0.0001	0.13	459	8.05

Gallery of images

• 
  Bridges over the River Lambourn
• 
  River Lambourn
• 
  East Garston Down