A History of Milton

The Village Pub

Milton's local hostelry was known as the Red Lion, before it was re-named The Admiral Benbow, then yet again retitled the Plum Pudding, when it was purchased from Greene King and became a free house a few years back.

Milton Enclosure 1809

A map of the Parish of Milton in the County of Berks in 1809. As Divided and Allotted by an Act of Parliament passed in the year 1809.

Milton was a village in Berkshire. In 1974, significant alterations were made to the county's administrative boundaries although the traditional boundaries of Berkshire were not changed. The towns of Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage, along with surrounding villages, were transferred to Oxfordshire.

To find out who owned the land in Milton in 1809 click on the image to see a bigger version.

Milton Mill

Two watermills in the parish are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 and again in a record from 1401. There is still a Milton Mill on Ginge Brook.

Milton Mill House II Mill house, now house. C17, possibly incorporating earlier structure, with C18 and C20 alterations. Red brick with random flared headers; plain-tile tile-hanging to first floor left and centre, probably on timber-framing; old plain-tile roof, hipped and catslide to right; brick end stack to left, ridge stack to right of centre, internal stack to right with 2 diagonally-set flues. 2-storey, 4-window range. C20 plank door to C20 projecting gabled porch at right of centre.

Irregular fenestration of 3-light casements with leaded lights. Interior; Queen-post roof, raised to rear, with some alterations to trusses. C20 dog-leg staircase to rear. Open fireplaces to ground floor left and centre. Chamfered spine beams, some rooms having chamfered joists. Reputed to be partly of cruck construction.

The Bicycle Shop

WW1 (1914-18) many in many different ways, Milton was chosen as the site for a stores depot for the Royal Air Force in 1916. Fields were enclosed with high corrugated iron fences, innumerable sheds were erected and a wide asphalted road leading to Didcot. Men came in their hundreds from a wide district and find work there. They received high wages, and spent money for lodgings and transport, particularly in buying bicycles. One local family took the decision to sell fuel for the infulx of motor vehicles and repair bicycles.

Winston Groves, who passed away in the early 2000's, was for many years the main man at the bicycle/petrol store. He lived in High Street Milton, with his wife Freda. He could be see around the village still sporting his blue overalls with the Castrol Oil logo on them, although the store ceased business in the early 70's.

You would also see him occasionally taking out his 1930's BSA motorbike, which was also covered in oil . . ." Don't want it to get rusty, do I!"

Winston is pictured with his sister Kathleen, in the photograph taken in 1924, when pupils at St. Blaise school.

RAF Depot - now Milton Park

Two images taken in 1970 - showing the entrance to the RAF depot at the end of High Steet, and below a row of cottages which were demolished to create the entrance to Milton Park

The Village Post Office

Milton Village was served by one store and combined post office, now a residence with the post office situated in recent years on Milton Park. This was in many ways a focal point for the residents, a source of whatever they wanted to buy, and of course as with any village store. . . the font of local gossip!

This picture taken in 1965 shows the interior of the store in the days before home freezers and hypermarkets.

Marge(ry) Ferris was the village shop assistant, and remains a resident of Little Lane, Milton