History of EnglefieldEnglefield is named after the battle there, between the Saxons & Danes in AD 871. It is thought to mean “Englishmen’s (Battle) Field”. or “Field of angels” becoming Englefield in time. The family who lived there were thought to have taken the name of the village.
The Englefields were Sheriffs and Knights of the Shire throughout the Middle Ages and prominent figures at court in the sixteenth century, until the Estate was confiscated from Sir Francis Englefield in 1559. Sir Francis, a Catholic, fell foul to the rising protestant religion and fled abroad and in refusing to accept Elizabeth I as Queen and negotiating with the Catholic Philip of Spain, he lost all his lands to the crown after a long battle and a special act of parliament.
Elizabeth then granted the manor of Englefield to her Spy Master General, Sir Francis Walsingham, which in turn was inherited by his daughter Frances Walsingham. She married the Queen's favourite The Earl of Essex, who was known to have made many changes at Englefield House.
After the Earl's execution for treason Frances became a Catholic and married the Earl of Clanricarde
. The house was then thought to be leased
to Lord Norreys who entertained Queen Elizabeth in the Long Gallery in
1601.Englefield then passed through several hands over the next few years, until in 1603 it was the home of the 5th Marquis of Winchester after he returned from exile from the Civil War. He had held his home at Basing in Hampshire, against a three year siege by Cromwell’s troops, until Basing House was eventually destroyed. He was thought to have purchased Englefield for his third wife Honora de Burgh, the granddaughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, and once Basing was lost he retired to Englefield, and the Estate has been in the same family ever since.
For a more in depth history of Englefield please visit www.berkshirehistory.com