Inkpen
| Inkpen | |
|---|---|
 Row of houses in the south east |
|
 Inkpen
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| Inkpen shown within Berkshire | |
| Area | 12.9 km2 (5.0 sq mi) |
| Population | 855 (2011 census) |
| • Density | 66/km2 (170/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU3664 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Hungerford |
| Postcode district | RG17 |
| Dialling code | 01488 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Royal Berkshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Inkpen Village |
Inkpen is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire centred 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southeast of Hungerford, most of the land of which is cultivated fields with scattered woodland which was once part of a former forest known as Savernake. Inkpen has boundaries with Wiltshire and Hampshire, including part of Walbury Hill, the highest point in England's South East.
The earliest record of Inkpen is in the Cotton Charter viii, dated between 931 and 939. This includes the will of a Saxon thegn named Wulfgar, whose name means "wolf-spear". Wulfgar owned "land at inche penne" which he "had from Wulfric, who had it from Wulfhere who first owned it", his father and grandfather respectively. Wulfgar left this to be divided amongst named heirs: three quarters to his wife, Aeffe, the other quarter to "the servants of God" at the holy place in Kintbury. Following Aeffe's death, her share was also to go to the holy place at Kintbury "for the souls of Wulfgar, Wulfric and Wulfrere".
The Church of England parish church of Saint Michael is 13th century. The east window of the chancel and west window of the nave were added in the 15th century. The church was restored by Clapton Crabb Rolfe in 1896; he added the south porch, south window and north aisle The church's new reredos, altar tables, Rood and rood screen, pulpit, lectern and much new seating were carved for Rolfe by Harry Hems of Exeter.
Near the centre of the village just off Post Office Road is Inkpen Crocus Fields a large field of Mediterranean crocuses, one of only two in the UK. According to the information plaque, the plants are believed to have been brought here by the Knights Templar in the Middle Ages for the production of saffron. It is currently owned by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
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Wikipedia