Theale
| Theale | |
|---|---|
 Theale High Street |
|
 Theale
|
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| Theale shown within Berkshire | |
| Area | 3.64 sq mi (9.4 km2) |
| Population | 2,835 (2011 census) |
| • Density | 779/sq mi (301/km2) |
| OS grid reference | SU641713 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Reading |
| Postcode district | RG7 |
| Dialling code | 0118 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Royal Berkshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Theale (/ˈθiːəl, ˈθiːl/) is a large village in West Berkshire, England which forms a civil parish. It has a high street of small businesses, large business parks beside its railway station and its own schools.
The village is bounded to the south and south-east by the leisure-use Kennet & Avon Canal; immediately north of this is the River Kennet. Within Theale there are large lakes formed by extraction of gravel: 11% of Theale's area is fresh water. Theale is centred 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Reading, the nearest major town, and 10 miles (16 km) east of Thatcham. The north of Theale civil parish is a golf course, and the eastern boundary is the M4 motorway where there is a dual carriageway and junction with the local roads. Theale lies in the far east of the West Berkshire local authority area.
Until the 19th century, Theale was part of Tilehurst and Burghfield ecclesiastical (and later also civil) parishes. In September 1643, soon after the First Battle of Newbury, Theale was the site of a skirmish between Prince Rupert's Royalist forces and the Earl of Essex's Parliamentarians. Rupert attacked the Earl's forces from the rear as they were returning to London; the Earl's forces – led by Colonel Middleton – held strong; up to 800 Royalist musketeers and 60 horses were killed, and at least 8 Parliamentarian units were killed and were buried in Dead Man's Lane. The Royalist forces retreated, and the Earl left Theale on the morning of 23 September, heading to Reading where his units recovered from fatigue.Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron marched through Theale on 1 May 1645, en route from Windsor to Salisbury.
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Wikipedia