Harwell: Village for a thousand years

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  • Harwell Book – Full text of ‘Village for a thousand years’
    • Introduction
      • Contents
    • Beginnings – The Beginnings of Harwell
      • The Beginnings of Harwell
      • The Charters
      • Close
    • Middle Ages – The Late Middle Ages
      • Harwell Church
      • The Medieval Manors
      • Cruck Buildings
      • Close
    • Tudors – Tudors to Charles II
      • The Tudor period
      • Berkshire Farmers and their Homes
      • The Harwell Mug
      • Harwell: The Family Name
      • Trade Tokens
      • In the Civil War
      • Close
    • Charities – Harwell Charities
      • John Loder
      • Christopher Elderfield
      • Poor’s Orchard
      • William Wells
      • J. King
      • Frances Geering
      • Matthew Eaton
      • Robert Loder
      • Bag(g)’s Tree
      • An Old Harwell Recipe
      • Close
    • 19th C – Harwell in the Nineteenth Century
      • Enclosures
      • The Great Fire of Harwell
      • Fire at Didcot Station
      • Harwell and the Early Posts
      • Close
    • People – Some Nineteenth Century Families, Houses and Personalities
      • The Manor of Bishop’s Harwell, or Lower Manor, after the Middle Ages.
      • Bob Lay, Bob Lay, Bob Lay
      • The Bosley Family
      • John Lay of Prince’s Manor 1815 – 1888
      • From a book sold for the Blewbury Village Organ Fund in 1874.
      • Thomas James Pryor
      • The Day Family
      • The Hitchman Family
      • Other Old Harwell Families
      • Pillar House, Harwell
      • A Country Doctor (Dr Richard Rice)
      • Kelly’s Directory reports on the Harwell of 1891
      • The School
      • A Pictorial Miscellany
      • Close
    • 20th C – The Early Twentieth Century
      • Stanley Day
        • The Turn of the Century
        • A Visit to Harwell
      • Tape Recordings
        • A Houseboy at Harwell
        • Eliza Hutchings
        • Harwell Bakeries
        • The Eggs
        • Old Neighbours
        • Fire at King’s Farm (c.1908)
        • Will It Light?
        • Miss Irene Clarke’s memories.
      • Poem by H.S. Baker
      • Close
    • WWII – The Second World War
      • Guinea Pig Club
      • Eric Greenwood
      • Harwell in Wartime
      • School Life in Wartime
      • The Harwell Players
      • Close
    • 1945 -1985 – The Post War Years
      • The Atomic Energy Research Establishment.
      • Harwell Parish Council
      • Water and Sewage
      • Nursing Service
      • School Life after the War
      • The Winterbrook Youth Club
      • The Public Houses
      • The Whit Monday Feast
      • Wild Flowers of Harwell
      • The Bee Orchid
      • Village Footpaths
      • St Matthew’s Church Today
      • Harwell Women’s Institute
      • Harwell Bowls Club
      • Harwell Football Club
      • Close
    • Cherries – Harwell Cherries
      • Robert Loder
      • Cherries (1965)
      • Gordon Bosley
      • John Masefield: The Cherries
      • Close
    • Appendices
      • Appendix I the Harwell Charters
        • Introduction to The Harwell Charters
        • Charter No 1
        • Charter No 2
        • Charter No 3
        • Appendix I Charter References
      • Appendix II Buildings
      • Appendix III Glossary
      • Appendix IV Contributors
      • Appendix V References
      • Close
    • Close
« The Hitchman Family
Pillar House, Harwell »
You are here: Home / People / Other Old Harwell Families

Other Old Harwell Families

The Elderfield family is one of the oldest in the village with descendants living today; Elderfields are recorded in the church registers in the sixteenth century, and may be even older. They were known to have had great wealth. Christopher Elderfield left the Elderfield Charity. He was born in Harwell, and became vicar of Burton in Sussex. He left money for the poor of his native village in his will of 1652. In 1766 another Christopher Elderfield presented the church with the existing chandelier, and in 1837 another Elderfield charity became known.

06-08
Figure 6.8 Harwell church chandelier.

Other old Harwell names with descendants still living are the Keats, wealthy yeoman farmers, who lived at Middle Farm and Abbey Timbers, and in later years kept the village grocery and baker’s shop; this family has recently moved to Didcot.

The Woodleys were farmers, with descendants still living in the village.

Others with descendants still living are: Maisie, King, Wise, Talbot, Tyrrell, Harris (stonemasons), Green, Slade, Dunsden, Dearlove, Jefferies (carriers), Hitchman (carpenters, undertakers), Blissett, Hoare, Day, Bosher, Pryor, Cox, Allen, Thorne and Lay.

Comments

  1. J Elderfield says

    February 12, 2015 at 18:00

    Very interested in this I am a member of the Elderfield family of Stoke Poges part of the family originated in Harwell

    Reply
    • Andrew Lay says

      June 6, 2020 at 10:54

      Have you got a Richard Elderfield in your family tree maybe in 1700 or there abouts

      Reply
  2. Jan Brown says

    March 18, 2016 at 18:10

    My 3 x great grandmother was Elizabeth Elderfield born in Harwell (1789 – 1877), daughter of William Elderfield and Sophia (nee Jobson).

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 16, 2019 at 23:06

      Dear Jan.
      Dear Jan,

      I think I may be a distant cousin!!

      I’m descended from Elizabeth Elderfield & Richard Hill via their daughter Soohia (born 1814)..

      I’m just getting sorted putting ny family history onto Ancestry….

      Reply
      • Les V. E. Thompson says

        September 29, 2019 at 06:24

        I’m likely a cousin to you both! 🙂

        I’m also an Elderfield (my grandfather was Leslie Ernst Elderfield, and I was given his name). According to my father Gordon (RIP), I am the last of the British-born Elderfields, although I do have two additional brothers who were born in the US. Due to issues with the US medical insurance system, I needed to be adopted by my stepfather so his insurance would cover me, so I’ve appended Thompson to my name, but I’ve always been an Elderfield in my own thoughts. I’m proud to be part of a family that’s been around for a thousand years!

        Reply
        • Janet Caban nee Elderfield says

          April 27, 2021 at 05:56

          Hi Les, I was an Elderfield and I must inform you that you are by no means the last of the British born Elderfield’s my brother has a son and he has two sons so even in my family the name goes on. I think you will find there are still quite number of British born Elderfields who come from Berkshire.

          Reply
  3. Charles Harvell says

    March 3, 2019 at 06:08

    I now live in Colorado but was born in Virginia. My surname is Harvell, the spelling changed with my great grandfather, in he records before that it was Harwell. I was of the 11th generation of my line of Harwells born in Virginia, my son is the 12th, also born in Virginia. Most of the Harwells/Harvells, and various other spellings can trace their origins back to an area today often called Southside Virginia. Our research shows our origin in England to be in Harwell and to Master John de Harewell (also known as atte Hall, and de Aula) who married Margery Baillol. His son Roger de Harwell who relocated to Wooten Wawen.

    Reply
    • Dan Nelson says

      December 18, 2020 at 15:21

      Hi Charles,

      Do you know who the connecting ancestor was that started as a Harwell and then started going by Harvill?

      Thanks,

      Dan

      Reply
  4. Mandy says

    April 8, 2019 at 20:55

    My great-great Grandparents were married in Harwell, before leaving to come to Regina/Southey, Saskatchewan, Canada. They were Henry King and Ellen Blissett. Great site!!

    Reply
    • Charles Harmer says

      January 27, 2020 at 16:43

      From Charles Harmer My great-great grandfather, Charles William HARMER was born at Harpsden about 8 miles from Harwell in 1829 and is buried in St Matthew, Harwell. His family was from Harwell going back to at least the early eighteenth century when his great-great grandfather Joseph HARMON (b.1707) was married and buried there. Charles William married Mary BLISSETT (see previous comment above) who was born at Harwell in about 1833.

      Reply
      • Wendy Hillier says

        June 7, 2020 at 03:41

        Looking for Blissett family of my GGGrandmother Ellen Blissett King, that I may converse with.

        Reply
  5. Peter Jefferies says

    July 13, 2019 at 21:01

    My father Geoffrey Jefferies was born in 1910 the youngest of ten children.I’m not sure when the ‘White City houses were built but I have a
    photograph of my father, about age nine, taken at the front door. During my early teenage years my father used to say” if it wasn’t for the
    Jefferies and King families Harwell village would be empty”. I think the only remaining Jefferies living in the village is Celia Wilkes (nee Jefferies).

    Reply
    • Spencer says

      January 14, 2020 at 18:07

      I’m Terry Jefferies son Spencer I live in Didcot so not too far away

      Reply
    • Wendy Hillier says

      June 7, 2020 at 03:43

      My GGGrandfather was a King, from that area, his name was Edward King.

      Reply
      • Louise says

        March 21, 2021 at 19:02

        Hi Wendy my six time great grandfather was Edward King junior born Harwell born 25 Jul 1754 died 24 Oct 1811. married 20 Apr 1775 Baydon Wiltshire Fanny Stroud .his father was also Edward King born 1722 died 22 Jun 1803 Harwell Mary Bennett 02 Jul 1753 Harwell.
        Edward King and Fanny King nee Stroud they had six children one of them John Bennett King married to Catherine Goddard had a son also Edward King born 1824 wootton Berkshire died 13 Aug 1862 married to Anne broad hemming .

        Hope this helps

        Reply
  6. Hayden Elderfield says

    December 23, 2019 at 06:00

    I believe Christopher is a son of William Elderfield b 1560 in Harwell. If my Elderfield Tree on Ancestry is right, William is my 9th Great Grandfather and Christopher my 9th Great Uncle.

    Reply
  7. David Moore says

    February 16, 2020 at 02:37

    My mother was a Blissett – her grandfather was John Blissett a blacksmith in Harwell – he lived from 1810 to 1895. If there are any Blissetts still living in Harwell I would love to hear from them – I am now in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.The Mary Blissett mentioned above was the youngest sister of the above John – who was my great-great-grandfather.

    Reply
    • Wendy Hillier says

      June 7, 2020 at 03:51

      Hi David
      I am related to the Blissetts, my GGrandmother was Ellen Blissett, her father was Henry Blissett, mother was Emily Powell Ellen married Edward Henry Blissett King. If you wish to converse, please feel free to email me. I would love to hear from anyone in Harwell, from the Blissett of King families.

      Reply
  8. Pamela. Jones says

    April 27, 2020 at 19:44

    Is there anyone living in in Harwell today. That may be related to George and Elizabeth Elderfield they are my
    Great grand parents and had 15 children Albert. Being my grandfather Would love to know if any one could
    Tell me more of the family history or names of the other children. Thank you

    Reply
  9. Rosalie Penn says

    May 3, 2020 at 13:51

    My earliest Elderfield ancestor is Francis born Harwell BERKS 1637-1710. He was a yeoman of Harwell who married Elizabeth Moore in 1684. I am descended from his son William born 1691/2 who married Mary.. Their son Christopher 1716/17 – 1778 married Dinah Smith – Their daughter Martha Elderfield 1750-1834 married Thomas Preston in 1773.and moved from Harwell to Drayton Berks.

    I am looking for details of Mary who married William Elderfield c1712. I have picked up the name of Woodley but would like proof. Are there any history books about the Elderfield family?

    Reply
  10. Ian Woodley says

    July 18, 2020 at 16:11

    I did a family tree for my dad before he died in 2013. Through Ancestry.co.uk I traced the Woodley family back to 1546 in Hagbourne & Harwell.
    From what I know my direct ancestors left the village in the 1850s to move first to Heston in Middx and then Westminster where they lived near Strutton ground.
    It would be great to learn more about the “Woodleys”

    Reply

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« The Hitchman Family
Pillar House, Harwell »

Harwell is a village in south Oxfordshire, England, although until 1974 it was a Berkshire village. Harwell was first mentioned in 985, before the Doomsday Book.
This website presents the full text of the book (ISBN 0 9510668 0 3 ) published in 1985 to celebrate the village millennium.
"Harwell ~ Village for a thousand years"

Additional information about Harwell Village (History Notes, photos and more) can be found at harwellvillage.uk

Website © 2005–2023 maintained and managed by David Marsh on behalf of Harwell Parish Council
Copyright © 1985–2023 in the text of the book is vested in Harwell Parish Council