Village History

A collection of stories, images and maps
from over the years.

A short history of Weston Colville.
‍
‍In 2018 The Reading Room hosted a village history exhibition. Many people in the village were able to share old memories, photos and other memorabilia. Here you can explore much of the material from the exhibition. If you have any further information, photos etc about the history of the village do please let us know – and if you spot any errors we would also love to hear from you!

More recently Emily Jackson has created the Weston Colville Heritage Map which stands outside the Reading Room – another wonderful source of village history.

Click thumbnails to view respective galleries:

The Reading Room

A brief history of our very own Reading Room with some pictures collected over the years.

The School

The school was built by John Hall and his sister in 1868 in memory of their father and it opened in 1869. The building was enlarged in 1876 and 1884, and attendance rose from 46 in 1876 to 78 by 1889.

The Chapel

The history of The Chapel at Weston Colville.

St. Mary’s Church

There has been a church in the village for many centuries, possibly since the 11th century.

The Village Shops

The history of our village shops over the years.

Weston Colville’s Pubs

History of the pubs of Weston Colville including the late Fox & Hounds.

Lower Wood

Learn all about our ancient coppice wood and its history.

Mill Hill

History of Mill Hill including details of the windmill that stood at the site and the neighbouring well.

The Two World Wars - Reg Taylor

The war memorial in the church is a stark reminder of the impact of the first world war on the village community. Seventeen men from the village died in the war.

Maps and the Act of Enclosure

History of the 'Act of Enclosures' and different maps over the years.

The Cricket Club

For many years the cricket club was an important part of village life, making great use of the recreation ground.

Some Previous Villagers

History, names and photos of previous villagers of Weston Colville.

The Coronation in 1953 and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations

Photos and some captions from the Coronation (1953) and the Silver Jubilee

The Rectory

The rectory originally stood south-west of the churchyard but by about 1830 it was described as unfit.

The sale of the Six Mile Bottom Estate

In 1912 Alexander Hall put up for sale the Six Mile Bottom Estate, an estate that included many properties in Weston Colville.

Church End

Some old photos of Church End

The Twins - Rosemary and Maureen

Maureen Garrod and Rosemary Westley (née Addley), identical twins, have lived in the village since they were very young. They moved from Kent to the village with their mother during the second world war.

The Women's Institute

Weston Colville’s Women’s Institute was founded in 1925 and it was only then that women were allowed in the Reading Room.

Weston Colville in the Middle Ages

A few fragments about the village a very long time ago.

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