The Coombes is an ancient woodland that instills peace and tranquility within those that enjoy walking its paths and byways. It is within the boundaries of the Great Windsor Forest and is located in the parishes of Barkham and Arborfield and Newland. The woodland is bordered by Bearwood College (now Reddam House); Barkham Rectory and Newland and Newlands Lodge.
Bearwood House was built by John Walters in the period 1865 -1874. He was founder and owner of The Times newspaper. Unfortunately his eldest son , John, accidently drowned in the lake and a stone memorial on the main island commemorates the event.
The estate included a beautiful country house , clearly illustrated by the attached image , lake , woodland and model village . The latter included the popular pub, the Walters Arms, on the Bearwood Road. Bearwood College was the Royal Merchant Navy School in the 1960s.
It is thought that the first reference to woodland in Barkham appears in relation to its name, recorded in a Saxon charter of 952AD concerning the grant of an estate known as Beorchamme (birch tree meadow) by King Eadred to his thegn Aelfwine. (Thegns carried out local duties such as guarding tax collectors from attack and organising the repair of fortifications, roads and bridges.
They lived in manor houses with a tower and a separate church. Thegns often had about 600 acres of land.)The estate’s name is reflected in the Domesday Survey completed in 1086 with an entry for Bercheham. In medieval times, or Middle Ages, The Coombes was part of the Forest of Windsor, used as a royal hunting ground by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Survey was carried out under his reign and provides a wealth of information about the locality.
Of interest is that the Coombes land now owned by Arborfield and Barkham parishes was part of the Newlands estate . The original owners were the Simonds family. The family owned the brewery of the same name in Bridge Street ,Reading which subsequently merged with Courages.
The main house is as shown together with the view back to Mole Bridge Farm .Miss Beatrix Simonds was the governor of Arborfield Infants and Junior school in the 1950s. The main house was destroyed in 1947 and is shown together with the view back to Mole Bridge Farm
A full history of The Coombes Woodland can be found in our guide
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