Crookham, Berkshire


Crookham is a village in the English county of Berkshire, and part of the civil parish of Thatcham.
The settlement lies near to the A339 and A4 roads, and is located approximately south-east of Thatcham. Crookham - like the adjoining Crookham Common - is situated at the end of the runway of RAF Greenham Common.

History

Immediately before 1066AD Crookham was owned by Alwi Ceuresbert, a Kings Thane. Crookham appears in the Domesday Book under Thatcham Hundred. It was later, c.1125, granted to Reading Abbey. There was only one manor was sublet to various families some of whom hosted Royal visits including the King Henry III of England who visited the hamlet in 1229 - most probably to engage in hunting in the rural areas. By 1299 Crookham Manor House had a chapel attached to it. On 29 and 30 August 1320, Edward II stayed there.
In 1445 the sub-manor of Chamberhouse was formed. Chamberhouse was the childhood home of the distinguished soldier and statesman Henry Docwra, 1st Baron Docwra of Culmore, who was born there in 1564.
The original Crookham Manor and Chapel appear to have been abandoned c.1542 and by c.1748 the estate had been purchased by George Amyand, Hamburg Merchant. Within 100 years a new manor house had been built.