The most notable feature when you approach Faringdon is without doubt the Folly Tower - although only completed in 1935, it has become a local landmark. During the town's Millennium celebrations, the tower had a giant lighthouse that was visible for miles. Once you enter the town centre, the odd shape of the Old Town Hall right in the middle of the market place is remarkable.
History of Faringdon
1,000 BC: Uffington White Horse carved into the chalk.
500 BC: Iron age settlement located at Badbury Clump, near Faringdon.
1086: The Doomsday book records that there were 9 houses in Faringdon.
1145: Wooden fortress built on Folly Hill as part of the Baron Wars. It was destroyed after a four day siege.
1203: Cistercian Monks founded an abbey just north of Faringdon - which became part of the Beaulieu Estate.
1218: Faringdon granted a charter for a market by the Abbot of Beaulieu.
1635: A courier service began between London and Bath, stopping at Faringdon.
1645-46: Civil War, Siege of Faringdon House by Oliver Cromwell.
circa 1650-60: Faringdon Town Hall was built.
circa 1780: Dependable post between London and Bath with the use of stage coaches.
1780: Henry James Pye built the present Faringdon House.
circa 1850: Gummed envelopes invented in Faringdon.
1871: William Morris took residence in Kelmscott Manor, near Faringdon.
1935: Folly Tower built by Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson (who became Lord Berners).
1946: The Royal Military College of Science was established in nearby Shrivenham.
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Faringdon Churches
All Saints Church
The most prominent and noticeable Church when visiting Faringdon is the All Saints Church, located near the marketplace. Like all English medieval churches, All Saints was built for Roman Catholic worship. After the Reformation most churches were altered to new requirements, and have been further changed by desecration, extension, rebuilding, internal alteration, demolition or conversion to other uses. All Saints in Faringdon is no exception.
It stands up from the Market Place, from where the large face of its tower-clock can be read by shoppers and those waiting for a bus. The central tower rises stumpily above the roofs of the nave and long chancel. A stone pavement leads up to the splendid c13 south door (huge iron hinges of "agitated scrollwork", several branches ending with dragons' heads) which opens into the south aisle.
Congregational Church
The origin of the Congregational cause in Faringdon is to be traced back to about the year 1760 when a Lincolnshire builder, John Fidel, came to town to supervise the erection of Beckett House (Shrivenham). He so pleased Lord Barrington that he persuaded Fidel to stay and commence business as a builder.
Methodist Church
The Primitive Methodists began to mission in the Ashbury and Bishopstone area in 1829, but it was not until April 1832 that they reached Faringdon.
Thomas Russell, a travelling preacher, started from his Lambourn home and arrived in Wantage about 9 am. He sang a hymn, prayed and commenced to preach, whereupon he was set on by ruffians, his clothing dirtied and torn and his body badly bruised. Washing his clothes in the local brook, he put them on wet and walked to Faringdon. Here he received similar treatment, again needed to rinse his clothing and undaunted he walked to Shrivenham. Once more he suffered at the hands of the mob and preaching a fourth time on his way back, he was beaten again and his lip cut. He arrived back at Lambourn after being afoot for 18 hours and walking 35 miles.
