Sonning Common
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sonning Common (not to be confused with nearby Sonning-on-Thames) is a large village in south Oxfordshire, England. It lies on the B481 road between Reading to the south and Nettlebed to the north. Neighbouring villages include Kidmore End and Rotherfield Peppard.
Landmarks include the Herb Farm (with Saxon Maze) and Thames Valley Gym to the South, Chiltern Edge School to the north, two war memorial halls and a health centre. There is also a duck pond with an amusingly named duck-house in the middle - "Duckingham Palace" - The area is surrounded by mainly beech woodland and countryside, which is excellent for walks & picnics.
The main route through the village is Peppard Road, which runs from Reading to Nettlebed. Wood Lane turns off this, and has most of the village's shops and the health centre. It boasts an excellent Indian restaurant (Tandoori Connoisseur) as well as a Chinese take-away, fish & chip shop, bakers/tea shop, post office, supermarkets and a cluster of other shops. The village hall is also in the middle of Wood Lane, where the are often jumble sales and other such community events.
Behind the village hall there is a modest-size car park, and a mini recycling centre of containers for glass, clothes, CDs and books.
Blount's Court, on Blounts Court Lane which heads back towards Henley-on-Thames, is the home of Johnson Matthey's Technology Centre, the largest employer in the village.
Churches are Christ the King (Anglican), St Michael (Roman Catholic) and Peppard Congregational Church (independent).
Sonning Common's reputation has been enhanced in recent years by its status as a centre of the English wine industry.
