Yateley
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  Map sources for Yateley at grid reference SU8160
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Yateley is a small suburban town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. It is the north-western zone of the Aldershot Urban Area.
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[edit] Location
Yateley is a fairly affluent area. Approximately 75% of residents are in the ABC1 social class category. It had a population of 15,663 according to the 2001 census. Yateley's northern border is the River Blackwater around the Yateley Lakes (including Trilakes Country Park). Its southern border is the A30 national route, lined by Yateley Common and Blackbushe Airport. It lies some 35 miles (56 km) west-south-west of London and 15 miles (24 km) south of Reading.
[edit] Amenities
Yateley is a residential area with local businesses and light service industries. The B3272 Reading Road acts as the town's main business link, with numerous shops and other businesses located along this road. The area around St Peter's church, the Dog & Patrridge public house and the village green is still referred to as 'the village'. Yateley Green is a larger open area slightly to the west where there are tennis courts, a playground, council offices and 'The Tythings' bar and social venue, home of the Yateley Cricket Club. The Blackwater Valley golf course is in Chandlers Lane. There are several traditional public houses, besides the Dog & Partridge: the White Lion, the Royal Oak, the Cricketers, the Anchor and Monteagle Arms (formerly Poets' Corner, formerly the Monteagle Arms, formerly still Lanes). Yateley and District Lions [1] are based in the town.
[edit] Transport
Yateley is a mainly commuter town with excellent private car links to London, Reading, Aldershot and Guildford but a very poor standard of public transport. It is also linked by the Blackbushe Airport complex, which caters for leisure flights and small business flight operations. The complex also contains a thriving car auction, a go-kart track, an abandoned World War II airfield and is the venue for the popular Blackbushe Sunday Market.
[edit] History
The name Yateley derives from the Middle English 'Yate' meaning 'Gate' (into Windsor Forest) and 'Lea' which was a 'forest clearing'. The town's logo is a three-barred gate with the keys of Saint Peter (the church dedication) and the Tudor rose of Hampshire. The parish was originally much larger, coveirng both Blackwater and Hawley.
Yateley Hall in the town dates from the 13th century, but the town itself was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the early 17th century, Monteagle Farm was one of the minor properties of the 'discoverer' of the Gunpowder Plot, Lord Monteagle. A tradition has grown up that some of the first plans for the plot were put together there, but this is highly unlikely. However, roads of the residential area around Monteagle Lane have been named after some of the conspirators in memory of the connection.
Through the next few centuries, Yateley developed into a coaching-hub between London and Reading. Local legend has it that the curate of Yateley, named Parson Darby, was a highwayman who used the Reading Road as his main stamping ground. Darby Green where he was hanged is named after him.
[edit] In the media
In the hit British TV mockumentary The Office, lead character David Brent explains to the audience "When I’m finished with Slough there’s… Reading, Aldershot, Bracknell, you know. I’ve got Didcot, Yateley…". There is a medium-sized business park located near Blackbushe Airport which has all the hallmarks of Slough's business estate.
The Dog and Partridge public house in Yateley used to be the official headquarters of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Its one-time feline leader, Catmandu, was tragically run over on Reading Road.
In the Test the Nation programme on English and spelling broadcast on BBC television, the overall winner from the Internet was a man from Yateley. However, (ironically) the programme actually spelt the name of the town, "Yately".
A number of members of the 1980s band, Breathe, were from Yateley and attended Yateley School. Richard "Abs" Breen, from the boyband, 5ive, also went to Yateley School, as did Terry Abbot, lead vocalist/guitarist from (the now split) band Vex Red and now currently in Septembre.
Bromheads Jacket band lead singer Tim Hampton grew up in Yateley and attended Yateley School. The video for 'Lesley Parlafitt' was filmed in a Yateley pub. Track number 13 on album Dits from the Commuter Belt is called 'Hazy In Yateley'.
Sean Devereaux, a charity worker in Somalia came from Yateley. He was assassinated for speaking out against national opression and Sean Devereaux Park is named after him.
The body of missing school girl Amanda Dowler was found in woodland close by on 18 September 2002
David Copeland, known as the "London nailbomber" after a 13-day bombing campaign in April 1999 aimed at London's black, Asian, and gay communities, grew up in Yateley.
[edit] Education
- For a list of local schools see the list of Hampshire schools.
Yateley School in School Lane and Frogmore Community College on the Reading Road are both comprehensive secondary schools. They also both have leisure centres, and Yateley School has a 6th Form.
St Peter's Church of England Junior School caters for around 80 students and Westfields Junior School for around 500 students. Both have infants schools located alongside. Potley Hill Primary School, located next to Frogmore Community College, caters for 200-300 students and Newlands Primary School, in Dungells Lane, caters for around 200-300.
Yateley Manor School is an independent school catering for around 500 pupils aged 3 to 13.[2]
[edit] References
- National Statistics. 2001 Census — Aldershot Urban Area. Retrieved on April 22, 2005.
[edit] External links
