Prehistoric Earley - The Romans and beyond - The Middle Ages - The Manors of Erlegh - About Soly Joel - Maiden Erlegh Park - Other Natural Features - From Hamlet to Town

The population of Earley stands today at over 30,000 in contrast to the Herlei of 1086 where the Great Survey records that the Manor of St. Nicholas, consisted of two fisheries, a meadow and a woodland and had a population of 9 people. Whilst the Manor of St. Bartholomew also has two fisheries, a meadow and a woodland its population was recorded as slightly higher at 12 people. However, it is accepted that not every one was recorded and historians multiply these figures by a factor of 4 to 5, thus giving us a population of around 100. Medieval pottery from 12th - 14th Century has been discovered in Earley, and it has been presumed that the population remained fairly constant during this period up until the time of the Black Death in 1348, which it is estimated would have reduced the population by more than half. The tax records for the 17th Century reveal only some 17 persons paying tax and thus the population seems to have remained low, probably at around 100. In 1841 the population stood at 471 and this had grown by 1931 to 847, and to over 5,000 by 1948, because of a housing boom prior to the Second World War. The increased size of population in the 19th century led to the Church of England making Earley a Parish in its own right, rather than being part of the old Parish of Sonning. Earley St. Peters Church was consecrated in 1844. The boundaries of Earley have changed considerably over the years as the population has increased. In the 1890s the Corporation of Reading expanded its boundary to include the area between Cemetery Junction and Church Road, whilst in the 1920's the boundaries were adjusted between Shinfield and Woodley.

The railway came to the Parish in May 1863 when the London & South Western Railway opened Earley Station, thus linking Reading with Guildford. The Great Western Railway had passed to the north of the village near Shepherds Hill, part of the infamous Sonning Cutting which claimed so many workers lives. When millionaire Solomon Joel died on 22 May 1931, the final chapter in the large estate of Maiden Erlegh was near to completion. The demise of the British aristocracy lead to many old manor houses and estates being divided up and demolished or left to fall into disrepair. The death of Soly Joel and the subsequent dividing up of the 750 acre estate marked the start of the building of the town we know today. However, it was not until the Manor was demolished in 1960 that the real growth of the parish started. The area around Silverdale Road to Lakeside being of this era.

In 1974 the population stood at some 12,000 and thus the Parish Council became a Town Council. It was however with the building of the Lower Earley Estate which commenced in 1977 that the town increased very rapidly in size. It was, until recently, the largest private housing development in Europe. Research has shown that the name "Lower Earley", was not invented by the property developers but holds a place in history. Tithe maps of the 1800s make reference to Lower Earley Farm and Earley Lower Wood Common, and the term was in popular use from that time. Today Lower Earley is generally recognised as the area east of Mill Lane south of Rushey Way and west of Elm Lane, bounded by the M4 and the A329 M. During its long construction there was some criticism by newer residents regarding the lack of facilities. However, the ASDA supermarket opened its doors in 1979 and the Maiden Place Centre in 1988. The new large police station is one of the latest additions to the area.

Remnants of Lower Earley`s rural roots can be found when travelling along its old roads, such as Mill Lane, Cutbush Lane and Carshalton Way, formerly part of Beech Lane. Old Oaks too can be seen dotted around the landscape, once part of field boundaries. Small stretches of hedgerows and pockets of woodland still exist along the old tracks, which now help make up the network of footpaths and cycleways. Despite the growth of the Town there is still evidence of its history. The cottages of Radstock Farm can be seen in Radstock Lane near the school. In the section of Beech Lane which runs parallel with Rushey Way one can see the farm cottages, one of which is thatched, of Home Farm. The old farm pond nearby is managed by the Town Council and is a Wildlife Heritage Site. It is worth going for a walk around the roads of the area looking for the many historical treasures hidden away between the modern houses.

Earley St. Peters School is the oldest in the Town founded some one hundred years before its neighbours. With every dramatic increase in housebuilding came more schools. Every part of the Town now has a primary school within walking distance. Maiden Erlegh School was opened in 1962 and expanded in the early 1970s. For the time being at least, it remains the only secondary school within Earley.

Prehistoric Earley - The Romans and beyond - The Middle Ages - The Manors of Erlegh - About Soly Joel - Maiden Erlegh Park - Other Natural Features - From Hamlet to Town