East Ilsley, Berkshire

Description
Ilsley, East, or Market Ilsley, a small market-town and a parish in Berks. The town stands on the side of a hill, near Ickleton Street, surrounded by a ridge of downs, 2 miles E from Compton station on the G.W.R., and 9 N from Newbury; occupies the site of the Saxon town Nache-dedome; was formerly called Hildesley or Huldesley; is thought by some antiquaries to be the JSscendune, where Alfred fought the Danes; is now noted for sheep markets and fairs; has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Newbury, and good inns; and is a seat of petty sessions. Its sheep markets existed as early as the time of Henry II., they are the largest throughout a great extent of England, and they commence on the Wednesday fortnight before Easter, sometimes earlier, and continue every alternate Wednesday till July. Sheep and lamb fairs also are held from Easter till November; fairs for sheep on Easter Wednesday, Whit Wednesday, the Wednesday after 17 Oct., and the Wednesday after 12 Nov.; a fair for lambs on 1 Aug.; fairs for sheep and lambs on 26 Aug. and the Wednesday after 19 Sept.; and a hiring and pleasure fair on 13 Oct. So many as 50, 000 sheep and lambs have been for sale at the fair of 26 Aug. The parish comprises 3017 acres; population, 519. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Oxford; net yearly value, £466. Patron, Magdalen College, Oxford. The church is partly Norman; has an early English chancel, and an embattled tower; was enlarged and repaired in 1845, and again in 1881-82; and contains an old monument of one of the Hildesleys, ancient lords of the manor. There are several establishments here for the training of race horses, the downs being well adapted for that purpose. John Hilsey, bishop of Rochester in the 16th century, was a native, and R. Wightwick, the co-founder of Pembroke College, Oxford, was rector.