Goring-on-Thames facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goring-on-Thames |
|
|---|---|
| Village and civil parish | |
 Goring mill and parish church from the bridge |
|
 Goring-on-Thames
|
|
| Area | 9.61 km2 (3.71 sq mi) |
| Population | 3,187 (2011 census) |
| • Density | 332/km2 (860/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU6080 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | READING |
| Postcode district | RG8 |
| Dialling code | 01491 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
|
| Website | Goring Parish Council |
Goring-on-Thames (or Goring) is a village in South Oxfordshire, England. It sits right on the River Thames. The village is on the border with Berkshire. It's about 6 miles (10 km) south of Wallingford and 8 miles (13 km) north-west of Reading. In 2011, about 3,187 people lived here. By 2019, this number was thought to be around 3,335.
Most of the land around Goring is farmland. There are also woodlands on the Chiltern Hills in an area called the Goring Gap. The main part of the village, with its shops, pubs, and restaurants, is near the river. Goring & Streatley railway station is on the Great Western Main Line. This line connects London and Oxford by train.
The village church is called St Thomas Becket. Its main part was built in the early 1200s. A bell tower was added later. Goring is directly across the Thames from the smaller village of Streatley. The two villages are connected by Goring and Streatley Bridge.
Contents
Where is Goring-on-Thames?
Goring is on the left side of the River Thames. It is in a special area called the Goring Gap. This gap is between two sets of hills: the Berkshire Downs and the Chiltern Hills. Goring is about 8 miles (13 km) north-west of Reading. It is also about 16 miles (26 km) south of Oxford.
Across the river is the village of Streatley in Berkshire. Many people see Goring and Streatley as twin villages. They are joined by Goring and Streatley Bridge. Next to the bridge are the lock and weir. Famous walking paths like the Thames Path, Icknield Way, and the Ridgeway all cross the Thames at Goring.
How to Get Around Goring
The Great Western Main Line train service stops at Goring & Streatley railway station. The Great Western Railway runs trains from here. You can travel to London Paddington, Reading, Didcot, and Oxford.
A local bus service runs between Goring and Wallingford. This service is managed by a local company called Going Forward Buses. It started in December 2016.
Goring's Early History
The name Goring first appeared in a very old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, it was spelled Garinges. Later, in an old document, it was called Garingies. The name means "Gara's people."
Churches and Religious Places
The Church of England parish church of St Thomas of Canterbury has very old Norman architecture. Parts of it were built in the early 1100s. The top part of the bell tower was added in the 1400s. This tower has eight bells. One of these bells dates all the way back to 1290! The wooden screen inside the church came from a ship called HMS Thunderer . This ship was part of Nelson's fleet at the famous Battle of Trafalgar. A church hall was built in 1901.
The Anglican churches of Goring, Streatley, and South Stoke work together. A priory (a type of monastery) for Augustinian nuns was built in the late 1100s. It had its own church next to St Thomas's. This priory was taken down in the early 1500s. In 1892, people dug up the ground and found the old foundations of the priory church and other buildings.
Goring Free Church belongs to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. This church group started in Goring in 1788. Their first chapel was built in 1793. In 1893, they built a new church building. The old chapel became a church hall. The church holds two services every Sunday.
The Catholic Church of Our Lady and St John the Apostle was designed by an architect named William Ravenscroft. It was built in 1898. This church now shares a parish with the Roman Catholic Church of Christ the King in Woodcote.
Fun Things to Do in Goring
Goring United Football Club plays in the Reading Football League. Goring-on-Thames Cricket Club started in 1876. It has two teams that play in the Berkshire Cricket League. Goring also has a lawn tennis club with teams that play in two local leagues. The Goring and Streatley Golf Club is located in the nearby village of Streatley.
Goring-on-Thames has a Decorative and Fine Arts Society. It was started in 1987. There is also a Women's Institute in Goring.
Goring's Awards and Achievements
Oxfordshire Village of the Year 2009
On July 10, 2009, Goring was named Oxfordshire's Village of the Year. It won against 11 other villages. The village received a prize of £1000. This money was used for a project to make electricity from the River Thames using water power. The competition looked at how many services and activities a village had. Goring's plans for a £1 million water-power project also helped it win.
Calor Success
Goring-on-Thames won two awards in the 2011 Calor Village of the Year competition for South England. It was the winner in the "Sustainability and Communications" category. It was also the "Overall Regional Winner."
Britain in Bloom
Goring was a finalist in the "small towns" group of the Britain in Bloom contest in 2019. This competition celebrates towns and villages that are beautiful with flowers and plants.
Famous People from Goring
Many interesting people have lived in Goring-on-Thames:
- In 1893, the famous writer Oscar Wilde stayed in Goring. While there, he started writing his play An Ideal Husband. One of the characters in the play is named Lord Goring!
- Sir Arthur Harris, a leader of the RAF Bomber Command during World War II, lived in Goring after he retired. He lived there from 1953 until he passed away in 1984. He is buried in Goring.
- Sir John Soane (1753–1837) was a famous architect. He was born in Goring.
- C. H. Dodd (1884–1973) was a theologian who helped translate the New English Bible. He passed away in Goring.
- Henry Harwood (1888–1950) was an admiral during World War II.
- William Allmond Codrington Goode (1907–1986) was the first head of state of Singapore. He passed away in Goring.
- Anton Rogers (1933–2007) was an actor.
- Jon Lord (1941–2012) was a composer and musician, known for rock and classical music. He lived in Goring later in his life.
- Pete Townshend (born 1945) is a musician from the famous band the Who.
- George Michael (1963–2016) was a well-known musician and singer. He lived in Goring near the river in his later years. He passed away there in 2016.
Freedom of the Parish Award
The "Freedom of the Parish" is a special award given by the village of Goring-on-Thames. It has been given to:
- Stephanie Bridle, on October 16, 2017, for her work as a parish councillor.
- Janet Hurst, on April 12, 2020, for her work on the Britain in Bloom competition and the Goring Gap Local History Society.
Nearby Places
 |
South Stoke | |
||
| Streatley |  |
Goring Heath | ||
 Goring  |
||||
 |
||||
| Whitchurch-on-Thames |
Twin Towns
Goring-on-Thames has "twin town" friendships with:
See also
In Spanish: Goring-on-Thames para niños
