Woodley Aerodrome

Miles Aircraft Ltd

Company type	Private
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1930s
Founder	F.G. Miles, Charles Powis (originally Phillips and Powis)
Defunct	1943 (renamed)
Fate	Renamed Miles Aircraft Ltd in 1943
Headquarters	Woodley , England, United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft (e.g., Miles Hawk, Magister, Master)
Number of employees	5,000 (1940s)

Template:Infobox UK place

Woodley is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Wokingham, situated in Berkshire, England. Positioned approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east of Reading, it borders the town of Earley, which lies about 2 miles (3.2 km) to its west. Additionally, Woodley is located around 5 miles (8.0 km) from Wokingham. Surrounding villages include Sonning, Twyford, Winnersh, Hurst, and Charvil.

Toponymy

The origin of the name Woodley stems from Old English terms signifying "a woodland clearing".

History

Historically, Woodley fell under the jurisdiction of the ancient parish of Sonning. It does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086. The earliest documented mention is found in the Register of Saint Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury from 1078 to 1099, which records that St Osmund visited Sonning and notes: "Osbertus de Woodleghe holds a dwelling house and yard and is able to pasture his pigs on the Lord of the Manor's woods".</ref>

The first modern spelling of Woodley appears in the 1550 Survey of Sonning. In Woodley's western area stood Old Bulmershe Manor, once owned by the Abbey of Reading before passing to the Blagrave family, who were likely the family of the 17th-century mathematician John Blagrave. Adjacent to this is Bulmershe Court (also known as Woodley Lodge), constructed in 1777 by James Wheble. The name Bulmershe (or Bullmarsh) Heath referred to a marshy pasture where bulls grazed. From 1727 until 1814, annual horse races were held on Bulmershe Heath; horses were entered at The Mitre Tavern in Reading by owners residing across Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. These events were publicised in The Reading Mercury newspaper and took place every August before relocating to Kings Meadow in Reading after 1814. During the enclosure of lands in Woodley in 1820, principal landowners included James Wheble of Woodley Lodge and Robert Palmer of Holme Park in Sonning. Common rights such as furze cutting for fuel, rabbit catching, and grazing on Bulmershe Heath were lost by locals; however, they received compensation through allotments known as Poor's Gardens on Headley Road.

Woodley Lodge (later Bulmershe Court) was purchased by Henry Addington, who resided there each summer from 1790 to 1801. Addington served as Speaker of the House of Commons and subsequently as Prime Minister between 1801 and 1804. A close associate of William Pitt the Younger, he was also Captain Commandant of the Woodley Yeomanry—a volunteer cavalry regiment composed mainly of affluent farmers and gentlemen horse owners. King George III inspected this regiment on Bulmershe Heath in both 1799 and 1805. Addington was elevated to Viscount Sidmouth in 1805. He and his spouse donated land for constructing the Royal Berkshire Hospital. His legacy endures through local landmarks such as Addington Gardens and Addington School in Woodley. During World War II, Bulmershe Court was utilised by the United States Army. The building was demolished during the 1960s to make way for a teacher training college that later integrated into the University of Reading in 1989. This site was sold between 2013 and 2014 and has since been developed into a residential estate featuring homes, apartments, and a care facility.

Former village school on Church Road, constructed in 1873; currently functions as a church hall and office adjacent to St John the Evangelist's Church

According to Kelly's Directory for Berkshire published in 1847, Woodley was described as "a scattered village consisting mainly of farmhouses." It noted that James Wheble resided at a neat estate called Bulmershe Court. The directory mentioned a well-attended fat cattle market held every Monday at Loddon Bridge frequented by butchers from Reading and surrounding areas. Also listed were principal farmers, tradespeople, and public houses including The Bull and Chequers at Woodley Green; The Chequers at Bulmershe Heath; The Lands End; and The George at Loddon Bridge.

Woodley Aerodrome

Before the 1930s, Woodley was an inconspicuous village. In 1929, Woodley Aerodrome was established on a 100-acre tract of land that was part of Sandford Farm. Jack Phillips and Charles Powis launched The Phillips and Powis School of Flying, providing flying instruction at a rate of 12 shillings and 6 pence per lesson. Notably, Pauline Gower, who later became Commander of the Women's Air Transport Auxiliary, obtained her pilot's license there in September 1930. An advertisement in Flight magazine dated 10 May 1933 promoted flying lessons at a fixed price of £37 regardless of the total hours required at the P and P School of Flying. The aerodrome also briefly hosted the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Flying Club as well as the Reading Aero Club.

In 1932, F.G. Miles arrived in Woodley, with Charles Powis agreeing to provide him access to a newly outfitted Aircraft Workshop. Miles was supported by his wife Blossom, a talented designer who played an integral role in the enterprise. His brother George joined the firm in 1936. Phillips departed in 1932, followed by Powis in 1937. The company’s initial significant achievement was the Miles Hawk, a wooden monoplane priced at £395, making it the most economical civilian aircraft during an era when flying was largely a pastime for the affluent. Designed by modernist architect Guy Morgan, the Falcon Hotel was constructed in 1937 to accommodate visitors and serve as new quarters for the Reading Aero Club.

The company operated under the name Phillips and Powis until 1943 when it was renamed Miles Aircraft Ltd. Among its most renowned aircraft were the Magister and Master models, which served as primary trainers for RAF pilots. Prior to World War II, Woodley attracted numerous prominent aviators including Charles Lindbergh and Amy Johnson. In 1931, Douglas Bader suffered a severe accident at the aerodrome that resulted in the loss of both legs. Despite being prohibited from performing low-level aerobatics due to safety concerns, Bader crashed while executing a slow roll near the ground—a mishap he recorded in his logbook as "Crashed slow-rolling near ground. Bad show." According to eyewitness Captain R.L. Bateman, chief instructor at the aerodrome, Bader appeared unaware of his low altitude during the maneuver which led to a loss of height and speed before impact. He was swiftly rescued and transported to Royal Berkshire Hospital where amputation surgeries were performed by chief surgeon Mr Joyce. Fitted with prosthetic legs, Bader relearned to walk and went on to become a celebrated pilot, his story chronicled in Reach For The Sky. He maintained strong ties with Royal Berkshire Hospital through fundraising efforts and returned to Woodley in 1956 to inaugurate The Coronation Hall, replacing the former village Hut.

Starting in 1935, Phillips and Powis operated a civilian flying school preparing students for RAF service. On 11 June 1938, they secured a £2 million Air Ministry contract for 500 M.9 Master I aircraft—the largest British training aircraft order at that time—prompting rapid factory expansion later that year. By 1939, the workforce numbered approximately 1,000 employees; major factory extensions were completed along with an impressive new 'art deco' headquarters designed by Guy Morgan, officially opened by Air Minister Sir Kingsley Wood on 27 January 1939. With the outbreak of war in September that year, both airfield and factory were camouflaged; grass runways were concealed using artificial hedges while nearby 'Eleven Elms' trees were felled due to concerns they might serve as navigational landmarks. In 1940, the company received a contract for Spitfire repair and maintenance; during World War II’s peak activity, operations ran continuously around-the-clock with a workforce swelling to 5,000 across multiple dispersed production and storage sites locally. The RAF established No. 10 Flying Instructors' School in 1942 from what had been No. 8 Elementary Flying Training School. Although bombed three times in 1940, damage to Woodley Aerodrome was minimal and no casualties occurred.

Between 1933 and 1962 approximately 6,000 military and civilian aircraft were produced and first flown at Woodley. In 1939 Phillips & Powis introduced Britain's inaugural moving assembly line for aircraft manufacturing to produce the Miles Master advanced trainer. Post-World War II development saw further industrial growth as companies relocated from Reading to Woodley. By the early 1960s flying activities had dwindled significantly and ceased entirely shortly after Handley Page (Reading) Ltd’s factory closure around 1962-63. Following gravel extraction operations during the 1960s and ’70s, Adwest Properties Ltd redeveloped the former aerodrome site throughout the 1980s for residential housing and light industrial use. Many original Miles aircraft factory buildings remained occupied into the twenty-first century by Adwest Group tenants. Today, Woodley's aviation legacy is primarily preserved through the Museum of Berkshire Aviation alongside numerous aviation-themed street names on what was once aerodrome land.

Governance

Oakwood Centre, featuring the Alan Cornish Theatre

Woodley is governed by two levels of local authority: the parish (or town) council and the unitary authority. These are represented by Woodley Town Council and Wokingham Borough Council respectively. The town council operates from the Oakwood Centre on Headley Road, a facility completed in 2004.

At the national level, Woodley is included within the Earley and Woodley parliamentary constituency.

Administrative history

Historically, Woodley was part of a township named "Woodley and Sandford," which lay within the larger parish of Sonning. From the 17th century onwards, this township assumed civil responsibilities under the poor laws. Consequently, in 1866, it became a distinct civil parish following changes to the legal definition of parishes for administering poor relief.

Church of St John the Evangelist, Church Road

In religious terms, a church dedicated to St John the Evangelist was constructed in 1873 as a chapel of ease affiliated with St Andrew's Church, Sonning. It was elevated to full parish church status in 1881 when Woodley was established as its own separate ecclesiastical parish.

Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 1894, elected parish and district councils were introduced; Woodley and Sandford received its own parish council and became part of the Wokingham Rural District. The civil parish included Charvil until 1970, when Charvil was constituted as an independent parish.

Prior to the local government reorganisation implemented by the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974, Reading Borough Council sought to incorporate Woodley, Earley, and surrounding areas into Reading borough. However, this proposal was rejected by the government, which instead assigned Woodley to the newly formed Wokingham district. Under these reforms, parish councils gained authority to designate their parishes as towns and adopt the title "town council." Woodley and Sandford Parish Council exercised this option in 1974. Shortly after, in January 1975, the parish was officially renamed from Woodley and Sandford to simply Woodley.

Landmarks

The Woodley Congregational Church, an example of Gothic Revival architecture, was completed in 1834. It later became part of the United Reformed Church and has since been repurposed as office space. The Church of St John the Evangelist in Woodley was constructed in 1873, designed by Henry Woodyer and funded by Robert Palmer of Holme Park.

Education

Woodley hosts two secondary comprehensive schools that have earned specialist school designations: Waingels College, specialising in Mathematics and Computing, and The Bulmershe School, designated as a Sports College. Primary education is provided by several schools, including Highwood, Beechwood, St Dominic's Roman Catholic, Rivermead, Woodley Church of England, Southlake, and Willow Bank.

Geography

Situated just east of Woodley is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) known as Lodge Wood and Sandford Mill. The town also boasts three local nature reserves: Alder Moors, Highwood, and Lavells Lake.

Sport

Woodley's football club, Woodley United F.C., was officially founded in 1904, although football teams likely existed in the area during the nineteenth century. In 2009, Woodley Town fielded three teams within the Reading Football League. Their first team secured the Senior Division title in the 2008–09 season (Step 7 within the FA Football Pyramid) and won the BTC Senior Cup, achieving a league and cup double. The club holds FA Charter Standard Development Club status and operates a youth section called Woodley Town Kestrels, offering boys’ and girls’ teams for age groups from under-7 to under-17.

The Kingfisher Table Tennis Club in Woodley competes in both the Reading & District League and the Bracknell, Wokingham & District League. Additionally, Kingfisher TTC participates in the British League. In 2019, Maria Tsaptsinos from Kingfisher earned the England championship title. The Southlake Angling Society manages the Southlake fishery near Woodley’s town centre. Established in the early 1960s on a former estate lake sharing its name, the Society has expanded to include Redlands Lake in Hurst and a section of the River Loddon flowing near Woodley and Earley. Woodford Park hosts a weekly park run every Saturday along with a junior park run on Sundays.

Notable people

• Felix Bowness, actor specializing in comedy, renowned for his role as ex-jockey Fredd Quilley in Hi-de-Hi!
• James Henry, professional football player born in 1989
• F G and Maxine ('Blossom') Miles, pioneers in aircraft design and aviation
• Hamza Riazuddin, cricketer representing Hampshire
• Irwin Sparkes, lead singer of the band The Hoosiers
• Chris Tarrant, television host known for presenting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
• Sam Barratt, professional football athlete
• Tommy Longhurst, vocalist for the group Only The Poets
• Nelson Abbey, footballer and alumnus of Waingels College
• Jamie Willcox, guitarist associated with Pure Reason Revolution

Literature

The town of Woodley features in the short supernatural tale "The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance" by M.R. James, included in the 1919 collection A Thin Ghost and Others.

See also

• Sonning Cutting, a notable section of the Great Western Railway situated north of Woodley

Sources

• Ditchfield, P.H.; Page, W.H., eds. (1923). A History of the County of Berkshire, Volume 3. Victoria County History. London. pp. 210–225.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Pevsner, Nikolaus (1966). Berkshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 311.

External links

• Woodley Town Council
• Royal Berkshire History: Woodley House
• Media related to Woodley at Wikimedia Commons