History

We are currently researching the history of the house and surrounding area. This is proving to be a very interesting and rewarding activity. From what we have discovered, the house was probably originally built as two small 1-up, 1-down cottages. It was then extended to make four 1-up, 1 down cottages. It was then split into two larger cottages and then finally into the single large cottage that it is today.

Our historical research is split into five main parts. Each of these focuses on a specific area of interest. Each area is described below with a link to the page containing the actual information

Timeline

This part is the overall timeline for the house. This includes all significant events, owners and residents during its life. This is the main history of the house. Click on the link to view the Timeline.

Biographies

This part provides some information about previous owners and residents of the house / cottages. This is interesting due to the fact that when the property was a number of cottages, the owners were often wealthy individuals who owned many properties but did not live in them. Click on the link to view the Biographies of people associated with Monks Chambers.

Modifications and Maintenance

Over its life, the property has been extensively modified and updated. From joining separate cottages together to installing central heating, much work has been carried out. This part of our research concentrates on these modifications and our attempts to trace the history of the property its structure and the use of each of the rooms. Click on the link to view the Modifications and Maintenance that has taken place on the property.

Thatcham

The town of Thatcham has its roots in Roman times and has seem many changes over its many years of existence. Click on the link to view the History of Thatcham and links to additional information on this town.

Church Lane

Church Lane is at the heart of Thatcham and was probably one of the original roads forming the village. Click on the link to view the History of Church Lane.