Easton brings together the River Lambourn, a species-rich meadow and buildings from several centuries. The river flows through the village and joins the Kennet near Newbury; Easton Bridge crosses it. This gives you two distinct perspectives to consider when planning your trip: the riverside landscape and the area’s architectural history. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Easton, you can choose your destination based on whether nature or historic architecture matters more to you.
River, meadow and bridge
The River Lambourn flows through Easton and joins the Kennet near Newbury. Easton Bridge crosses the same river. The bridge and the watercourse are therefore connected in a specific way: the bridge crosses the Lambourn, which flows through Easton. Easton Farm Meadow SSSI adds a small meadow with species-rich, unimproved grassland to the landscape. The river and the meadow represent different aspects of nature: a watercourse on the one hand and a particular area of grassland on the other. If nature plays a part in your decision, you can consider Easton in terms of these two features, rather than associating the village with the landscape only in general terms.
Architectural history across several centuries
Easton Lodge is a 17th-century house. It also has extensions and a redesigned façade dating from the 18th and 19th centuries; some parts of the house feature exposed timber framing. Its profile thus reflects different phases of construction: its 17th-century origins as well as later structural changes. For architecture enthusiasts, the focus is therefore not only on the house’s age, but also on the development evident in its extensions and façade design.
Mallard Cottage offers a different historical perspective. This thatched timber-framed house dates from the late 16th century, has a hipped roof and is a Grade II listed building in Easton. In contrast with Easton Lodge, the emphasis here is on the combination of timber framing and roof design, as well as its late-16th-century date. At the Lodge, by contrast, the extensions and later redesign of the façade are explicitly part of its architectural history. The comparison offers two different points of interest if you are considering Easton primarily for its architecture.
Road and railway history
The M4 runs through Easton and crosses the parish from east to west. Another transport route belongs to the history of the Lambourn Valley Railway: its line ran through Easton, but the village had no station. The contrast is clear in the context of the village’s history: the M4 marks a road route through the parish, while the railway line ran through Easton without a station there. The route and the stopping point are therefore not the same thing.
When choosing your destination, you can weigh these themes according to your own interests. The river and Easton Farm Meadow provide specific points of reference for nature; Easton Bridge, Easton Lodge and Mallard Cottage represent different aspects of architectural history. There is also the history of transport, with the route of the M4 and the railway line that had no station in the village. This makes it possible to consider Easton as a destination between landscape and historic architecture, without combining its distinct features into a single theme.
Discover more destinations: Lambourn, Compton, Hungerford, Streatley, Pangbourne, Reading, Newbury, Winnersh.
See the overview of destinations in the wider area: Berkshire.
