SHINFIELD, a parish comprising Shinfield East
Side, in the hundred of CHARLTON, and the liberty of
Hartley-Dammer, in that of THEALE, county of BERKS,
and Shinfield West side, in the hundred of AMESBURY,
county of WILTS, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Reading, and
containing 1065 inhabitants. The living is a vicarage,
with the perpetual curacy of Swallowfield annexed, in
the archdeaconry of Berks, and diocese of Salisbury,
rated in the king's books at £20. 3. l., and in the
patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Hereford. The
church is dedicated to St. Mary. There is a place of
worship for Independents. A free school was founded
here, in 1707, by Richard Piggot,who endowed it with
£42 per annum, for teaching and clothing twenty
boys. There is another school, endowed by Mary Spicer
in 1697, in which fifteen children are taught by a
schoolmistress for £ 9 a year, arising from the rent of
a house and land.