YATTENDON, a parish in the hundred of FAIRCROSS,
county of BERKS, 6 miles (S. E.) from East
Ilsley, containing 230 inhabitants. The living is a
rectory, in the archdeaconry of Berks, and diocese of
Salisbury, rated in the king's books at £14. 6. 8., and
in the patronage of the Rev. T. A. Howard. The
church is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. Here was
formerly a weekly market, on Tuesday, granted in 1258,
with a fair on the festival of St. Nicholas., to Peter de
Etyndon, and confirmed, in 1319, to John de la Beche,
with another fair on the festival of St. Peter and St.
Paul; these have long been disused, but an annual
fair is held on October 13th. Thomas Carte, the historian,
wrote the greater part of his History of England
at this place; he died in 1754, and was buried
in the church, without any monument to his memory.
A castle, said to have been inhabited by King Alfred,
once occupied the site of the present manor-house.