History of Shaw

 
The Mediaeval manor of Essages passed through many hands as it gradually changed its name to Shaw. The most important change of onwership came in 1554 when Thomas Dolman of Newbury purchased the manor. The following year he bought another local manor at Colthrop just east of Thatcham.
Dolman was a very wealthy clothier whose family had made an immense fortune in a couple of generations. His father was foreman for the famous Jack of Newbury who made an even larger fortune in the cloth trade. 
By 1580 the cloth trade was in decline as wars on the continent had disrupted the main export market. Jack of Newbury (John Winchcombe) had already made the move from trader to landed gentry when he bought the manors of Bucklebury, Thatcham and East Lockinge in the 1530s. Many years later Donnington was to be added to the family's holdings.
Thomas' son, another Thomas, decided that he needed a house that would show off his wealth and status, the result was the magificent Shaw House, completed in 1581. However, the new residence was not viewed with universal approval as he was thought by some to be abandoning his cloth workers ... as the following rhyme suggests:

Lord have mercy upon us, miserable sinners,
Thomas Dolman has built a new house
And has turned away all his spinners.

Most locals will remember the house best as the home of Shaw House School where many of them received their secondary education. However, the old building deteriorated in condition and concerns were raised about its safety. In 198x the school moved out into new premises alongside (now part of Trinity School).
ShawHouseWrapped.jpg
The house then stood empty and unused for many years; panelling was stripped of the walls to see if they were in as bad condition as anticipated - they weren't. The picture taken in 2006 shows the house shrouded in plastic as it underwent a multi-miilion pound refit.
 
Towards the end of 2006 the wrappings were taken off and Shaw House began a new chapter in its life. West Berkshire Council who inherited the abandoned building from Berkshire County Council in 1995 are using the house as a venue for meetings and seminars and as the offices of the West Berkshire Education Centre.
 
It also houses the local Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths and is a superb venue for civil marriages and wedding receptions.