The family estate of ‘Newland’ was just North of Arborfield Cross, Reading, The Newland name was first used in the 13th century and means ‘new land created within the forest’. Reference is made to ‘Newlondfeld’ in 1501. So it probably arises from its history as land cleared for cultivation, since it had been part of of the Bishops of Salisbury’s hunting grounds known as Bishop’s Bearwood, sometime part of the Royal Forest of Windsor, since the time of William the Conqueror. Four generations of the Simonds family lived on the Newlands estate from before 1840 until it was sold by auction in 7 lots from 1947-49. This branch of the family was involved primarily in farming, milling and banking. The story of this family is on the website ‘HERE’.
Newland Lodge & Newlands, Arborfield Cross, Berkshire.
The Simonds family connection to the area may stretch back to Saxon times. John Siemonds was a Saxon squire who lived on the south side of Arborfield and many of them were called John! We know about him only because he was arraigned for ecclesiastical misdemeanours under the Bishop of Ramsbury (also known as the Bishop of Sonning or the Bishop of Ramsbury & Sonning).From the 1840’s the family lived at Newland Lodge, at the lower end of the estate. In about 1860, John Simonds built a new grand house and called it simply ‘Newlands’, demolishing the old Newland Lodge soon after. By the end of the 19th century John [3] had added a 2nd floor to extend the servants’ quarters and a turret which shows in the images on the sale documents of 1947.
The initial auction in 1947 failed to sell the main house, which came back on the market again and sold in 1948. [LINK TO AUCTION DOCS] The building was destroyed by fire in the 1970’s but its entrance lodge still exists.
The 1947 sale particulars are HERE
I have a file of the detailed history and structure of the estate, if of interest, please contact me.
Here are some family images of the property:
Arborfield Local History Society also have an excellent background to the Simonds family in Arborfield HERE
And HERE