Speenhamland, Berkshire

Speenhamland is a suburb of Newbury, Berkshire.

Oxford Street roundabout

Name and location

Its name is probably derived from Old English Spen-haema-land, "land of the inhabitants of Speen", with "Speen" perhaps being formed on a Brittonic root deriving from Latin spinis, "thorns".^[1]

Speenhamland was a tithing, or administrative subdivision, of the parish of Speen, though even in the early 19th century it was contiguous with the suburbs of Newbury.^[2] It lies to the north of the River Kennet, between the centre of Newbury and Speen village to the north-west.^[3]

Poor relief

The Speenhamland system of poor relief was devised at a meeting in the area in 1795. It set poor-relief rates by the bread price and the number of household members, in or out of work.^[4][5]