Untitled Document

Evidence of Roman activity at Aldermaston has been found in the shape of two wells. Later the lands belonged to Earl Harold, then to William the Conqueror, whose army camped there after the Battle of Hastings, and his sons William Rufus and Henry I. The estate was then given to Sir Robert Achard and held by his family for 250 years. In 1361 it passed to the Forsters family who entertained Queen Elizabeth I at the Manor at least once as a surviving invoice for alterations shows.

One of the three bedroom
suites in the restored Manor
House. Washbasin, part of
The Armitage Shanks ‘Dolphin’
Range, a 19th century design
Recently revived. The impressive
Reception area with chandelier and
Elaborately carved gallery. The
Visitors’ dining room with views of
the new headquarters

Sir Humphrey Forster rebuilt much of the Manor House in 1636 and nearly ruined himself in the process. In 1752 the estate was acquired by the Congreve family from Staffordshire who lived there for just over 100 years and made many improvements to the house. In 1843 about a third of the old house was destroyed by fire and in 1849 the estate was purchased by Daniel Higford Burr. He built the existing house on a new site but included several features from the earlier building which was then demolished. In 1893 Charles Keyser, a stock broker, bought the estate. The house stood empty for ten years after his death in 1929, was then bought by Associated Electrical Industries but taken over by the government on the outbreak of the World War Two. Afterwards it was returned to AEI and was the scene for Britain’s first private venture into atomic power. In 1965 the estate was bought by Collier Macmillan Schools Ltd and in 1981 it was acquired by a large group who completed major restoration works and changed the manor into an hotel and conference facility. It was taken over in 1997 by the current owners and has been leased and run as a conference centre, hotel and wedding venue by Eurest since 1991.