Harwell, Oxfordshire

51.596944444444 - 1.2930555555556Koordinaten: 51 ° 36 ' N, 1 ° 18' W

Harwell is a village and municipality in the autonomous Vale of White Horse 3 km (2 miles) west of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until 1974 and today is a result of boundary changes to Oxfordshire.

Parish Church

The parish church of St. Matthew the Church of England is a senior listed building and was formerly the Virgin Mary dedicated. The roof of the nave dates from the year 1220, and the rood screen, which separates the choir from the nave, also dates from the 13th century. The church is known for the quality and the age of their peal of 8 bells in the bell tower and a Sanctus bell from 1611 until 1932. The tenor bell weighs 16 cwt. On the west wall of the tower there is a clock with only one hand. In 1975 a two-storey extension on the north wall was built, which will now daas rectory. A new meetinghouse was built in 1994.

Airfield

Before 1946 Harwell was mainly known for its cherry trees. In 1937, a military airfield was built between Harwell and Chilton, the RAF Harwell was called. The airfield was used during the Second World War to start parachute troops for the invasion of Normandy.

Atomic Energy Research Establishment

In 1946, this airfield was resolved to build the new Atomic Energy Research Establishment, the main center for atomic energy research in the UK, which became known as Harwell Laboratory. It was in 1946 the site of the first nuclear reactor in Europe and once housed up to five nuclear reactors, which have now all closed down. Two were completely dismantled, it is planned to dismantle the other three by 2022.

Other parts of the airfield was later hosted by other scientific organizations, including the Rutherford Appleton laboratorys the Science and Technology Facilities Council, which operates the ISIS neutron source and Diamond Light Source synchrotron joint venture. Part of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment is now used by the Research Sites Restoration Ltd, which specializes in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

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