About Compton

There are several Comptons throughout England. Ours – Compton, Berkshire – is situated within the administrative boundary of West Berkshire District Council. It is high up on the North Wessex Downs within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in a hollow of chalk downland.

The village is several miles North of the intersection of two arterial routes, the M4 London to the West and the A34 Midlands to Southampton. Two miles to the West, at East Ilsley, there is access to the A34 trunk road. Access to the village is by minor roads, off the B4009 from Hampstead Norreys to the South, of the B4009 from Aldworth to the East and from East Ilsley to the West.

The nearest railway stations are at Goring, 6 miles to the East, Didcot Parkway, 9 miles to the North and Newbury, 10 miles to the South.

The Conservation Area is to the North of the High Street and includes Cheap Street, Hockham Road and Horn Street.

The village has a Parish Church, a general store and post office, a public house/hotel, a doctors’ surgery, a Village Hall, a pre-school, a Scout/Guide hut and a Sports and Recreation Centre. There is a primary school and a secondary school:  Compton C of E Primary School and The Downs School.

The Recreation Ground, in the middle of the village, is the main open green area. Other open areas are in Gordon Crescent and Manor Crescent, the playing fields situated between The Downs School and Shepherds Mount estate, the Cricket Ground between the High Street and the old site of the Pirbright Institute, allotment gardens/grazing to the West of Newbury Lane, bordering the village boundary and allotment gardens between School Road and the old railway station on the village boundary.

Compton offers a modest but varied mix of employment opportunities, both within the village and nearby. Local employers include Biosynth Limited, Dyson Farming, the two schools, and the racing industry, all of which contribute to village life and provide roles in science, agriculture, education, and support services. The Parish also hosts an estate of nine industrial units and several smaller premises, including converted agricultural barns, supporting various trades.  While the closure of Baxter Healthcare and the Institute of Animal Health marked a shift away from the broader employment base once available locally, many residents now commute to work. Popular destinations include London, Newbury, Didcot, Reading, and the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, which offers roles in research, technology, and administration.