FARINGDON

faringdon, properly great faringdon, a market town in the abingdon parliamentary division of berkshire, england, 17 m. w.s.w. of oxford by road. pop. (1901) 2900. it lies on the slope of a low range of hills which borders the valley of the thames on the south. it is the terminus of a branch of the great western railway from uffington. the church of all saints is a large cruciform building with low central tower. its period is mainly transitional norman and early english, and though considerably altered by restoration it contains some good details, with many monuments and brasses. faringdon house, close to the church, was built by henry james pye (1745-1813), poet laureate from 1790 to 1813, who also caused to be planted the conspicuous group of fir-trees on the hill east of the town called faringdon clump, or locally (like other similar groups) the folly. the trade of faringdon is agricultural.