East and West Hanney are often referred to as ´The Hanneys´ in part due to their very close proximity; a field separates the two villages. They are just north of Wantage and Grove.

The villages were built in pre Norman times on a gravel island in the marsh in the Vale of the White Horse. The Church in West Hanney, St James the Great, dates back to approximately 1160. Letcombe brook runs through East Hanney. This used to provide power to the now sadly disused mills, the last of which closed around 1920. Now an archimedean hydro screw is converting the power of Letcombe Brook for the four homes in one of the mills.

These attractive villages have two pubs, a community shop, a hotel and Italian restaurant and an Indian restaurant and are being heavily targeted by developers. At the 2011 census there were 341 dwellings in East Hanney. Since then approximately 220 have been granted planning permission. Approximately 70 more homes have been given permission in West Hanney.

Local Plan part 2 (adopted in 2019) included an allocation of 130 additional homes on sites to the north of the village. 40 homes have already been built on the additional site to the north east and there is an application under consideration for 45 homes north of Ashfields Lane P21/V0376/FUL.

See our Wantage and Grove Map for detailed locations of all developments.

For a list of major applications in the ´The Hanneys´: go to our Current Applications page and select the parish.