Palaeolithic and
Roman artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village. The
Roman road between
Dorchester-on-Thames and
Alchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield. An
Anglo-Saxon cemetery was also found at Berinsfield. The village is on the site of
RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the
United States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including
Bob Hope,
Dorothy Lamour and
Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in Europe. Miller performed for the US service personnel at the base in December 1944 before his fateful flight from
RAF Twinwood Farm which disappeared
en route to Paris. After
World War II the disused airbase was occupied by squatters, some of whom stayed for over a decade until, in 1957, the Air Ministry sold the airfield for civilian use.
Bullingdon Rural District Council decided to build a new council estate to be named after
Birinus or Berin, a local saint. The word 'field' was added because the Americans called their base an airfield. Many new residents at that time lived in the former
Royal Air Force huts until brick-built houses were constructed on the site. Berinsfield is the first English village to be built on virgin land for more than 200 years. It was designed by the architect and town planner
William Holford in 1960. The
Church of England parish church of
Saint Mary and
Saint Berin was designed by Rev. Harold Best, vicar of
Dorchester, and built in 1962. ==Amenities==