Alfred Stowell Jones, recipient of the Victoria Cross for actions at Delhi during the Indian Mutiny, is buried in the churchyard of St James'. General Sir John Watson, recipient of the Victoria Cross for actions at Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, is buried in the churchyard of St James'. Churches The present St. James' parish church is almost entirely Norman with a few alterations dating from the late 16th century. It has a Norman eastern apse and a brick tower built in 1720. The baptismal font in the church is late Saxon. The Baptist chapel was built in 1840. It was sold for conversion to a private house when the Finchampstead Baptist Church Centre was built in California. St Mary and St John California meets at Gorse Ride Junior School in California. It is a shared ministry with St James. Housing The village has a number of old cottages. However, most of the parish's housing is at California. Amenities The parish has three public houses: The Greyhound, the Queen's Oak and the Tally Ho. The Tally Ho incorrectly describes itself as being in Eversley. The Queen's Oak is the only pub of that name in England. The absence of public houses in the California area is due to a restrictive covenant imposed by John Walter when he sold the land in this area. Finchampstead Church of England Primary School in the village is opposite the park. There are other schools in California. Finches Pre-School is run daily during term time in the Memorial Hall. The village hall is Finchampstead Memorial Hall, which was built in 1960. The parish has a scout group. There is a children's playground area in the park. There are additional amenities in the parish at California Crossroads. Sport and leisure Finchampstead has clubs for cricket, football, netball and running. The village also has some tennis courts. Finchampstead Football Club plays in the Hellenic Football League, and the Memorial Ground is the home ground of both the football and cricket clubs. There is a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest at California. References Sources Civil parishes in Berkshire Villages in Berkshire Borough of Wokingham