Ambrosden
Encyclopedia
Ambrosden is a village and civil parish in Cherwell
, Oxfordshire
, England
, 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Bicester
to which it is linked by the A41 road
, and 13 miles (20.9 km) from Oxford
. The 2001 Census
recorded a parish population of 1,749 people. The parish is bounded by the River Ray
to the south, its tributary the River Bure
to the west, the outskirts of Bicester to the north and field boundaries to the east.
Ambrosden is 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Alchester Roman Town. Since the Second World War
Ambrosden has housed British Army
personnel stationed at St. George's Barracks, which is at Arncott
1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Ambrosden. The British Army
had many new houses built in the village in the early 1950s. The village has the Church of England parish church
and a public house
.
"Ambrosden" came from a diminutive derivative of the name Ambrosius Aurelianus
, a British commander of Roman
descent, and that the commander had encamped close the present site of Ambrosden to help the neighbouring military garrison at Alchester in conflicts with the Anglo-Saxons
The word 'don' or 'den', which is an Old English word meaning “a place situated on a hill or ascent”, was added as a suffix. Thus, a Roman name and a British syllable may have been combined as “Ambrosden”. This interpretation, however, has been rejected by historians who believe the toponym was derived not from Ambrosius, but from the Old English for "Ambre's hill". The forms Ambresdone, Ambresden, or Aumbresden were all recorded in the Middle Ages.
Roman road
, which linked Watling Street
with the Fosse Way
, passes through the parish less than 0.5 miles (804.7 m) north of the village. Roman pottery
has been found in the area. When the scholar and antiquarian White Kennett
was Vicar of Ambrosden (between 1685 and 1708), ancient Danish
remains were found in the parish. It has been suggested that Ambrosden is named after Ambrosius Aurelianus
, a leader of the Romano-British
people, who won battles against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century.
a lady called Elviva (probably a Latin rendering of the Old English name Ælfgifu
), held the manor
of Ambrosden. The Domesday Book
records that by 1086 she had been replaced by Hugh d'Ivry, butler of William the Conqueror
and brother of Roger d'Ivry
, who owned several manors in Oxfordshire. Hugh's nephew Roger II d'Ivry inherited Ambrosden and by 1194 it was part of the Honour
of St. Valery
. Ambrosden thus passed to Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall
, who in 1288 gave the manor to Ashridge Priory
of the Augustinian
order of the Brothers of Penitence
. Ashridge Priory retained Ambrosden until the priory was dissolved in 1539 in the Dissolution of the Monasteries
, ordered by Henry VIII of England
.
In 1542, the Crown
granted Ambrosden to John Denton of Blackthorn
, who was lord of the manor
of one of the manors of Bicester. Ambrosden remained in the hands of the Denton family until 1604, when Edward Denton and his son-in-law Edward Smyth of Stoke Prior, Worcestershire
sold the manor to Margaret Whethill of London. Margaret married Sir Thomas Mildmay of Chelmsford
, whose family were recusants
. Their grandson Francis Mildmay was a Royalist
in the English Civil War
, so in 1648 Parliament
sequestered his estates. During the Commonwealth of England
, the Treason Trustees twice sold Ambrosden to wealthy Londoners; namely John Warre in 1653 and William Drax and Alexander Jackson in 1657. Francis Mildmay recovered Ambrosden but in 1658 mortgaged it to Sir James Drax, also of London and in 1660 sold 100 acres (40.5 ha) of the estate to various yeoman
farmers.
In 1673, Francis Mildmay's widow Mary and son, Walter Mildmay, sold the remainder of the manor to Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet
, of Bicester. Sir William rebuilt the manor house shortly afterwards. Ambrosden remained with the Glynne family until Sir Stephen Glynne, 3rd Baronet sold it in 1729.
During the English Civil War
, the area was occupied in June 1643, when part of the King's forces were at Bicester and guarded Blackthorn Bridge.
, who had already bought one of the manors of Bicester from Sir Stephen in 1728. In 1733, Turner became the first of the Turner and Page-Turner Baronets of Ambrosden. In around 1740, Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
replaced the Glynnes' manor house with a large square house of eleven bays
. In its construction, the house re-used stone from the manor house, mixed with local limestone from the Stone Pitts quarry at Blackthorn, Oxfordshire
and Cotswold stone
from Bibury
in Gloucestershire
. The architect was Sanderson Miller
, who also designed ornamental buildings in the grounds. A landcaped park with lakes and statues was laid out around the house, and the drive to the house was along a semicircular avenue of trees. Sir Edward died in 1766. Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet
considered the house too large, so in 1767 he sought to demolish part of it to create a smaller house. This proved impossible so in 1768 he had the entire house demolished.
Ambrosden remained with the Turner (later Page-Turner) baronets until 1874 when Sir Edward Henry Page-Turner, 6th Baronet died childless. The 6th Baronet left all his estates to his nephew, Frederick Augustus Blaydes. The Blaydes took the Page-Turner name and coat of arms in 1903, but sold the estate in 1930.
(the nearest railway station), connected by the A41 road
. The site of Alchester Roman Town is 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west, and the village of Arncott
lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the south. The parish comprises the three townships of Ambrosden, Blackthorn, and Arncott. In 1932 Langford, Wretchwick, and Middle Wretchwick Farms, which were formerly part of the Bicester Market End township, were added to Ambrosden. The area of Ambrosden is described as being shaped like a mushroom, and measures 4 miles (6.4 km) between east and west at its widest part in the north and 2 miles (3.2 km) towards to south, and is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) between north and south.
The parish is bounded by the River Ray
and its tributary, the River Bure
, which form much of the boundary towards the north, north-east and west. The River Ray flows in a northeast to south-west direction across Ambrosden. In January 1764 one barge experimentally carried one load of coal from the Thames at Oxford up the River Cherwell
to Islip
and thence up the old course of the River Ray to Arncott. The coal was landed at Arncott Bridge and delivered thence by wheelbarrows to Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
at Ambrosden House. However, the experiment seems not to have been repeated and did not establish a regular freight trade on the river.
The River Ray is crossed by three bridges in the parish of Ambrosden: Heath Bridge, Arncott Bridge, and Blackthorn Bridge. Arncott Bridge lies on the road between Arncott and Ambrosden and is a five-arched bridge built in the 18th century, and the Blackthorn Bridge was built by the local turnpike trust
in 1833. The land is relatively flat, around 200 feet (61 m) above sea level, with some hilly areas at Graven Hill 372 feet (113.4 m) to the north-west, Arncot Hill (355 feet (108.2 m)) in the extreme south, and Blackthorn Hill (252 feet (76.8 m)) in the northern centre of the parish.
The Buckinghamshire Railway
's Oxford
and line was built through the northwest corner of the parish and opened in 1850. Its nearest station to Ambrosden is , 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the village. The London and North Western Railway
operated the Buckinghamshire Railway from its opening and absorbed the company in 1879. This part of the Buckinghamshire Railway is now First Great Western
's Oxford to Bicester Line
.
until at least the 17th century. By 1623 there had been several small Enclosure
s of agricultural land in the parish and by 1685 some common land
s were reported to have been enclosed, with further enclosures reported between 1702 and 1785. By 1809 Ambrosden's field system was described as being completely enclosed.
In 1741 Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet constructed a new road between Ambrosden and Merton
. He intended the road to eventually connect to Oxford, but the remainder of the project was never completed. The road was reputed to cost a guinea
a yard
. The road includes a completely straight stretch of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and generally runs across level ground, although its course undulates at a intervals, apparently intended to help draught animals pull vehicles.
In 1811 the village had only 140 inhabitants and in 1815 the annual estate value was assessed as £1,240. The parish then included three townships: Ambrosden, Arncott and Blackthorn.
Ambrosden Old Park, where Ambrosden House had been demolished, was sometimes used for horse-racing. In 1829 Jackson's Oxford Journal complained that a race meeting in the park attracted a thousand "idlers" characterized by "dullness and stupidity" and was marred by "brutal and disgraceful fighting" despite the presence of several members of the gentry.
A parish school was opened in Ambrosden in 1818 but seems to have ceased operating by 1854. A temporary school existed in the village in 1868 and a permanent parish school building in a Gothic Revival
style was completed and opened in 1876. In the 20th century, the school moved to new premises and was renamed Five Acres Primary School. The former school building opposite the post office is now the village hall
. In 1952, the Primary School at Ambrosden had an attendance of 194 children (including children from the War Department housing estate}.
between Bicester and Piddington
was built through Ambrosden in 1941 and remains in use to this day. In 1951-1952, the Ministry of Defence
and the Central Ordnance Depot, under the architect R. Potter of Salisbury, were responsible for creating a new housing estate of some 200 houses in the village. The government purchased a significant area of land from most of the farms in the parish. The houses in this estate are made in three types of design, but are all built of brick and roofed with tiles, with many located around a green with elm trees.
The British Army
, which has personnel at St. George's Barracks in nearby Arncott
, has been present in the village since the Second World War
. Also, the military depot (considered an industrial installation related to support of military operations) was located in Bicester during the World War II. This had an impact on the Ambrosden village, which abuts the northern side of the garrison at Bicester. In Ambrosden village, extensive buildings as housing accommodation and amenities were built for the military. The British Army provides its personnel and their families with a community centre, which incorporates a library, a gymnasium, a careers centre and an indoor swimming pool.
The earliest recorded history of the parish church is traced to the reign of Edward I
, built on the ground of an old Saxon structure. This earliest part of the Church of England parish church
was consecrated to St. Mary the Virgin
in the 12th-century Norman
north doorway. Over the centuries the church has been refurbished many times. The northern gate of this ancient church has been preserved for the reason that it has witnessed many marriage celebrations, exchange of dowries, execution of contracts and normal village business transactions. The Early English Gothic west tower
was built slightly later. The remainder of the church was rebuilt in the 14th century in the Decorated Gothic style. The tower has a ring
of eight bells.
The ecclesiastical parish of Ambrosden is now part of the Benefice of the Ray Valley, and St. Mary's Church also serves as the British Army garrison chapel. The overall architectural features of the church are of the 14th century, but the church now has a heating system, is lit and carpeted.
The nearby vicarage
dates from 1638. The Reverend White Kennett (1660–1728) was vicar of Ambrosden from 1685 until 1708. During his incumbency, Kennett became tutor and vice-principal at St Edmund Hall, Oxford
and published a number of scholarly works. Kennett was also Rector of St Botolph's Aldgate
in London from 1700, Archdeacon of Huntingdon from 1701 and Dean of Peterborough from 1707. It therefore seems likely that Kennett may have been largely absent from Ambrosden in the latter years of his tenure. He relinquished the living of Ambrosden in 1708. Kennett was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough
in 1718.
The church plan, as existed and as chronicled in 1823 records, and in possession of John Wayland, esq. of Woodeaton
, had a large courtyard entered through two elegant gates with a cross fixed at the northern part. The southern end of courtyard also had a cemetery. The main church building comprised
The southern entrance from a porch leads to an aisle
, which is lit by four windows that are segregated by a stone mullion
. Between the aisle and the nave
is an arcade
of four arches. The nave has three clerestory
windows similar to those provided in the north wall of the church. The nave has pew
s with ancient seats, which were probably part of the edifice itself. The north wall of the church has the pulpit and reading desk that were added in the reign of James II
. The pulpit was refurbished in 1819 using cushion and cloth donated by Lady Turner, with insignia of the Turner family inscribed on the cloth. A gallery at the rear of the nave has a painting of the resurrection
which, according to inscriptions, was given by the parishioners.
The bell tower
has a ring
of eight bells. The oldest bell in the ring was cast by Richard Keene of Woodstock
in 1697. Another was cast by Henry Bagley III in 1713: he had more than one bell-foundry but the nearest was at Witney
. Another was cast by Edward Hemins of Bicester in 1743. St. Mary's has a bell cast by W. & J. Taylor in 1840, presumably at their then Oxford
foundry, and three more including the treble and tenor bells cast by Taylors' Loughborough
foundry in 1928. Aside from the ring of eight, St. Mary's also has a small Sanctus
bell cast by Peter de Weston of London in about 1336.
Cherwell (district)
Cherwell is a local government district in northern Oxfordshire, England. The district takes its name from the River Cherwell, which drains south through the region to flow into the River Thames at Oxford....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
to which it is linked by the A41 road
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
, and 13 miles (20.9 km) from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. The 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
recorded a parish population of 1,749 people. The parish is bounded by the River Ray
River Ray
The River Ray is a river in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England. It rises at Quainton Hill and flows west through a flat countryside for around 25 km or 15 miles. It passes the village of Ambrosden and then flows through Otmoor...
to the south, its tributary the River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
to the west, the outskirts of Bicester to the north and field boundaries to the east.
Ambrosden is 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Alchester Roman Town. Since the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ambrosden has housed British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
personnel stationed at St. George's Barracks, which is at Arncott
Arncott
Arncott or Arncot is a village and civil parish about southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire. It consists of two neighbourhoods: Lower and Upper Arncott....
1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Ambrosden. The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
had many new houses built in the village in the early 1950s. The village has the Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
and a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
.
Toponym
In the 19th century it was believed that the toponymToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
"Ambrosden" came from a diminutive derivative of the name Ambrosius Aurelianus
Ambrosius Aurelianus
Ambrosius Aurelianus, ; called Aurelius Ambrosius in the Historia Regum Britanniae and elsewhere, was a war leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas...
, a British commander of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
descent, and that the commander had encamped close the present site of Ambrosden to help the neighbouring military garrison at Alchester in conflicts with the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
The word 'don' or 'den', which is an Old English word meaning “a place situated on a hill or ascent”, was added as a suffix. Thus, a Roman name and a British syllable may have been combined as “Ambrosden”. This interpretation, however, has been rejected by historians who believe the toponym was derived not from Ambrosius, but from the Old English for "Ambre's hill". The forms Ambresdone, Ambresden, or Aumbresden were all recorded in the Middle Ages.
Early history
The course of Akeman StreetAkeman Street
Akeman Street was a major Roman road in England that linked Watling Street with the Fosse Way. Its junction with Watling Steet was just north of Verulamium and that with the Fosse Way was at Corinium Dobunnorum...
Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
, which linked Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
with the Fosse Way
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester , Bath , Cirencester and Leicester .It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at Venonis south...
, passes through the parish less than 0.5 miles (804.7 m) north of the village. Roman pottery
Ancient Roman pottery
Pottery was produced in enormous quantities in ancient Rome, mostly for utilitarian purposes. It is found all over the former Roman Empire and beyond...
has been found in the area. When the scholar and antiquarian White Kennett
White Kennett
White Kennett was an English bishop and antiquarian.-Life:He was born at Dover. He was educated at Westminster School and at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where, while an undergraduate, he published several translations of Latin works, including Erasmus' In Praise of Folly.Kennett was vicar of...
was Vicar of Ambrosden (between 1685 and 1708), ancient Danish
Danelaw
The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
remains were found in the parish. It has been suggested that Ambrosden is named after Ambrosius Aurelianus
Ambrosius Aurelianus
Ambrosius Aurelianus, ; called Aurelius Ambrosius in the Historia Regum Britanniae and elsewhere, was a war leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas...
, a leader of the Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
people, who won battles against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century.
Manor
During the reign of King Edward the ConfessorEdward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
a lady called Elviva (probably a Latin rendering of the Old English name Ælfgifu
Ælfgifu
Ælfgifu is an Old English feminine personal name. It may refer to:* Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury, wife of King Edmund I of England* Ælfgifu, wife of Eadwig, king of England...
), held the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Ambrosden. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records that by 1086 she had been replaced by Hugh d'Ivry, butler of William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
and brother of Roger d'Ivry
Roger d'Ivry
Roger d'Ivry or d'Ivri was an 11th century nobleman from Ivry-la-Bataille in Normandy. He took part in William of Normandy's conquest of England in 1066 and founded the Abbey of Notre-Dame-d'Ivry in 1071...
, who owned several manors in Oxfordshire. Hugh's nephew Roger II d'Ivry inherited Ambrosden and by 1194 it was part of the Honour
Honour (land)
In medieval England, an honour could consist of a great lordship, comprising dozens or hundreds of manors. Holders of honours often attempted to preserve the integrity of an honour over time, administering its properties as a unit, maintaining inheritances together, etc.The typical honour had...
of St. Valery
Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Saint-Valery-en-Caux is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A small fishing port and light industrial town situated in the Pays de Caux, some west of Dieppe at the junction of the D53, D20, D79 and the D925 roads...
. Ambrosden thus passed to Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall
Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall
Edmund of Cornwall of Almain was the 2nd Earl of Cornwall of the 7th creation.-Early life:Edmund was born at Berkhamsted Castle on 26 December 1249, the second and only surviving son of Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall and his wife Sanchia of Provence, daughter of Ramon Berenguer, Count of Provence,...
, who in 1288 gave the manor to Ashridge Priory
Ashridge Priory
Ashridge Priory was a medieval abbey of the Brothers of Penitence.The seventeenth century historian Polydore Vergil said that Edmund founded in 1283 a monastery at Ashridge, Hertfordshire, for a rector and twenty canons of "a new order not before seen in England, and called the Boni homines"...
of the Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
order of the Brothers of Penitence
Brothers of Penitence
The Brothers of Penitence or Fratres Saccati were an Augustinian order also known as Boni Homines, Bonshommes or Bones-homes. They were also known as the "Bluefriars" on account of the colour of their robes.-History:...
. Ashridge Priory retained Ambrosden until the priory was dissolved in 1539 in the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, ordered by Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
In 1542, the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
granted Ambrosden to John Denton of Blackthorn
Blackthorn
Prunus spinosa is a species of Prunus native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa. It is also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America....
, who was lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of one of the manors of Bicester. Ambrosden remained in the hands of the Denton family until 1604, when Edward Denton and his son-in-law Edward Smyth of Stoke Prior, Worcestershire
Stoke Prior, Worcestershire
Stoke Prior is a village in the civil parish of Stoke in Bromsgrove District of Worcestershire. The parish includes the settlement of Stoke Wharf and hamlet of Woodgate, along with neighbouring Stoke Heath...
sold the manor to Margaret Whethill of London. Margaret married Sir Thomas Mildmay of Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, whose family were recusants
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
. Their grandson Francis Mildmay was a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, so in 1648 Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
sequestered his estates. During the Commonwealth of England
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
, the Treason Trustees twice sold Ambrosden to wealthy Londoners; namely John Warre in 1653 and William Drax and Alexander Jackson in 1657. Francis Mildmay recovered Ambrosden but in 1658 mortgaged it to Sir James Drax, also of London and in 1660 sold 100 acres (40.5 ha) of the estate to various yeoman
Yeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
farmers.
In 1673, Francis Mildmay's widow Mary and son, Walter Mildmay, sold the remainder of the manor to Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet
Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet
Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet was a Welsh politician.William was the son of Sir John Glynne, the Lord Chief Justice during the Commonwealth. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, taking his degree in 1656, and represented Caernarfon in the Third Protectorate Parliament...
, of Bicester. Sir William rebuilt the manor house shortly afterwards. Ambrosden remained with the Glynne family until Sir Stephen Glynne, 3rd Baronet sold it in 1729.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, the area was occupied in June 1643, when part of the King's forces were at Bicester and guarded Blackthorn Bridge.
Page-Turner Baronets
In 1729, the manor was purchased by Edward TurnerSir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet was an 18th century investor, landowner and baronet.He was born in London the son of John Turner, an well-to-do London merchant and educated at Bicester Grammar School. Like his father he became a merchant in London, a Director and sometime Chairman of the East...
, who had already bought one of the manors of Bicester from Sir Stephen in 1728. In 1733, Turner became the first of the Turner and Page-Turner Baronets of Ambrosden. In around 1740, Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet was one of the Turner Baronets of Ambrosden and a Member of Parliament.-Life:Turner was the son of Sir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary. He received his early education at Bicester Grammar School. He went on to Balliol College, Oxford where he was noted...
replaced the Glynnes' manor house with a large square house of eleven bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. In its construction, the house re-used stone from the manor house, mixed with local limestone from the Stone Pitts quarry at Blackthorn, Oxfordshire
Blackthorn, Oxfordshire
Blackthorn is a village and civil parish in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire about southeast of Bicester. The parish is bounded by the River Ray to the south, tributaries of the Ray to the east and north and field boundaries to the west...
and Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
from Bibury
Bibury
Bibury is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is situated on the River Coln, about northeast of Cirencester.The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary is Saxon with altar additions...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. The architect was Sanderson Miller
Sanderson Miller
Sanderson Miller was a pioneer of Gothic revival architecture, and a landscape designer who often added follies or other Picturesque garden buildings and features to the grounds of an estate....
, who also designed ornamental buildings in the grounds. A landcaped park with lakes and statues was laid out around the house, and the drive to the house was along a semicircular avenue of trees. Sir Edward died in 1766. Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet
Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet
Sir Gregory Page-Turner, 3rd Baronet was a wealthy landowner and politician in late 18th century England, serving as Member of Parliament for Thirsk for 21 years....
considered the house too large, so in 1767 he sought to demolish part of it to create a smaller house. This proved impossible so in 1768 he had the entire house demolished.
Ambrosden remained with the Turner (later Page-Turner) baronets until 1874 when Sir Edward Henry Page-Turner, 6th Baronet died childless. The 6th Baronet left all his estates to his nephew, Frederick Augustus Blaydes. The Blaydes took the Page-Turner name and coat of arms in 1903, but sold the estate in 1930.
Geography
Ambrosden is about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of BicesterBicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
(the nearest railway station), connected by the A41 road
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
. The site of Alchester Roman Town is 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west, and the village of Arncott
Arncott
Arncott or Arncot is a village and civil parish about southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire. It consists of two neighbourhoods: Lower and Upper Arncott....
lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the south. The parish comprises the three townships of Ambrosden, Blackthorn, and Arncott. In 1932 Langford, Wretchwick, and Middle Wretchwick Farms, which were formerly part of the Bicester Market End township, were added to Ambrosden. The area of Ambrosden is described as being shaped like a mushroom, and measures 4 miles (6.4 km) between east and west at its widest part in the north and 2 miles (3.2 km) towards to south, and is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) between north and south.
The parish is bounded by the River Ray
River Ray
The River Ray is a river in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England. It rises at Quainton Hill and flows west through a flat countryside for around 25 km or 15 miles. It passes the village of Ambrosden and then flows through Otmoor...
and its tributary, the River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
, which form much of the boundary towards the north, north-east and west. The River Ray flows in a northeast to south-west direction across Ambrosden. In January 1764 one barge experimentally carried one load of coal from the Thames at Oxford up the River Cherwell
River Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the Midlands of England. It is a major tributary of the River Thames.The general course of the River Cherwell is north to south and the 'straight-line' distance from its source to the Thames is about...
to Islip
Islip, Oxfordshire
Islip is a village and civil parish on the River Ray, just above its confluence with the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. It is about east of Kidlington and about north of Oxford. This village in Oxfordshire is not related to Islip, New York...
and thence up the old course of the River Ray to Arncott. The coal was landed at Arncott Bridge and delivered thence by wheelbarrows to Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet was one of the Turner Baronets of Ambrosden and a Member of Parliament.-Life:Turner was the son of Sir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary. He received his early education at Bicester Grammar School. He went on to Balliol College, Oxford where he was noted...
at Ambrosden House. However, the experiment seems not to have been repeated and did not establish a regular freight trade on the river.
The River Ray is crossed by three bridges in the parish of Ambrosden: Heath Bridge, Arncott Bridge, and Blackthorn Bridge. Arncott Bridge lies on the road between Arncott and Ambrosden and is a five-arched bridge built in the 18th century, and the Blackthorn Bridge was built by the local turnpike trust
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
in 1833. The land is relatively flat, around 200 feet (61 m) above sea level, with some hilly areas at Graven Hill 372 feet (113.4 m) to the north-west, Arncot Hill (355 feet (108.2 m)) in the extreme south, and Blackthorn Hill (252 feet (76.8 m)) in the northern centre of the parish.
The Buckinghamshire Railway
Buckinghamshire Railway
The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...
's Oxford
Oxford Rewley Road railway station
Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a railway station serving the city of Oxford, England, located immediately to the north of what is now Frideswide Square on the site of the Saïd Business School. It was the terminus of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which was worked, and later absorbed, by the...
and line was built through the northwest corner of the parish and opened in 1850. Its nearest station to Ambrosden is , 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the village. The London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
operated the Buckinghamshire Railway from its opening and absorbed the company in 1879. This part of the Buckinghamshire Railway is now First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
's Oxford to Bicester Line
Oxford to Bicester Line
The Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
.
Economic and social history
There is a record of a windmill at Ambrosden in 1300. A document of 1633 records a Windmill Field and Windmill Way. Ambrosden was farmed by an open field systemOpen field system
The open field system was the prevalent agricultural system in much of Europe from the Middle Ages to as recently as the 20th century in some places, particularly Russia and Iran. Under this system, each manor or village had several very large fields, farmed in strips by individual families...
until at least the 17th century. By 1623 there had been several small Enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
s of agricultural land in the parish and by 1685 some common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
s were reported to have been enclosed, with further enclosures reported between 1702 and 1785. By 1809 Ambrosden's field system was described as being completely enclosed.
In 1741 Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet constructed a new road between Ambrosden and Merton
Merton, Oxfordshire
Merton is a village and civil parish near the River Ray, about south of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-Archaeology:In 1978 a Middle Bronze Age spearhead was found at West End Farm on the northwestern side of the village.-Manor:...
. He intended the road to eventually connect to Oxford, but the remainder of the project was never completed. The road was reputed to cost a guinea
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
a yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
. The road includes a completely straight stretch of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and generally runs across level ground, although its course undulates at a intervals, apparently intended to help draught animals pull vehicles.
In 1811 the village had only 140 inhabitants and in 1815 the annual estate value was assessed as £1,240. The parish then included three townships: Ambrosden, Arncott and Blackthorn.
Ambrosden Old Park, where Ambrosden House had been demolished, was sometimes used for horse-racing. In 1829 Jackson's Oxford Journal complained that a race meeting in the park attracted a thousand "idlers" characterized by "dullness and stupidity" and was marred by "brutal and disgraceful fighting" despite the presence of several members of the gentry.
A parish school was opened in Ambrosden in 1818 but seems to have ceased operating by 1854. A temporary school existed in the village in 1868 and a permanent parish school building in a Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style was completed and opened in 1876. In the 20th century, the school moved to new premises and was renamed Five Acres Primary School. The former school building opposite the post office is now the village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
. In 1952, the Primary School at Ambrosden had an attendance of 194 children (including children from the War Department housing estate}.
Architecture
Today, the old part of the village consists of a few houses, including the Park Farm, a public house called the 'Turner Arms', a post office, a corn mill, a village hall (formerly a school) and the modern school. The village also contains the church, the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, a hair salon, a car dealer and garage, and a craft shop. Most of the houses and cottages are built of coursed rubble, with many standing on the high road leading from Merton to Bicester, opposite the park, church, and vicarage. To the east of the village, near the parish church, are some 19th century cottages made of stone, roofed with slates. Electricity was introduced to Ambrosden in 1935, and the Bicester Military RailwayBicester Military Railway
The Bicester Military Railway is a railway in Oxfordshire, England belonging to the Ministry of Defence. It links military depots at Piddington, Arncott and Graven Hill with the Oxford to Bicester Line.The line has no road bridges...
between Bicester and Piddington
Piddington, Oxfordshire
Piddington is a village and civil parish about southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. Its toponym has been attributed to the Old English Pyda's tun.-Churches:...
was built through Ambrosden in 1941 and remains in use to this day. In 1951-1952, the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and the Central Ordnance Depot, under the architect R. Potter of Salisbury, were responsible for creating a new housing estate of some 200 houses in the village. The government purchased a significant area of land from most of the farms in the parish. The houses in this estate are made in three types of design, but are all built of brick and roofed with tiles, with many located around a green with elm trees.
The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which has personnel at St. George's Barracks in nearby Arncott
Arncott
Arncott or Arncot is a village and civil parish about southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire. It consists of two neighbourhoods: Lower and Upper Arncott....
, has been present in the village since the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Also, the military depot (considered an industrial installation related to support of military operations) was located in Bicester during the World War II. This had an impact on the Ambrosden village, which abuts the northern side of the garrison at Bicester. In Ambrosden village, extensive buildings as housing accommodation and amenities were built for the military. The British Army provides its personnel and their families with a community centre, which incorporates a library, a gymnasium, a careers centre and an indoor swimming pool.
Parish church
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, built on the ground of an old Saxon structure. This earliest part of the Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
was consecrated to St. Mary the Virgin
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
in the 12th-century Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
north doorway. Over the centuries the church has been refurbished many times. The northern gate of this ancient church has been preserved for the reason that it has witnessed many marriage celebrations, exchange of dowries, execution of contracts and normal village business transactions. The Early English Gothic west tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was built slightly later. The remainder of the church was rebuilt in the 14th century in the Decorated Gothic style. The tower has a ring
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of eight bells.
The ecclesiastical parish of Ambrosden is now part of the Benefice of the Ray Valley, and St. Mary's Church also serves as the British Army garrison chapel. The overall architectural features of the church are of the 14th century, but the church now has a heating system, is lit and carpeted.
The nearby vicarage
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
dates from 1638. The Reverend White Kennett (1660–1728) was vicar of Ambrosden from 1685 until 1708. During his incumbency, Kennett became tutor and vice-principal at St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
and published a number of scholarly works. Kennett was also Rector of St Botolph's Aldgate
St Botolph's Aldgate
St Botolph's Church, Aldgate, St Botolph-without-Aldgate, or just Aldgate Church, is a Church of England liberal and inclusive parish church in the City of London, standing at the junction of Houndsditch and Aldgate High Street. The current 18th century church is made of brick with stone quoins...
in London from 1700, Archdeacon of Huntingdon from 1701 and Dean of Peterborough from 1707. It therefore seems likely that Kennett may have been largely absent from Ambrosden in the latter years of his tenure. He relinquished the living of Ambrosden in 1708. Kennett was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough
Bishop of Peterborough
The Bishop of Peterborough is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the counties of Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire...
in 1718.
The church plan, as existed and as chronicled in 1823 records, and in possession of John Wayland, esq. of Woodeaton
Woodeaton
Woodeaton or Wood Eaton is a village and civil parish about northeast of Oxford.-Archaeology:There was a Romano-Celtic temple north of where the parish church now stands, and probably a Romano-British settlement and shrine as well. The shrine was used successively by Roman pagans and Christians...
, had a large courtyard entered through two elegant gates with a cross fixed at the northern part. The southern end of courtyard also had a cemetery. The main church building comprised
The southern entrance from a porch leads to an aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
, which is lit by four windows that are segregated by a stone mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
. Between the aisle and the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is an arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
of four arches. The nave has three clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
windows similar to those provided in the north wall of the church. The nave has pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s with ancient seats, which were probably part of the edifice itself. The north wall of the church has the pulpit and reading desk that were added in the reign of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. The pulpit was refurbished in 1819 using cushion and cloth donated by Lady Turner, with insignia of the Turner family inscribed on the cloth. A gallery at the rear of the nave has a painting of the resurrection
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
which, according to inscriptions, was given by the parishioners.
The bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
has a ring
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of eight bells. The oldest bell in the ring was cast by Richard Keene of Woodstock
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock is a small town northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon....
in 1697. Another was cast by Henry Bagley III in 1713: he had more than one bell-foundry but the nearest was at Witney
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
. Another was cast by Edward Hemins of Bicester in 1743. St. Mary's has a bell cast by W. & J. Taylor in 1840, presumably at their then Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
foundry, and three more including the treble and tenor bells cast by Taylors' Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
foundry in 1928. Aside from the ring of eight, St. Mary's also has a small Sanctus
Sanctus
The Sanctus is a hymn from Christian liturgy, forming part of the Order of Mass. In Western Christianity, the Sanctus is sung as the final words of the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine...
bell cast by Peter de Weston of London in about 1336.