King's Sutton
Encyclopedia
King's Sutton is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire
, England in the valley of the River Cherwell
. The village is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Banbury
, Oxfordshire
. The parish includes the hamlets of Astrop contiguous with eastern end of King's Sutton and Upper Astrop about 1 miles (1.6 km) north-east.
means the King's south estate.
Blacklands
, in the parish 0.5 miles (804.7 m) north of the village, is the site of a Roman
town. Coins from the 4th century AD have been recovered from the site.
The infant Saint Rumwold (or Rumwald, Rumbold or Rumbald) is said to have lived and died at King's Sutton in 662. Rumwold is said to have lived for only three days but professed his faith continuously during his life.
helped develop Banbury
’s then arms industry. The Royalist
garrison was constantly at work early in 1645 digging saltpetre
in King's Sutton and making gunpowder
out of it in a house specially built near Banbury. Just over 10 years earlier a government saltpetreman had operated at Banbury for a year, having moved there from the then small market town of Coventry
, before moving on to Hook Norton
a short while afterwards. King's Sutton was a local centre for saltpetre excavation and digging at the time.
of Saints Peter and Paul
are the Norman
font
and largely Norman chancel
. The north aisle was added in the 13th century and the south aisle early in the 14th century. The bell tower
and most of the windows are Decorated Gothic. The spire
was added to the tower
probably late in the 14th century, raising the steeple
to a height of 198 feet (60.4 m). Sir Nikolaus Pevsner
considered it "one of the finest, if not the finest, spire in this county of spires". The south porch, north aisle, west window and very fine east window of the chancel are Perpendicular Gothic.
Ss. Peter & Paul parish is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the adjacent parish of Newbottle
and Charlton
.
The manor house
was built in the middle of the 17th century.
, the Member of Parliament for Banbury
and later Aylesbury
, some time after 1735. Sir John Soane
added wings, which were extended in the 19th century and demolished in 1961. William Wilkinson
added the Keeper's lodge, pheasantry and a cottage in 1868. Lancelot "Capability" Brown laid out the grounds.
Astrop was the site of a famous Spa discovered in the 17th century. All that now remains is a small well known as St. Rumbald's Well, south of the house in a valley (see "History" section).
had taken the line over by the time it opened, and in 1872 the GWR opened King's Sutton railway station
for the village. Chiltern Railways
trains to , and Oxford now serve the station.
King's Sutton Heritage Trust Fund has been formed with a Mission Statement which reads 'To promote, protect and enhance the history, facilities, structures, and amenities of the village of King's Sutton and the surrounding area for the benefit of its inhabitants.
report was in 2010 and gave the school grade 2, stating: "This is a good school. The new headteacher provides focused leadership so that all the staff are supporting the good quality of education for the pupils." The school used to be in Astrop Road and those premises are now a private house. Kings Sutton has also a pre-school.
King's Sutton has three public house
s: The Butchers Arms (Hook Norton Brewery
), The Three Tuns and The White Horse.
There is a lawn tennis club.
King's Sutton hosts an annual Literary Festival, usually in March. The annual village party, open to all villagers, is held in the grounds of a large private house near the railway station.
South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
, England in the valley of 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...
. The village is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. The parish includes the hamlets of Astrop contiguous with eastern end of King's Sutton and Upper Astrop about 1 miles (1.6 km) north-east.
Early history
The village 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...
means the King's south estate.
Blacklands
Blacklands
- Places : * Blackland, New Brunswick, Canada* Blackland, Prentiss County, Mississippi* Texas Blackland Prairies-Music:* Blacklands , the second and final album from Music for Pleasure and was released in 1985- See also :* Black earth...
, in the parish 0.5 miles (804.7 m) north of the village, is the site of a Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
town. Coins from the 4th century AD have been recovered from the site.
The infant Saint Rumwold (or Rumwald, Rumbold or Rumbald) is said to have lived and died at King's Sutton in 662. Rumwold is said to have lived for only three days but professed his faith continuously during his life.
The English Civil War
The English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
helped develop Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
’s then arms industry. The 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...
garrison was constantly at work early in 1645 digging saltpetre
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
in King's Sutton and making gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
out of it in a house specially built near Banbury. Just over 10 years earlier a government saltpetreman had operated at Banbury for a year, having moved there from the then small market town of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, before moving on to Hook Norton
Hook Norton
Hook Norton is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is northeast of Chipping Norton.-Toponym and early history:...
a short while afterwards. King's Sutton was a local centre for saltpetre excavation and digging at the time.
Parish church
The oldest parts of the Church of England parish churchChurch 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:...
of Saints Peter and Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
are the 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...
font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and largely Norman chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. The north aisle was added in the 13th century and the south aisle early in the 14th century. 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...
and most of the windows are Decorated Gothic. The spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
was added to the tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
probably late in the 14th century, raising the steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
to a height of 198 feet (60.4 m). Sir Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
considered it "one of the finest, if not the finest, spire in this county of spires". The south porch, north aisle, west window and very fine east window of the chancel are Perpendicular Gothic.
Ss. Peter & Paul parish is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the adjacent parish of Newbottle
Newbottle, Northamptonshire
Newbottle is a civil parish and largely deserted village in South Northamptonshire, about west of the market town of Brackley. It is close to the Oxfordshire county boundary and about south-east of the town of Banbury....
and Charlton
Charlton, Northamptonshire
Charlton is a village in the parish of Newbottle, Northamptonshire, England in between Brackley and Kings Sutton, lying close to a small tributary of the River Cherwell. It is a small village with a population about 200....
.
Other notable buildings
The Court House was built in about 1500, partly of stone and partly timber-framed. It was altered in the 16th and 18th centuries.The manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
was built in the middle of the 17th century.
Astrop Park
The house is about 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast and was built by Sir John WillesJohn Willes (1721-1784)
Sir John Willes was an English politician. He was Member of Parliament for Banbury 1746-1754, and for Aylesbury 1754-61. He lived at Astrop Park near Banbury.- References :...
, the Member of Parliament for Banbury
Banbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Banbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.The constituency was created January 26, 1554 through the efforts of Henry Stafford and Thomas Denton...
and later Aylesbury
Aylesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Aylesbury is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party has held the seat since 1924, and held it at the 2010 general election with a 52.2% share of the vote.-Boundaries:...
, some time after 1735. Sir John Soane
John Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
added wings, which were extended in the 19th century and demolished in 1961. William Wilkinson
William Wilkinson (architect)
William Wilkinson was a British Gothic Revival architect who practised in Oxford, England.-Family:Wilkinson's father was a builder in Witney in Oxfordshire. William's elder brother George Wilkinson was also an architect, as were William's nephews C.C. Rolfe and H.W. Moore .-Career:Wilkinson...
added the Keeper's lodge, pheasantry and a cottage in 1868. Lancelot "Capability" Brown laid out the grounds.
Astrop was the site of a famous Spa discovered in the 17th century. All that now remains is a small well known as St. Rumbald's Well, south of the house in a valley (see "History" section).
Transport
The Oxford and Rugby Railway between and was built between 1845 and 1850, passing through the west of King's Sutton parish between the village and the River Cherwell. The Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
had taken the line over by the time it opened, and in 1872 the GWR opened King's Sutton railway station
King's Sutton railway station
King's Sutton railway station serves the village of King's Sutton in Northamptonshire, England. It is also the nearest railway station to the town of Brackley. The station is managed by Chiltern Railways, who provide services along with First Great Western....
for the village. Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
trains to , and Oxford now serve the station.
Governance
The village has a Parish Council with 13 membersKing's Sutton Heritage Trust Fund has been formed with a Mission Statement which reads 'To promote, protect and enhance the history, facilities, structures, and amenities of the village of King's Sutton and the surrounding area for the benefit of its inhabitants.
Notable residents
- Olga KevelosOlga KevelosOlga Kevelos was a British Motorcycle trials and enduro rider who was the only woman to win two gold medals at the International Six-Day Trial....
was landlady of The Three Tuns in Kings Sutton for a number of years.
Amenities
Kings Sutton Primary School is in Richmond Street. It recently celebrated its centenary. Its last OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report was in 2010 and gave the school grade 2, stating: "This is a good school. The new headteacher provides focused leadership so that all the staff are supporting the good quality of education for the pupils." The school used to be in Astrop Road and those premises are now a private house. Kings Sutton has also a pre-school.
King's Sutton has three 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...
s: The Butchers Arms (Hook Norton Brewery
Hook Norton Brewery
Hook Norton Brewery is a regional brewery in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, England, founded in 1849. The brewing plant is a traditional Victorian "tower" brewery in which all the stages of the brewing process flow logically from floor to floor; mashing at the top, boiling in the middle, fermentation...
), The Three Tuns and The White Horse.
There is a lawn tennis club.
King's Sutton hosts an annual Literary Festival, usually in March. The annual village party, open to all villagers, is held in the grounds of a large private house near the railway station.