Oakley, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Oakley is a semi-rural affluent large village and parish
situated 8 km (5 mi) west of the large town, Basingstoke
, Hampshire
, England
. In the 2001 census
it had a population of 5,322, verging on 'minor town' status. The village was recorded and mentioned in the Domesday book
. The village is popular with middle-class professionals working in London, and boasts some picturesque countryside.
Oakley is divided into two districts, namely East Oakley and Church Oakley. It sits on chalk
land. Its village magazine, Link, is published monthly.
Junior school and Oakley Infant school, both of which have consistently achieved 'Outstanding' ratings in OFSTED inspections. Oakley also contains a small Methodist church, an Anglican church (St John's) and the ancient Anglican church, St Leonard's.
Pupils of Oakley CE Junior School also won a BBC
learning competition, to create a Doctor Who
mini-adventure. Their winning adventure was entitled "Death Is the Only Answer
".
, originally on the West of England Main Line
closed in 1963. Situated to the west of the village is Oakley Hall, an 18th century Georgian
manor that is now used for corporate events.
field), several fields, two tarmac tennis courts, and a set of skateboard ramps. Oakley has many children's football clubs plus adult rugby, table tennis, cricket, tennis and football clubs.
cricketer Roy Marshall
captained a team for a benefit match. This team, which won the match with 246 runs, also included Arthur Milton
and Cliff Michelmore
.
OCC's three youth teams are known as the 'Colts'.
footballer, Peter Houseman
. The aims stated by Oakley FC are to enjoy their football, and encourage boys and girls to take part from all ages and abilities.
, Saturday 24 March 2007, Oliver Burkeman The happiest village in Britain
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
situated 8 km (5 mi) west of the large town, Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, 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...
. In 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....
it had a population of 5,322, verging on 'minor town' status. The village was recorded and mentioned in 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...
. The village is popular with middle-class professionals working in London, and boasts some picturesque countryside.
Oakley is divided into two districts, namely East Oakley and Church Oakley. It sits on chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
land. Its village magazine, Link, is published monthly.
Education and worship
Oakley has two linked educational facilities: Oakley Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Junior school and Oakley Infant school, both of which have consistently achieved 'Outstanding' ratings in OFSTED inspections. Oakley also contains a small Methodist church, an Anglican church (St John's) and the ancient Anglican church, St Leonard's.
Pupils of Oakley CE Junior School also won a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
learning competition, to create a Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
mini-adventure. Their winning adventure was entitled "Death Is the Only Answer
Death Is the Only Answer
"Death Is the Only Answer" is a special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on BBC Three , on 1 October 2011. It was written via a competition , in which junior schools were asked to write a script including the Eleventh Doctor and an enemy...
".
Facilities
In the centre of the village is a duck pond surrounded by attractive thatched dwellings. The duck pond is inhabited by mallard ducks and coots. Unfortunately Oakley does not have all the facilities that would be expected of a village of its size: a surgery (very limited hours since April 2006), a convenience store, a veterinary surgery, four parks, a dentist and two public houses, the 'Barley Mow' and 'The Beach Arms'. A coffee shop 'Buttercups Cafe' was a recent addition to the village, as well as a local window-cleaner http://www.oakleywindowcleaning.co.uk. Its railway stationOakley (Hampshire) railway station
Oakley was a railway station on the West of England Main Line in Hampshire, England which served the village of Oakley.-History:The station was opened on 3 July 1854 by the Basingstoke and Salisbury Railway. It closed on 17 June 1963.-External links:*...
, originally on the West of England Main Line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
closed in 1963. Situated to the west of the village is Oakley Hall, an 18th century Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
manor that is now used for corporate events.
Sports
Oakley's public sporting facilities include a football pitch (Peter HousemanPeter Houseman
Peter Houseman was an English footballer.-Chelsea:Born in Battersea, Houseman signed professional terms with Chelsea in 1963, having played for the Chelsea Juniors...
field), several fields, two tarmac tennis courts, and a set of skateboard ramps. Oakley has many children's football clubs plus adult rugby, table tennis, cricket, tennis and football clubs.
Oakley Cricket Club
Oakley Cricket Club was founded in 1849; OCC's grounds are at Oakley Park, where, on June 11, 1961, the HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
cricketer Roy Marshall
Roy Marshall
Roy Edwin Marshall was a West Indian cricketer who played in four Tests from 1951 to 1952. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959.-Early career:...
captained a team for a benefit match. This team, which won the match with 246 runs, also included Arthur Milton
Arthur Milton
Clement Arthur Milton was an English cricketer and footballer. He played County cricket for Gloucestershire from 1948 to 1974, playing six Test matches for England in 1958 and 1959. He also played domestic football for Arsenal between 1951 and 1955, and then for a brief period for Bristol City...
and Cliff Michelmore
Cliff Michelmore
Arthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore CBE is a British television presenter and producer. He is best known for the BBC television programme Tonight, which he presented from 1957 to 1965....
.
OCC's three youth teams are known as the 'Colts'.
Oakley Football Club
Oakley Football Club was founded in 1967 by the Chelsea FCChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
footballer, Peter Houseman
Peter Houseman
Peter Houseman was an English footballer.-Chelsea:Born in Battersea, Houseman signed professional terms with Chelsea in 1963, having played for the Chelsea Juniors...
. The aims stated by Oakley FC are to enjoy their football, and encourage boys and girls to take part from all ages and abilities.
Oakley and Deane Parish Council
Oakley Parish Council was formed in 1894. In 1966 the East Oakley ward of Wootton St Lawrence became part of the parish and in 1976 the Deane Parish Meeting also joined the council, at which point it became known as Oakley and Deane Parish Council. The current chairman of the council is John Strawbridge.External links
The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Saturday 24 March 2007, Oliver Burkeman The happiest village in Britain