Water Eaton, Oxfordshire
Encyclopedia
Water Eaton is a hamlet in the civil parish of Gosford and Water Eaton
, between Oxford
and Kidlington
in Oxfordshire
.
Eaton is Anglo-Saxon
, and "Water Eaton" means "farm by a river", referring to the manor's site beside the River Cherwell
. Water Eaton manor house
was built for Sir Edward Frere in 1586 but reduced in size at a later date. A square dovecote
survives to the northeast of the house. The Gothic revival architect G.F. Bodley
restored the house in 1890 and made it his home.
A Church of England
chapel to the north of the manor house was built in 1610 in the Perpendicular style. It was restored in 1884.
At the end of the First English Civil War, in June 1646 the Articles of Surrender for the siege of Oxford
were finally agreed in Water Eaton. They were signed on 20th June in the Audit House of Christ Church, Oxford
.
In 1850 the Buckinghamshire Railway
between and was opened through the parish. In 1905 was opened 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the manor house. The halt was short-lived, being closed down in 1926.
Water Eaton was a separate civil parish until 1932, when it was merged with its neighbour Gosford
.
In 1940 a grain silo
and rail siding were built on the south side of the former halt. The silo has been disused since the 1980's but remains a landmark visible over a wide area.
In the 2000's Oxfordshire County Council
opened a Park and ride
site just south of the grain silo. In January 2009 Chiltern Railways
announced plans to open a new Water Eaton Parkway railway station
on the site of the former halt. Water Eaton Parkway would serve Kidlington
and north Oxford
.
Gosford and Water Eaton
Gosford and Water Eaton is a civil parish in the Cherwell district of the English county of Oxfordshire.It is north of the city of Oxford and is crossed nearby by two major roads for, or by-passing, the city....
, between 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...
and Kidlington
Kidlington
Kidlington is a large village and civil parish between the River Cherwell and the Oxford Canal, north of Oxford and southwest of Bicester.-History:...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
History
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...
Eaton is Anglo-Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
, and "Water Eaton" means "farm by a river", referring to the manor's site beside 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...
. Water Eaton 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 for Sir Edward Frere in 1586 but reduced in size at a later date. A square dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
survives to the northeast of the house. The Gothic revival architect G.F. Bodley
George Frederick Bodley
George Frederick Bodley was an English architect working in the Gothic revival style.-Personal life:Bodley was the youngest son of William Hulme Bodley, M.D. of Edinburgh, physician at Hull Royal Infirmary, Kingston upon Hull, who in 1838 retired to his wife's home town, Brighton, Sussex, England....
restored the house in 1890 and made it his home.
A Church of England
Church 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...
chapel to the north of the manor house was built in 1610 in the Perpendicular style. It was restored in 1884.
At the end of the First English Civil War, in June 1646 the Articles of Surrender for the siege of Oxford
Siege of Oxford
The Siege of Oxford was a Parliamentarian victory late in the First English Civil War. Whereas the title of the event may suggest a single siege, there were in fact three individual engagements that took place over a period of three years....
were finally agreed in Water Eaton. They were signed on 20th June in the Audit House of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
In 1850 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...
between and was opened through the parish. In 1905 was opened 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the manor house. The halt was short-lived, being closed down in 1926.
Water Eaton was a separate civil parish until 1932, when it was merged with its neighbour Gosford
Gosford, Oxfordshire
Gosford is a hamlet immediately southeast of Kidlington, Oxfordshire, England. It is in the civil parish of Gosford and Water Eaton.-History:...
.
In 1940 a grain silo
Silo
A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials.Silo may also refer to:* Silo , a 3D modeling software* Silo , a defunct chain of retail electronics stores* SILO , used in Linux...
and rail siding were built on the south side of the former halt. The silo has been disused since the 1980's but remains a landmark visible over a wide area.
In the 2000's Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
opened a Park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
site just south of the grain silo. In January 2009 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...
announced plans to open a new Water Eaton Parkway railway station
Water Eaton Parkway railway station
Water Eaton Parkway railway station is a proposed railway station at Water Eaton on the railway line between Oxford and Bicester. The station would be sited between Kidlington and Oxford next to an existing park and ride facility....
on the site of the former halt. Water Eaton Parkway would serve Kidlington
Kidlington
Kidlington is a large village and civil parish between the River Cherwell and the Oxford Canal, north of Oxford and southwest of Bicester.-History:...
and north 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...
.