Bampton, Oxfordshire

"Bampton" also known as "Bampton-in-the-Bush" is a village and civil parish in West Oxfordshire, England. It is in the Thames Valley where it is thought the origins were established during the Iron Age and is considered as part of the Cotswolds. It is in the OX18 postal region, and according to the 2001 census Bampton had a population of 2,505.

The local magazine "The Bampton Beam" is distributed freely to all residences and businesses in Bampton. It contains information on events in the Bampton parish.

Bampton's parish church, St Mary the Virgin, dates back to the 12th century. It has a 13th-century spire and carved stone reredos of Christ and the apostles from c.1400.

ocieties and clubs

Pumpkin club

Three Bampton residents Arnold Woodley, Jack Horn and Reg Absolom formed the Bampton Pumpkin club in March, 1969. Every October there is a Pumpkin club weigh-in, where all contestants' Pumpkins are weighed, with the winner receiving a prize. The first ever winner of the club weigh-in was Joe Buckingham with a gourd weighing 51.5 lb. After the weigh-in the pumpkins, along with flowers, fruit and vegetables, are put up for auction. The sum of money raised is donated to the local pensioners.

Youth Centre

Bampton youth centre was founded in 1984 to provide facilities for children and teenagers. The Centre is housed in the historic Victorian building of the old primary school in Church View.

Gardening Club

Bampton's gardening club holds flower shows in which the owners of the best flowers are awarded with a prize, there are two shows a year; the summer show is held at the end of June or early July, and the Autumn Show is held in September. The first ever shows were held in October 1972.

ociety for the protection of Bampton

The Society for the protection of Bampton (SPB) is a society set up to maintain or improve the quality of life for people living in Bampton. It was created in 1993 and now has around 450 members.

Bampton Environmental Watch Group

The Bampton Environmental Watch Group (BEWG) is a group set up in 1989, to look after the Bampton environment; it currently has around 100 members.

Bampton Town Football Club

The Bampton Town Football Club have recently won promotion to the Witney District Football Association (WDFA) premier league after finishing as league champions of division 1. their home ground is located at "Buckland Road, Bampton". The first team kit colours are orange shirts and black shorts and their reserve team wears red shirts and white shorts. The club is owned by Paul Tanner.

PAJER

'Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing' (SPAJERS). A great race run on Spring Bank Monday on May every year around the village, celebrating the 14 pubs that used to be open. Runners, dressed in night-gowns have to be in pairs, with one pushing another in a trolley, stopping at the houses that used to be pubs (and of course the current open pubs), drink a measure of beer before running to the next. As a spectator, what a laugh to watch!

Nearby Villages

*Aston, Oxfordshire
*Brize Norton
*Clanfield, Oxfordshire
*Lew, Oxfordshire

ee also

*Bampton Castle, Oxfordshire

External links

* [http://www.Bamptonoxon.co.uk/ Bampton Information]
* [http://www.thecotswoldgateway.co.uk/villages_bampton.htm Information on Bampton]