Long Wittenham

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.637
longitude= -1.211
official_name= Long Wittenham
population=
civil_parish= Long Wittenham
shire_district= South Oxfordshire
shire_county = Oxfordshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Wantage
post_town= Abingdon
postcode_district = OX14
postcode_area= OX
dial_code= 01865
os_grid_reference= SU545935

Long Wittenham is a small village on the southern bank of the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England.

The village Cross has ancient origins, with the base dating from the 7th century. St. Birinus preached here when he brought Christianity to the area. Cruck Cottage is believed to be around 800 years old, and as such is the oldest house in South Oxfordshire. The village church, St Mary's, begun around 1120, is on the site of a previous Saxon church.

Pendon Museum, with models of buildings and railways, is located here.

An example of Bronze Age Yetholm-type shields was found herefact|date=September 2007.

Location

Long Wittenham is situated in the Thames Valley 3½ miles north of Didcot, with Abingdon 5 miles to the west. Clifton Cut bypasses the river to the north. Also nearby to the north are Clifton Lock on the river, the historic Barley Mow public house (mentioned in "Three Men in a Boat"), and Clifton Hampden Bridge leading to the village of Clifton Hampden on the north side of the river.

To the east, over the river, is the Roman town of Dorchester-on-Thames, actually a little way from the riverside. To the south-east of the village are the smaller village of Little Wittenham, also on the Thames, and the hills of Wittenham Clumps.

To the south-west is the nearest town, Didcot. To the west is Appleford, with the nearest railway station, on the line between Didcot and Oxford.

Position: gbmapping|SU546937

External links

* [http://www.longwittenham.com/ Long Wittenham Village website]
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/villages/longwittenham.html Berkshire History: Long Wittenham] including a [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/lgwittenham_ghost.html ghost story]
* [http://www.long-wittenham.oxon.sch.uk/ Long Wittenham Church of England Primary School]