Bloxham

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 52.020000000
longitude= -1.371000000
official_name= Bloxham
population = 2590
shire_district= Cherwell
shire_county = Oxfordshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Banbury
post_town= BANBURY|postcode_district = OX15
postcode_area= OX |dial_code= 01295
os_grid_reference= SP4335 Bloxham is a village in Oxfordshire on the edge of the Cotswolds in the central part of England. It is three miles from the market town of Banbury, on the main route linking Banbury with the smaller market town of Chipping Norton. The place name derives from the Anglo Saxon, ‘Blocc’s Ham’ (the home of Blocc) from the sixth century, when a Saxon settlement was built on the banks of the Sor Brook tributary.

Bloxham is a thriving village with many amenities such as St. Mary's church, shops, a post office, pubs, business centre, and village museum. The village also contains three schools: Bloxham Primary School, The Warriner School and Bloxham School, an independent co-educational day and boarding school. Bloxham School was founded by the Rev. Egerton, and is one of the Woodard Corporation Schools. The headmaster's house is on top of Hob Hill, the Pig Sty playing fields, so called after their use during World War II.

Behind the Warriner School is a working replica of a post mill built by Henry Warriner in 1865, the site of which is allegedly listed in the Domesday Book.

History

In 1067 William the Conqueror granted Bloxham church and rectory estate to Westminster Abbey, which lodged a complaint with the pope when Henry II granted patronage of the church to Godstow Abbey. Godstow however was allowed to retain the church provided it made an annual payment to Westminster. With Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries the church returned to the crown’s ownership and in turn was given to Eton College in 1547.

In 1086 the village was recorded as Blochesham, 1142 – Blocchesham, 1216 – Blokesham, only taking on its modern name of Bloxham in 1316.

The Domesday survey of 1086 recorded Blochesham as having six mills and a thriving wool and corn trade. After the Norman Conquest Bloxham continued to grow in size, a poll tax of 1377 registering a population of 403. At this time the north and south of the village were quite separate, named respectively ‘le Crowhead Ville’ and ‘le Downe End’.

The royal manor of Bloxham was divided in 1155. In 1269 the half later known as Bloxham Beauchamp was given to Queen Eleanor, later being bestowed upon Edward III’s chamberlain Roger de Beauchamp and sold in 1545 to Lord Saye and Sele. The other half was passed to Amaury de St. Amand, becoming St. Amand’s, and was subsequently sold to Thomas Wykeham and was reunited with Bloxham Beauchamp when inherited by Lord Saye and Sele, known as Bloxham Fiennes. Beauchamp Manor, stood roughly on the site of Park Close and the Manor of St. Amand was on the area now occupied by Godswell House. Although neither manor remains the dovecote of St. Amands is still visible next to Dovecote House.

The medieval street plan is still visible in the narrow winding alleys where some houses retain a medieval core hidden by later exteriors and alterations. Many of the present street names originate in families living in Bloxham in the early 16th century, for example Humber, Job and Budd lane; although these may remain from medieval times they were not documented until 1700. Bloxham contains a large number of well built yeoman’s houses dating from this period, for example Bennetts, Seal Cottage and the Joiners Arms. Many have been comparatively little altered, retaining their original details and plans.

During the 19th century many houses such as those in Sycamore Terrace were used as weavers cottages. From the middle ages the area around Banbury was known for weaving a distinct type of cloth called ‘Plush’ or ‘Shag’. The fabric was made of wool or worsted and linen, the finer types also incorporating silk or mohair; the material was used in a wide variety of ways from horse girths to furnishing fabrics.

In 1815 the main road was straightened to follow the current course by the Banbury and Chipping Norton turnpike trustees, who purchased two cottages on the brook and demolished them to make the high street bridge.

The main building in Bloxham from this period is the school. Originally known as All Saints, it was founded in 1853 and after a period of closure re-opened in 1860. In 1896 it became a Woodard School, part of a society that promoted Church of England teaching named after its founder Nathaniel Woodard, an early 19th century vicar.

In 1855 work was begun on a single-line railway track between Banbury and Cheltenham. Completed in 1887 the line closed for passenger traffic in 1950 and was finally abandoned in 1964, Bloxham station was demolished soon after (the site lies under the Brookside Estate).

Social history

Around the time of the Norman Conquest a group called the Bloxham Feoffees formed. The name, of French origin, denotes someone invested with a fief, which was often heritable lands or property but could be rights or revenue. Composed of between 8 and 16 local yeomen, the Feoffees were responsible for the wellbeing of the village community. In return for helping the poor and services such as repairing the bridges they were bequeathed money and land by the crown. Until the last century they continued their village maintenance despite being replaced by a parish council after the Local Government Act of 1894 and even today they give financial assistance to Bloxham residents. The Feoffees own land in Grove Road (which is now rented to the Warriner School), the old allotment field in South Newington Road and the Old Court House.

From the 17th century protestant nonconformity prospered and was closely associated with the dissenting movement in Banbury. At the time of the Civil War the Fiennes family of Bloxham were strongly parliamentarian and the area had a reputation as a puritan stronghold. There are suggestions that houses in Sycamore Terrace were used as barracks during this time, although this claim is unsubstantiated.

The 19th century also saw the demolition of institutions for the poor such as the Almshouses next to the church, the Workhouse, the Pest House, which stood near the railway line and the poor-houses on the green.

The late 19th century saw an expansion of residential housing to the north of the village in Strawberry Terrace and along the Banbury Road.

The agricultural depression of the late 19th and early 20th century led to a decline in the population and some emigration. This period of history saw a marked increase in poor relief. This was mainly as a result of successive poor laws including the Speenhamland system which exacerbated the effect of enclosure and the decline in the wool market. However the industrial boom in Banbury brought prosperity back to Bloxham.

In 1960 the countryside to the east and north of Bloxham was threatened by a proposal to mine iron ore from the marlstone. A huge united effort went into fighting the works at the Oxfordshire Ironstone Enquiry. The argument that the area was not one of natural beauty resulted in some photographs being commissioned of the area at this time (see left). The battle was successful, uniting the area in appreciation of its countryside.

Production versions of the rare Jaguar XJ220 supercar were produced at Wykham Mill in Bloxham from 1992 to 1994. The factory was taken over by Aston Martin, also owned by the Ford Motor Company, for production of the DB7 from 1994 until the factory’s closure in 2004. [http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=687&ArticleID=792066] Wykham Mill is now the Vantage Business Park, named after the DB7 V12 Vantage – the last DB7 model to be built on the site. [http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=687&ArticleID=792066]

There are three pubs in Bloxham, The Elephant & Castle, The Red Lion, and The Joiners Arms.

The spire of the village church, St Mary's, is a local landmark, and is said to be the highest in Oxfordshire. [http://www.thisislimitededition.co.uk/item.asp?category=History&ID=570]

External links

* [http://www.btinternet.com/~peter.barwell/Museum/Bloxham_Villax.html Bloxham Museum]
* [http://www.banbury-cross.co.uk/vilbloxham.htm Bloxham Village Guide on the Banbury Cross Website]
* [http://www.bloxhamvillage.com/index.htm Bloxham Village Website, Ed. Matthew Laight]

References and Sources

* [http://www.thisislimitededition.co.uk/item.asp?category=History&ID=570 "Lofty ambitions"] — article about St Mary's church by Tim Healey (from "Oxfordshire Limited Edition")
* [http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=687&ArticleID=792066 "End of line for 007's super car"] , "Banbury Guardian", 5 Dec 2003
* [http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=687&ArticleID=792066 "Business booms at former car plant"] , "Banbury Guardian", 15 May 2004
* [http://www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk/files/publicationscheme/5275-787.pdf "Bloxham Conservation Area"] Appraisal by Cherwell District Council