37 



OXFORDSHIRE. 



OXFORDSHIRE. 



38 



works of an ancient castle. At one time Deddington was a market 

 and corporate town, and gent members to Parliament. Two annual 

 fairs are held. The church ia ancient. The Wesleyan Methodists and 

 Independents have chapels, and there are National schools, a paper- 

 mill, a flour-mill, and an extensive patent axletree manufactory. 

 Dorchttter, population 1061, about 9 miles S.S.E. from Oxford, at the 

 junction of the Thaine with the Thames, appears to hare been the 

 Dorocina of Richard of Cirencester. Foundations of an ancient town- 

 wall have been dug up. In Dorchester and its neighbourhood many 

 coins and other relics of antiquity have been found. The town was in 

 the 7th century made the seat of a bishopric, which comprehended 

 the two kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex. This bishopric was subse- 

 quently diminished by the formation of new sees, but was still the 

 largest in England when the seat of it was removed to Lincoln in 

 1086. Of the castle not a vestige remains. In 1140 an abbey of 

 Black Canons was founded here : some parts of the building yet 

 remain. The church of Dorchester is a very large and curious edifice ; 

 the building is imperfect, and the plan of it irregular ; at the west end 

 is a low tower. The door at the w. stern end of the northern aisle is 

 Norman, but the greater part of the church is of later date. On the 

 north side of the chancel is the celebrated Jesse window, of richly- 

 painted glass ; the stone frame-work represents the genealogy of the 

 Saviour from Jesse, the father of king David. The Grammar school 

 for six boys was founded in 1626. There are also National schools. 

 A fair is held annually on Master Tuesday. There is a modern bridge 

 ovtr the Thames at Dorchester built of Headington stone. Eniheun, 

 population 1941, is 6 mile. N.W. from Oxford, near the left bank of 

 the Thames. A nobly-endowed abbey existed here at an early period. 

 Besides the pariah church there are ohapeU for Baptists and Primitive 

 Methodists, and National, Free, and Infant schools,. Rope-making, 

 paper-making, malting, and brick-making are carried on. Goring, 

 population 993, about 20 mile* S.8.E. from Oxford, pleasantly situated 

 uu the left bank of the Thamev, has a very ancient and curious church, 

 a coupel for the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion, and an Infant 

 school. Numerous Roman coins, vases, and other antiquities have 

 been found here. A s'atiou of the Great Western railway is at Qoring. 

 Long Hundborougk, population 1153, about 10 miles N.W. from 

 Oxford, consists chiefly of ono long street irregularly built. Many of 

 the inhabitants an engaged in making gloves for the glove-makers of 

 Woodstock. There is a chapel for Wesleyao Methodist*. A'idUsyftM, 

 Dopoktioa 1494, about 5 mile* N. from Oxford, ha* a commodious and 

 handsome cruciform church, with a square tower surmounted with an 

 elegant spire ; a chapel for Wesleyan Methodist* ; a National school ; 

 and a Training school for female teachers. Malting is carried on. 

 NtttUbed, population 754, about 18 mile* S.E. from Oxford, a rural 

 village, situated on a considerable eminence, has a handsome pariah 

 church, rebuilt in 1846 : chapels for Wesleyau MethodisU and Bap- 

 tie*.; and* Free seboor for girU. A fair i held on the Monday pre- 

 vious to October 2tth. A considerable amount of beech-timber is 

 grown in the neighbouring wood*. .//owt-.Vurfois population 1496, ia 

 about 24 mile* N.W. by N. from Oxford. The church, a oommodiou* 

 edifice, with a line tower, was repaired a few yean back. There an 

 chapels for WesUyan and Primitive Methodist*, Baptists, and Quaker*; 

 and National and British school*. Near the village are the remain* 

 of an ancient encampment. Wkitchurck, population 893, about 24 

 miles S.&.K. from Oxford, on the left bank of the Thames, occupies a 

 picturesque situation on the declivity of a hill The ohurch ia a fine 

 building of Norman and early English dates. Then are National 

 school*. WrojOtn, population 789, about 26 mile* N. by W. from 

 Oxford, ha* a parish church in which an some interesting monuments, 

 particularly one of alabaster in memory of the first Earl of Downe and 

 his lady. The Wesleyan Methodi*U and Independents have place* of 

 worship, and then an National school*. Near the church is Wroxton 

 Abbey, a tnanaion built in 1618, on the site of aa Augtutinian priory 

 founded in the 13th century. 



Itintim* for Ecdaiailtcml and Ltgal Purpottt. The county is in 

 the diocese of Oxford, of which it form* an archdeaconry, and in the 

 Oxford circuit. The assizes an held at Oxford, where the county jail 

 and house of correction stands. Quarter session* an held at Oxford 

 and liuibury ; county court* at Baubury, Bioester, Chipping Norton, 

 Henley, ( ixford. Tbame, Wituey, anil Woodstock. Before the Reform 

 Act Oxfordshire returned nine members to Parliament, namely, two 

 for the county, two for Oxford city, two for Oxford University, two 

 for the borough of Woodstock, and one for the borough of Banbury. 

 Three members an now returned by the county, the place of election 

 continuing a* before at Oxford; two for the city of Oxford; two for 

 the University ; and one for Woodstock. 



Hulory attd Antt'/niltet. The county was probably divided between 

 the two Celtic nation*, the Catyeuchlaui and the Dobuni; of whom 

 the former held the eastern and the latter the western parts. The 

 Dobuni wen in subjection to the Catyeuchlani, and upon the approach 

 of the Romans, under the proprietor Aulus Platius, readily submitted 

 to him. In the Roman division of the island Oxfordshire was included 

 ia the province of Flavia Ceaarienais. 



most remarkable monument of this or an earlier period is the 

 singular group of Hollrich or Rowldrich stones, about three miles 

 north-west from Cinj.|.iug Norton. These stone* form a ring of about 

 100 feet diameter, and appear to have been originally CO in number; 



there are now however only 24 that are more than one foot above the 

 level of the soil, nor do any rise more than five feet above the ground, 

 except one, precisely at the northern point, which exceeds seven feet. 

 The ancient British or Roman roads which crossed this county were 

 Icknield-street ; Akeman-street ; and three roads of minor importance. 

 At Alchester are the remains of a square camp, or station, with a 

 ditch and bank, the sides facing the four cardinal points. [BIOESTER.] 

 Roman uru, coins, and other antiquities have been found at various 

 places. There are traces of a Roman camp near Chadlington, in the 

 neighbourhood of Chipping Norton ; aud of another near Kiddington, 

 between Chipping Norton and Woodstock, which is in excellent pre- 

 servation, though little noticed. Tessellated pavements and other 

 Roman remains have been dug up at Steeple Aston, at Stonesfield, 

 and some other places. 



After the Romans withdrew from the island Oxfordshire was the 

 scene of many conflicts, first between the Britons and the Saxons, aud 

 at a later period between the kings of Wessex and Mercia, of which 

 latter kingdom it formed a part. Upon the division of the kingdom 

 between Edmund Ironside and Canute (1016), Oxfordshire appears to 

 have fallen to Canute ; and about this time two great councils or 

 assemblies of Danes and English were held at Oxford. At the time 

 of the Conquest Oxfordshire was included in the earldom of Gurth, 

 the brother of Harold. Of the Saxon and Danish period there are 

 several memorials in the encampments and earth-works, which may 

 be traced in different parts of the county. Of this description are 

 the works at Dyke HilU near Dorchester ; at Knollbury Banks near 

 Chadliugtou, to the south of Chipping Norton ; aud at Mongewell, 

 on the Thames, below Wallingford. There ore several barrows in 

 the county, chiefly on the north-western side. 



lu the reign of Richard II. Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, was 

 defeated at Radcot Bridge, near Bampton, by the insurgent nobles 

 (1387). In the War of the Roses a great battle was fought near 

 Banbury (1469), between the northern insurgents, under liobin of 

 Redeedole, and the Yorkist, or royalist army, under Herbert, earl of 

 Pembroke. The earl was defeated aud taken, and next day beheaded 

 by the rebels. Of the Anglo-Norman period there are several memo- 

 rials in the ruins of castles and religious edifices, but none of them of 

 great extent Of Oxford and Banbury castles there are scarcely any 

 trace* : Dorchester Castle has entirely disappeared. Of Bampton Castle 

 then an some remains. [BAMITUX] Broughton Castle, near Baubury, 

 is surrounded by a broad and deep moat, crossed by a bridge of two 

 arches. An ancient tower forms the entrance to the court, and several 

 other part* of the ancient edifice are standing, to which some additions 

 of a later date have been made. There are castellated or other ancient 

 mansion* at Castleton, near Chipping-Norton ; the High Lodge, near 

 Woodstock ; at AstaU, or Aathall, near Witney ; in Holtou Park (the 

 old mansion), between Stokenohurch and Oxford; and at Stanton 

 Harcourt, near Bampton, where is a kitchen resembling the abbot's 

 kitchen at GUstonbury. There are some fragments of Minster Lovel 

 House, near Wituey. 



The chief ecclesiastical buildings are the churches of Oxford (the 

 cathedral especially), Burford, Henley, Dorchester, and Wituey. 

 Ittey church is principally Norman, with an addition to the chancel 

 of early English character, and some inserted windows of decorated 

 and perpendicular date. The Norman portion is remarkably well 

 executed : it ha* a groined chancel, three fine doorways, and a hand- 

 some west end. It ha* been recently restored. Of monastic remains 

 then an few. Of O*euey abbey, and of Godstow nunnery, near 

 Oxford, the ruins are small : Godstow has some historical interest, 

 from iU being the scene of the early life of Rosamond, daughter of 

 Lord Clifford, the ' Fair Rosamond ' of Henry II., the place where 

 she retired after Henry's marriage, and of her interment. 



In the civil war of Charles I. this county was the scene of several 

 severe contest*. The taking of Oxford and its being made the head- 

 quarters of the king are noticed under OXKOliVi. Sir John Byron, a 

 royalist, also took Banbury and Broughtou castles, the former with 

 a strong garrison. In 1643 a severe skirmish took place at Cavershiim 

 Bridge between a body of the parliamentary army and a body of the 

 king's troops, under Prince Rupert and General Ruthveu ; and about 

 two mouths after occurred the skirmish of Chalgrove-Field, near Wat- 

 lington, in which Hainpdeu wo* mortally wouuded. Several other 

 contest* took place in the county during the civil war. 



Among the many extensive parks and splendid mansions in Oxford- 

 shire an Nunuhain Park, the seat of G. V. Harcourt, Esq., on the left 

 bank of the Thames, at a short distance east of Abiugdon ; Cud- 

 de*den Palace, the residence of the bishops of Oxford, which has been 

 rebuilt and enlarged by the present bishop, with the addition of a 

 decorated gothic chapel, lighted through painted windows of great 

 beauty ; Ensham Hall, north-east of Wituey, the seat of the Earl of 

 Macclesfield ; Bletohiugtou Park, the seat of Lord Valencia; Ditchley 

 Park, east of Charlbury, the residence of Lord Dillon ; Corn bury Park, 

 between Whichwood Forest and the Evoulode, which contains the 

 mansion of Lord Churchill ; Middletou Park, west of Bicester, the 

 seat of the Earl of Jersey ; Heythorp Pork, east of Chipping Norton, 

 a residence of the Earl of Shrewsbury ; Aynho Park, east of J Jed- 



diugtou, the seat of Cartwright, Esq. ; Wroxton Abbey, west of 



Baubury, the mansion of Colonel North ; Upton House, the residence 

 of Lord Villiera, situated iu the extreme north-west of the comity ; an 1 



