Watlington, Oxfordshire
Watlington | ||
---|---|---|
Shire county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | Watlington | |
Postcode district | OX49 | |
Dialling code | 01491 | |
Police | Thames Valley | |
Fire | Oxfordshire | |
Ambulance | South Central | |
UK Parliament | ||
Website | Watlington Parish Council | |
Watlington is a small
History
The Watlington area is likely to have been settled at an early date, encouraged by the proximity of the
There are records of inns in Watlington since the 15th century. In 1722 the town's market was listed as being held on a Saturday.[4] By the end of the 18th century the town had six inns, all of which were bought up in the next few years by a local brewing family, the Haywards. The number of licensed premises increased until late in the 19th century when George Wilkinson, a Methodist bought six of them and closed them down. Today Watlington has three public houses remaining: The Spire & Spoke (ex-Carriers Arms), The Chequers[5] and The Fat Fox Inn.[6] Parliamentarian troops were billeted at Watlington during the English Civil War. It is thought that John Hampden stayed in the town the night before the Battle of Chalgrove Field.[7]
In 1664–65
By 1895 the town hall, which was no longer used as a school, was in disrepair. In 1907 it was restored by public subscription.
Watlington Hill
The town of Watlington lies at the foot of Watlington Hill, a 240 metres (790 ft) peak on the western edge of the
Watlington Hill is home to a wide variety of
Churches
Church of England
The oldest parts of the
The west tower had a ring of six bells until 1909, when two recently cast ones were hung and increased it to eight.[17] Henry I Knight of Reading, Berkshire cast the fourth bell in 1587. Ellis I Knight cast the sixth bell in 1635. Henry II Knight cast the third and fifth bells in 1663. Charles and John Rudhall of Gloucester cast the seventh bell in 1785. Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the tenor bell in 1869 and the treble and second bells in 1905.[18] St Leonard's parish is now part of the Benefice of Icknield, along with the parishes of Britwell Salome, Pyrton and Swyncombe.[19]
Roman Catholic
During the
Non-conformist
During the 17th and 18th centuries several
Education
Early years and primary education in Watlington is provided by Watlington Primary School. Lower secondary education for students up to the age of 16 from Watlington and many of the surrounding villages is provided by
Media
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian. Television signals are received from the Oxford TV transmitter. [23] Local radio stations are BBC Radio Oxford on 95.2 FM, Heart South on 102.6 FM, and Greatest Hits Radio South (formerly Jack FM) on 106.4 FM. The town is served by the local newspapers, Henley Standard and Oxfordshire Guardian.
Amenities
Watlington Town FC is a Non-League football club.[24] Its first team plays in North Berks Football League Division 1.[25] Watlington has a cricket club.[26] Its first eleven plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association League Division 2.[27] The Watlington Club (previously the Watlington Memorial Club) provides facilities for the sports of tennis, squash and lawn bowls. Watlington has a Women's Institute.[28]
Notable people
- Decathlete Peter Gabbett was born in Watlington in 1941.[citation needed]
- Actors Jeremy Irons and Sinéad Cusack have a home in Watlington.[29][30]
- Eric Parkin, pianist, at Greengates Cottage, High Street.
Twinning
Watlington is twinned with Mansle, in southwestern France.[32]
In popular culture
Five episodes of the TV series Midsomer Murders have been filmed partly in Watlington, with the library featuring as Midsomer Library.[33] At least one episode of the TV series Inspector Morse was filmed partly in Watlington, with the nearby Shirburn Castle featuring as the Balcombe family home in the episode Happy Families.[34] The 2014 film Fury, starring Brad Pitt, was partly filmed in and near Watlington.[35] The pivotal balloon-accident-scene in the opening chapter of the novel Enduring Love by Ian McEwan takes place on an escarpment of the Chiltern Hills above Watlington.
Transport
The M40 motorway is about 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) from Watlington, with access at junctions 5 and 6. There are frequent coach services to Oxford and London, and to London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports, from M40 junction 6 at nearby Lewknor. Bus routes serving Watlington have been reduced in the 2010s because of funding cuts by Oxfordshire County Council. Earlier services to Thame, Wallingford and Reading have been discontinued. The only remaining service is the Oxford Bus Company service city11[36] between Watlington and Oxford.
In 1872 the
See also
- Chiltern Hills
- Red kite
- Christmas Common
- Watlington Park
- Shirburn
- Category:People from Watlington, Oxfordshire
References
- Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lobel 1964, pp. 210–252.
- ^ "Oxfordshire S-Z". The Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ Stow 1722, p. 160
- ^ The Chequers
- ^ The Fat Fox Inn
- ^ Nugent-Grenville 1854, p. 359.
- ^ Watlington Primary School
- ^ Icknield Community College
- ^ "Watlington–Mansle Twinning". Complete France. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ "Watlington hoard: Relics purchased for £1.35m by Ashmolean Museum", BBC News, February 2017, retrieved 2 February 2017
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Watlington and Pyrton Hills". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Watlington Hill". National Trust. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ "Chalk 'spire' anniversary marked". BBC News. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ a b Sherwood & Pevsner 1974, p. 829.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St Leonard (Grade II*) (1059424)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Watlington". Tower List. The Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers South Oxfordshire Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Smith, Martin (30 November 2006). "Watlington S Leonard". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Watlington". Oxfordshire Churches & Chapels. Brian Curtis. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Historic England. "Watlington Methodist Church (Grade II) (1181410)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Watlington". Oxford Methodist Circuit. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Watlington Town FC
- ^ "League Tables". North Berks Football League. Pitchhero. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Watlington Cricket Club
- ^ "Oxfordshire Cricket Association 2019". Oxfordshire Cricket Association. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- ^ "Your Nearest WI". Oxfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "I like scruffy town, says actor". Henley Standard. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Jeremy Irons helps nursery celebrate". Henley Standard. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "William (107) takes a tumble". Henley Standard. 15 September 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Watlington Twinning Association" (PDF). Watlington Parish Council. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ "Midsomer market towns - Watlington". Visit Midsomer. South Oxfordshire District Council. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "Inspector Morse: Happy Families (1992) - filming locations". IMDB. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "Fury (2014) - filming locations". IMDB. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "city11" (PDF). Oxford Bus Company. 2 January 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Oppitz 2000, p. 22.
Sources
- Lobel, Mary D, ed. (1964). A History of the County of Oxford. Victoria County History. Vol. 8: Lewknor and Pyrton Hundreds. London: Oxford University Press for the Institute of Historical Research. pp. 210–252.
- Nugent-Grenville, George (1854). Some memorials of John Hampden: his party and his times. London: Chapman & Hall. p. 359. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
Watlington.
- Oppitz, Leslie (2000). Lost Railways of the Chilterns. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 20–23. ISBN 1-85306-643-5.
- Sherwood, Jennifer; ISBN 0-14-071045-0.
- Stow, W (1722). Remarks on London, being an Exact Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, Borough of Southwark. London. Retrieved 20 September 2010.