Oaksey
| Oaksey | |
|---|---|
 The Street, Oaksey | |
  Oaksey Location within Wiltshire | |
| Population | 530 (2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST991937 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Malmesbury |
| Postcode district | SN16 |
| Dialling code | 01666 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Village |
Oaksey is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, on the county boundary with Gloucestershire. The village is about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northeast of the market town of Malmesbury and a similar distance south of the Gloucestershire market town of Cirencester.
The Swill Brook forms part of the northern boundary of the parish.
History[edit]
A settlement of 28 households at Wochesie was recorded in Domesday Book of 1086.[2] There was a church at Oaksey in the 12th century, and in 1377 there were 86 poll tax payers.[3]
Norwood Castle is an earthwork about 0.6 miles (0.97 km) north of the village at Dean Farm. It may be the remains of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle.[3]
An early manor house, near the church, was in ruins by 1593. Oaksey Park House, a three-storey manor house, was built in the early 17th century, possibly for Sir Henry Poole. It was demolished in 1956.[3]
Parish church[edit]
The Grade I listed[4] Church of England parish church of All Saints[5] existed by the first half of the 12th century, and the nave walls of the current building may date from that time.[3] In the 13th century the chancel was rebuilt and the three-bay south aisle was added, along with the south porch.[3] The Decorated Gothic[6] north porch was added in the first half of the 14th century.[3] The five-bay Perpendicular Gothic[6] clerestory was added in the first half of the 15th century.[3] Further Perpendicular Gothic additions were made early in the 16th century: the south aisle was extended to form the south chapel, new windows were inserted in the north wall of the nave, the third stage of the tower was added.[3]
A number of wall paintings were painted in the church either in the 15th century[7] or early in the 16th century.[3] Those that survive today include a painting of Saint Christopher with a mermaid,[8] one of Christ surrounded by instruments of torture as a warning to Sabbath breakers[7] and a badly damaged one of Saint Edmund.[7]
In 1553 the tower had three bells, one of which had been cast at Worcester.[3] In 1773 these were replaced by a ring of six new bells cast by Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester.[3] In 1960 the ring was recast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough.[3]
Amenities[edit]
Oaksey has a pub, the Wheatsheaf Inn.[9] A village hall was opened in 2000.[10] Oaksey has primary school, a shop and Post Office, a cricket club, a football club which plays in the Cirencester and District League and a branch of the Women's Institute.
Oaksey Park Airfield (ICAO code EGTW) has two grass runways[11] and is operated by Austen Aviation Services.[12]
The Cotswold Water Park extends into the eastern part of the parish.
Railway[edit]
The Golden Valley Line between Swindon and Cheltenham was built across the parish in 1841. Between 1929 and 1964 there was a small station (Oaksey Halt) adjacent to the bridge carrying the road to Somerford Keynes over the line. The nearest station still in operation is Kemble, about 3 miles distance by road.
References[edit]
- ^ "Parish population". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
- ^ Oaksey in the Domesday Book
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Baggs, A.P.; Freeman, Jane; Stevenson, Janet H (1991). Crowley, D.A. (ed.). "Victoria County History – Wiltshire – Vol 14 pp176–186: Parishes: Oaksey". British History Online. University of London. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of All Saints, Oaksey (1022262)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ^ "Church of All Saints, Oaksey". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ a b Pevsner & Cherry, 1975, page 362
- ^ a b c Marshall, Anne. "Warning to Sabbath Breakers: Oaksey, Wiltshire (‡Bristol) C.15". Mediaeval Wall Painting in the English Parish Church. Anne Marshall. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- ^ Marshall, Anne. "St.Christopher, Oaksey, Wiltshire (‡ Bristol) C.15". Mediaeval Wall Painting in the English Parish Church. Anne Marshall. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- ^ "The Wheatsheaf". Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Oaksey Village Hall". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "Oaksey Park Airfield". Light Aircraft Association. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Austen broadens services at Oaksey". Business Air News. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
Sources and further reading[edit]
- Baggs, A. P.; Freeman, Jane; Stevenson, Janet H. (1991). Crowley, D. A. (ed.). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 14: Malmesbury hundred. pp. 176–186.
- Pevsner, Nikolaus (1975). Cherry, Bridget (ed.). The Buildings of England: Wiltshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 362–363. ISBN 0-14-0710-26-4.
External links[edit]
- Oaksey village website
- "Oaksey". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
Media related to Oaksey at Wikimedia Commons