Witney
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 51°47′N 1°29′W / 51.78°N 1.49°W
| Witney | |
 High Street in Witney |
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  Witney
Witney shown within Oxfordshire |
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| Population | 22,765 (2001 Census) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Witney |
| District | West Oxfordshire |
| Shire county | Oxfordshire |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Witney |
| Postcode district | OX28 |
| Dialling code | 01993 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Witney |
| Website | Witney Town Council |
| List of places: UK • England • Oxfordshire | |
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, 12 miles (19 km) west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.
Contents |
[edit] Notable buildings
The Church of England parish church of St. Mary the Virgin was originally Norman. The north porch and north aisle were added in this style late in the 12th century, and survived a major rebuilding in about 1243. In this rebuilding the present chancel, transepts, tower and spire were added and the nave was remodelled, all in the Early English style. In the 14th century a number of side chapels and some of the present windows were added in the Decorated style. In the 15th century the south transept was extended and the present west window of the nave were added in the Perpendicular style.[1] The tower has a peal of eight bells.[2]
Holy Trinity parish church in Wood Green was built in 1849 in the Early English style. Both St. Mary the Virgin and Holy Trinity are now members of a single team parish.[3]
Witney Market began in the Middle Ages. Thursday is the traditional market day but there is also a market on Saturday. The Buttercross in the market square is so called because people from neighbouring towns would gather there to buy butter and eggs. It was built in about 1600 and its clock was added in 1683.[4]
The town hall is 18th century. A local legend holds that it was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, but there is little evidence to support this claim.
Witney has long been an important crossing over the River Windrush. The architect Thomas Wyatt rebuilt the bridge in Bridge Street in 1822.[5]
The Friends Meeting House in Wood Green was built in the 18th century. Since 1997 Quakers in Witney have met at the Corn Exchange.[6] The Methodist church in the High Street was built in 1850.[7] It is now one of five Methodist churches and chapels in Witney.[8] The Roman Catholic parish of Our Lady and Saint Hugh was founded in 1913.[9] It originally used a chapel in West End built in 1881[4] but now has its own modern building.[10] The old chapel in West End is now Elim Christian Fellowship.[11]
West End, part of the road to Hailey, is one of Britain's best preserved streets[citation needed] and inspired the song Just an Old Fashioned House in an Old Fashioned Street.[citation needed] Although it is called West End, it is actually on the northern side of the town and gets its name from when it was not actually in Witney parish but at the west end of the adjacent Hailey parish.
Witney Workhouse was on Razor Hill (now Tower Hill). It was built in 1835-36 by the architect George Wilkinson. It had four wings radiating from an octagonal central building, similar to Chipping Norton workhouse, which also was built by Wilkinson. His younger brother William Wilkinson added a separate chapel to Witney Workhouse in 1860.[12][13] During the First World War the workhouse contained prisoners of war. In 1940 it became Crawford Collets[14] engineering factory and the chapel became the factory canteen. In 1979 Crawford Collets demolished the main buildings and replaced them with a modern factory but preserved the entrance gate and former chapel. In 2004 the modern factory was demolished for redevelopment. The gate and chapel have again been preserved but the chapel is in a poor state of repair.[15]
[edit] Industry
Witney has been famous for its woollen blankets since the Middle Ages[citation needed]. The water for the production of these blankets is drawn from the River Windrush, which was believed to be the secret of Witney's high quality blankets.[citation needed] The Blanket Hall in the High Street was built in 1721[citation needed] for weighing and measuring blankets.[4] At one time[when?] there were five blanket factories in the town but with the closure of the largest blanket maker, Early's, in 2002, the town's blanket industry has completely ceased. Early's factory, once a vital and important part of the town's history, has now been demolished, and is the site of several new housing estates. Witney United Football Club retains its nickname "The Blanketmen" from the town's traditional trade.
For many years Witney had its own brewery and maltings: J.W. Clinch and Co, which founded the Eagle Maltings in 1841. Courage took over Clinch's and closed it down, but since 1983 Refresh UK's Wychwood Brewery has brewed real ales in the Eagle Maltings. In 2002 Refresh UK contracted to produce ales for W.H. Brakspear, who had sold their former brewery in Henley-upon-Thames for redevelopment. Refresh UK also brews ale for The Prince of Wales' Duchy Originals company.
The Witney Railway opened in 1861, linking the town to Yarnton where the line joined the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway. In 1873 the East Gloucestershire railway opened linking Witney with Lechlade and Fairford. The Great Western Railway operated services on both lines and eventually took them over. In 1962 British Railways closed the EGR completely and withdrew passenger trains from the Witney Railway. In 1970 BR closed the Witney Railway completely and it was dismantled.
[edit] Museums
Witney has two museums. Cogges Manor Farm Museum, in the 13th century manor house[16] and farm of Cogges, represents farming and countryside history. The Witney and District Museum has many artefacts and documents representing the history of the town.
[edit] Education
Witney has three county secondary schools: Henry Box School, Wood Green School and Springfield School. In 1660 Henry Box founded Witney Grammar School. In 1968 it became the comprehensive Henry Box School[17]. In 1970 new school buildings were added to the original 17th century premises beside Church Green.[5] Wood Green School[18] was founded in 1954 and is at the top of Woodstock Road. Springfield School[19] was founded in 1967 and is a special needs school for pupils with severe learning difficulties, Springfield School senior section is a self contained unit, with some shared facilities, within the grounds of Wood Green School. Wood Green was substantially expanded 2000 thru 2004, an additional block with 15 teaching rooms was added together with purpose built Sixth form centre, School restaurant and new Astroturf pitch. 2009 sees part of the old Lower School being remodelled to provide new changing and shower facillities for the Astroturf pitch and its many users from local community sports clubs.
King's School is independent of Oxfordshire Local Education Authority. It was founded by Oxfordshire Community Churches,[20] an evangelical Christian organisation, in 2001.
St. Mary's School beside Church Green was built in 1860. It was a Church of England primary school but is now an infants' school.[21] Witney now has two Church of England primary schools: The Batt School[22] in Corn Street and The Blake School[23] in Cogges Hill Road.
Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic Primary School[24] is a Roman Catholic school founded in 1958.
Witney has five Community Primary Schools: Madley Park Community Primary School,[25] Queen's Dyke Primary School,[26] Tower Hill Community Primary School,[27] West Witney Primary School[28] and Witney Community Primary School.[29]
The former Witney Technical College is now part of Abingdon and Witney College.[30] A complete rebuilding of its premises began in September 2008.
[edit] Sports
Witney United Football Club[31] first XI plays in the Hellenic League Premier Division.[32] Witney and District League[33] is a local association football league with about 32 clubs in five divisions. Witney Rugby Football Club[34] first XV plays in the RFU Southern Counties North division.[35] Witney Hockey Club[36] men's first XI plays in the England Hockey Men's Conference East division[37] and its ladies' first XI plays in South Clubs' Women's Hockey League Division 3A.[38] Witney Swifts Cricket Club[39] first XI plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division Three.[40]
[edit] Politics
Witney is known as a Conservative safe seat, and as such has been the constituency for both Douglas Hurd and the current leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron. This clear party preference led to controversy when Shaun Woodward was appointed to succeed the retiring Hurd as Conservative candidate. Woodward was elected in the 1997 General Election, but switched allegiance to the Labour Party in 1999. In the 2001 General Election Woodward stood as the Labour candidate for St. Helens, Lancashire and David Cameron retook Witney for the Conservatives.
[edit] Twinning
Witney is twinned with:
[edit] Floods
In July 2007 Witney saw its worst flooding in more than 50 years. Homes and businesses were evacuated and Bridge Street, a major road into the town and the only road across the Windrush, was closed. About 200 properties in central Witney were flooded, with areas around Bridge Street, Mill Street and West End the worst affected. The new and incomplete housing development Aquarius also suffered substantial flooding.
In 2008 further flooding contributed to the death of a 17 year old youth who drowned in a culvert.[41]
[edit] Famous people
Famous people associated with Witney include:
- David Cameron MP, Conservative Leader, represents Witney in Parliament
- Alan Dapre, children's TV show writer.
- Darrell Griffin, England international rugby league player
- Douglas Hurd, formerly Conservative MP for Witney.
- Martin Jones, concert pianist.
- Simon King, Gillingham footballer, was born in Witney and attended Henry Box School.
- Graham Leonard, 130th Bishop of London, subsequently Prelate of Honour.
- Robert Llewellyn, Red Dwarf actor, author, attended Henry Box School and was expelled.
- Andrew Logan, artist, was born in Witney.
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw, TV actress, attended Henry Box School.
- Shaun Woodward MP, formerly Conservative and then Labour MP for Witney, now Labour MP for St Helens South
- Miss Read (Dora Saint), author, lived in Witney. The town was the inspiration for the fictional 'Lulling' of the Thrush Green novels.
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
- Sherwood, Jennifer; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974). The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 843-851. ISBN 0 14 071045 0.
[edit] References
- ^ Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, pages 843-845
- ^ Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell ringers, Witney & Woodstock Branch
- ^ Church of England Parish of Witney
- ^ a b c Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, page 846
- ^ a b Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, p. 847
- ^ Burford Quakers
- ^ High Street Methodist Church
- ^ Oxfordshire Churches: Witney
- ^ The Parish of Our Lady & St. Hugh Catholic Church
- ^ Oxfordshire Churches: Witney RC
- ^ Find a Church
- ^ Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, page 851
- ^ The Workhouse: Witney
- ^ Crawford Collets
- ^ Witney Workhouse chapel
- ^ Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, page 551
- ^ Henry Box School
- ^ Wood Green School
- ^ Springfield School
- ^ Oxfordshire Community Churches
- ^ St. Mary's Infant School
- ^ The Batt C of E Primary School
- ^ The Blake School
- ^ Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic Primary School
- ^ Madley Park Community Primary School
- ^ Queen's Dyke Primary School
- ^ Tower Hill Community Primary School
- ^ West Witney Primary School
- ^ Witney Community Primary School
- ^ Abingdon & Witney College
- ^ Witney United FC
- ^ Hellenic League Premier Division
- ^ Witney and District Football
- ^ Witney Rugby Football Club
- ^ RFU Southern Counties North division
- ^ Witney Hockey Club
- ^ England Hockey League Men's Conference East Division
- ^ South Clubs' Women's Hockey League
- ^ Witney Swifts Cricket Club
- ^ Oxfordshire Cricket Association
- ^ Oxford Mail, 4 June 2008
[edit] External links
- Witney — the largest Witney-related website, including Witney attractions, history, accommodation and photographs
- Witney flood gallery - Photos of the Witney flooding.
- Witney Photos - Photos of Witney and the surrounding area.
- Witneypedia — Human edited Witney website similar in operation to Wikipedia
- Witney — 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article
- Witney & District Football Witney & District Football Official Website.
- Witney Blanket Story - comprehensive site about the Witney blanket industry
- Witney United Football Club - The latest form the town's football club
- Witney Rugby Football Club - news and information about Witney RFC
- Witney WebCam Witney WebCam
- Witney Forum Witney forum
- Early Family History - Family Tree of part of the Early Family from Witney
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