Arncott | |
---|---|
Green Lane, Upper Arncott | |
Location within Oxfordshire | |
Area | 6.90 km2 (2.66 sq mi) |
Population | 1,738 (2011 Census) |
• Density | 252/km2 (650/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | SP6117 |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Bicester |
Postcode district | OX25 |
Dialling code | 01869 |
Police | Thames Valley |
Fire | Oxfordshire |
Ambulance | South Central |
UK Parliament | |
Website | Arncott Parish Council |
Arncott or Arncot is a village and civil parish about 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,738. [1]
There are two neighbourhoods: Lower and Upper Arncott. Upper Arncott is the larger neighbourhood and includes the village green, recreation ground, shop and most of Arncott's housing. Lower Arncott is close to River Ray and includes the Tally Ho hotel [2] and the Plough public house. [3] Upper and Lower Arncott are separated by the Bicester Military Railway.
Arncott's toponym comes from the Old English Earnigcote meaning "Earn's Cottage" (10th century). [4]
In 983 Æthelred the Unready granted the manor of Upper Arncott to the Benedictine Abingdon Abbey. As a result it became known as Arncot Abbatis. In 1538 the abbey was suppressed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and surrendered Upper Arncott to the Crown. When the church of Osney Abbey was made the cathedral church of the new Diocese of Oxford the Crown granted Upper Arncott to it as part of its endowment. However, when the church of the former Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford replaced Osney as Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Upper Arncott reverted to the Crown. The Crown then sold Upper Arncott to a local family, the Martins. [4]
The Domesday Book records that in 1086 William son of Mann held Lower Arncott. In the 12th century Roger of Caux granted Lower Arncott to the Augustinian Missenden Abbey to say Mass for his late parents. In 1232 the abbey sold Lower Arncott to another Augustinian house, Bicester Priory. As a result it became known as Arncot Prioris. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Crown granted Lower Arncott to Thomas Martin of Ambrosden, a member of the same family that bought Upper Arncott. [4]
The Abingdon Chronicle, a version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , records that Adelelm of Jumièges, Abbott of Abingdon 1071–83, let Upper Arncott to the Norman barons Robert D'Oyly and Roger d'Ivry. The cartulary of Osney Abbey records that D'Oyly and d'Ivry in turn granted Upper Arncott to Saint George's church in Oxford Castle. In about 1149 Henry D'Oyly transferred Upper Arncott to Osney Abbey, which remained lord of the manor until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. [4]
A Methodist congregation developed in Arncott from 1823. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built in Upper Arncott in 1834 [5] and enlarged in 1847. [4] It became Upper Arncott Methodist church, [6] a member of the Bicester District of the Buckingham, Bicester and Brackley Methodist Circuit. [7] It is now closed, and in March 2010 Cherwell District Council granted the local Methodist Circuit planning permission to convert the building from a church into offices. [8]
The Church of England parish of Ambrosden includes Arncott, which therefore does not have its own Church of England parish church. Rev. Charles Bagshawe, Vicar of Ambrosden 1866–84, ran a mission room in Arncott. [4] The mission room has since closed and Arncott is served by the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) away in Ambrosden, which is part of the Ray Valley Benefice. [9]
In 1281, Bicester Priory inclosed some farmland at Lower Arncott. However, an open field system of farming continued in both manors until an inclosure award was made in 1816. [4]
A parish school was opened in Ambrosden in 1818 and Arncott had its own school by 1833. Both seem to have ceased operating by 1854, but temporary schools existed in both Ambrosden and Arncott in 1868. A permanent parish school built in Ambrosden was opened in 1876 and in the same year an infant school was opened in the parish mission room in Arncott. In 1920 Arncott School was closed and the children transferred to Ambrosden. [4]
In 1941, during the Second World War the Central Ordnance Depot was built [4] along with the Bicester Military Railway to link it with the Varsity Line of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway west of Bicester Town. The depot is now run by the Defence Support Group. [10]
Arncott Bridge across the River Ray on the road between Arncott and Ambrosden is a five-arched bridge built in the 18th century. [4]
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire bus route 29 provides Arncott with a limited service to Bicester via Ambrosden. [11] There are three buses each way a day from Monday to Friday. There is no service on Saturday, Sunday or public holidays. [12]
Bicester is a historical market town, garden town, and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in south-central England that also comprises an eco town development at North West Bicester and a self-build village at Graven Hill. Its local market continues to thrive and is now located on Sheep Street, a very wide pedestrian zone in the conservation area of the town. Bicester is also known for Bicester Village, a nearby shopping centre.
Merton is a village and civil parish near the River Ray, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 424.
Ambrosden is a village and civil parish in Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Bicester to which it is linked by the A41 road, and 13 miles (21 km) from Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 2,248. The parish is bounded by the River Ray to the south, its tributary the River Bure to the west, the outskirts of Bicester to the north and field boundaries to the east.
Islip is a village and civil parish on the River Ray, just above its confluence with the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. It is about 2 miles (3 km) east of Kidlington and about 5 miles (8 km) north of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 652.
Robert D'Oyly was a Norman nobleman who accompanied William the Conqueror on the Norman conquest, his invasion of England. He died in 1091.
Lower Heyford is a village and civil parish beside the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, about 6 miles (10 km) west of Bicester. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 492.
Blackthorn is a village and civil parish in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Bicester. The parish is bounded by the River Ray to the south, tributaries of the Ray to the east and north and field boundaries to the west. The parish's eastern boundary forms part of the county's with Buckinghamshire.
Charlton-on-Otmoor is a village and civil parish about 9 miles (14 km) NE of Oxford and 6 miles (10 km) SW of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. The village, one of the seven "towns" of Otmoor, is on the northern edge of the moor on a ridge of Cornbrash. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 449.
Launton is a village and civil parish on the eastern outskirts of Bicester, Oxfordshire, England. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,204.
North Leigh is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of East End and since 1932 has also included the hamlet of Wilcote. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,929.
Weston-on-the-Green is a village and civil parish in the Cherwell district of Oxfordshire, England, about 4 miles (6 km) southwest of Bicester. The 2011 Census recorded the parish population as 523.
Oddington is a village and civil parish about 5 miles (8 km) south of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. The village is close to the River Ray on the northern edge of Otmoor. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 129.
Rousham is a village and civil parish beside the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire. The village is about 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) west of Bicester and about 6 miles (10 km) north of Kidlington. The parish is bounded by the River Cherwell in the east, the A4260 main road between Oxford and Banbury in the west, partly by the B4030 in the north, and by field boundaries with Tackley parish in the south. The 2001 Census recorded the parish's population as 80. Rousham was founded early in the Anglo-Saxon era. Its toponym is derived from Old English meaning Hrothwulf's ham or farm.
Piddington is a village and civil parish about 4.5 miles (7 km) southeast of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. It lies close to the border with Buckinghamshire. Its toponym has been attributed to the Old English Pyda's tun. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 370.
Chesterton is a village and civil parish on Gagle Brook, a tributary of the Langford Brook in north Oxfordshire. The village is about 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) southwest of the market town of Bicester. The village has sometimes been called Great Chesterton to distinguish it from the hamlet of Little Chesterton, about 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) to the south in the same parish. The 2011 Census recorded the parish population as 850.
Forest Hill is a village in the civil parish of Forest Hill with Shotover, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, about 4.5 miles (7 km) east of Oxford. The village which is about 330 feet (100 m) above sea level is on the northeastern brow of a ridge of hills. The highest point of the ridge is Red Hill, which rises to 440 feet (130 m) just south of the village. The 2011 Census recorded Forest Hill with Shotover's population as 856.
Newton Purcell is a village in the civil parish of Newton Purcell with Shelswell, in the Cherwell district, in the county of Oxfordshire, England, 4+1⁄2 miles (7 km) southeast of Brackley in neighbouring Northamptonshire. The 2001 Census recorded a parish population of 103. The parish population from the 2011 Census is not available.
Hampton Gay is a village in the civil parish of Hampton Gay and Poyle, in the Cherwell district, in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is in the Cherwell Valley about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Kidlington. In 1931 the parish had a population of 28. On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished to form "Hampton Gay and Poyle".
Horton-cum-Studley is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) northeast of the centre of Oxford and bordering Otmoor, and is one of the "Seven Towns" of Otmoor. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 455. A majority of residents in the village work in the Healthcare and Educational Sectors.