THE HISTORY OF THE EAGLE AND CHILD PUB (OXFORD)

The Eagle and Child public house - situated on St Giles' Street, Oxford - was first mentioned by name in 1684. Its name may have been derived from an ancient Greek legend, involving a noble-born baby being discovered in an eagle's nest; another theory is that it paid homage to the Earl of Derby's family crest. Throughout its history, the pub has also been known as 'The Bird and Baby'.

The pub reputedly served as the lodgings of the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Civil War, however, this may not be entirely accurate... Historians generally believe that it was constructed circa 1650. It also lay outside of the city walls, thereby casting some doubt upon the Civil War claims.

An Oxford writer's group who called themselves 'The Inklings' would meet frequently at The Eagle and Child, comprised of famous literary figures such as J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams and Hugo Dyson from 1933 onwards, meeting in the 'Rabbit Room' inside the pub. When that room was altered in 1962, and became less private, the group reluctantly changed their meeting place to the nearby Lamb & Flag until Lewis' death.

This historic Oxford landmark sadly closed and fell into wrack and ruin as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic... But it is now up for rent! Hopefully, it will once again begin to thrive under new management. :)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-63497648

THE HISTORY OF HALL FARM/FRINGFORD HALL (FRINGFORD)

Hall Farm is situated in Fringford, near Bicester, and dates back to around 1600, although it has undergone many alterations throughout its history. It is one of the oldest surviving large houses in the village. Inside the house there is a royal coat of arms, possibly dating back to the 17th century.

The farmhouse was originally owned by the Addington family, who (according to the village website) still own it to this day! One descendent of this family - Anthony Addington - left the family home in the 18th century in order to become a fashionable London doctor, and counted King George III among his patients. His son, Henry Addington, went on to become Speaker of the House of Commons, Prime Minister and the first Lord Sidmouth.

I cannot find many mentions of the farm in the newspaper archives, but one snippet did state that the son of Mr & Mrs Buckingham of Hall Farm, Fringford, married Miss Irene Massicks in August 1946.

According to a Bicester Local History Society publication called 'Fringford Historic Village Trail', Hall Farm was originally known as Fringford Hall. Unfortunately, I cannot find any photos of the building, but if anyone has one please let me know!

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHAPEL (HETHE)

After centuries of local Catholics being forced to practice their faith in the Fermor family's chapel at Tusmore, or nearby Hardwick Hall/Manor House, Hethe finally had its own chapel (Holy Trinity) completed in 1832, following the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 (which gave Catholic citizens more rights than they'd had previously).

Father Alfred Maguire was given the task of providing a building which could accommodate upto 300 people, and the cost (£800) was raised chiefly due to the efforts of locals.

The brand new church opened its doors for the congregation on 22nd May 1832. An early visitor and admirer of the chapel was Lady Arundell of Wardour, who did her best to obtain an oak altar for it, but sadly did not succeed in her mission.

The graveyard land was acquired a couple of years after the chapel plot, with the first burial on the site taking place in 1836.

Holy Trinity was only the fourth chapel to be built in Oxfordshire following the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1791, which essentially gave Catholics official permission to practice their religion openly, without fear of persecution.

Inside the chapel are stained glass windows dedicated to various members of the Collingridge family, whom you may remember from some of my previous posts; they were probably designed by Francis Barnett, who married a woman from the Collingridge family in 1838.

In June 1857, the Honourable Bryan Stapleton of The Grove, Richmond, married Mary Helen Alicia Dolman (only daughter of J. T. Dolman, Esquire) of Souldern at Holy Trinity.

In 1952, the Reverend H. Connick conducted a memorial service in honour of the late King George in the chapel.

(Photograph courtesy of 'oxfordlmsrep').

FRINGFORD MILL (FRINGFORD)

Fringford Mill dates back to around the early 18th century, although there may have been a mill on the site since medieval times. There were several alterations and extensions made to both the mill itself and the attached millhouse during the 19th and 20th centuries.

This water-powered cornmill is is now a Grade II listed building.

In January 1914, William Fennemore of Fringford Mill died after a long period of illness. As per his wishes, his body was transported to the churchyard in his miller's cart.

In 1949, it was reported that Thomas H. Allen and his wife had recently celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. According to the article, published in the Bicester Herald:

"They were married at Croughton Parish Church by the Reverend John Lister on 17th August 1889, and have four daughters, one son, and seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Mr Allen, 84, and his wife, 81, enjoy good health. Mr Allen carried on a milling and threshing business at Fringford Mill from 1908 to 1941, and was well known to the agricultural community within a wide area. The couple left the mill in 1946 to take up residence in the village of Fringford."

Earlier on, in 1916, Mr Allen had applied for a conditional exemption to avoid being conscripted to fight in World War One; he claimed that he did the vast majority of the work for the threshing and milling businesses himself, as his father was no longer able, and that "if called up, it would mean a very serious financial loss". Unfortunately, his application was refused, so he was presumably forced to fight in the end.

In 1839, Jeffrey C. Tradwall of Oddington Grange Farm was returning home from Buckingham Fair, and was attacked close to Fringford Mill. Apparently, three men surrounded him, pulled him off of his horse, and robbed him of 14s. Luckily, he was not seriously harmed.

On 24th April 1878, the volunteers and yeomanry of the Bicester District staged a 'sham-fight' in Fringford; the 'enemy' was supposed to be marching from Buckingham to Oxford, and the Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry were sent out as an advanced guard. During the mock battle, Fringford Mill was used as an 'outpost'!

Another previous miller of Fringford Mill was Mr W. A. Walters, who employed a young man called Henry Young; the latter was charged with stealing "a quantity of flour, his master's property" in January 1868.

Sadly, a fatal accident occurred close to the mill - on 25th August 1880, a child who's father was a labourer by the name of Blake was hanging off the back of a waggon laden with corn, returning from the harvest field; somehow, the poor child became entangled in one of the wheels, and was dragged some distance along the road. A newspaper article reads "when extricated, the body was lifeless and dreadfully mutilated".

Supernatural phenomena known as 'Corpse Lights' have apparently been seen in and around the mill, supposedly luring unsuspecting travellers to their deaths!

The map below is courtesy of Dark Oxfordshire, and shows the location of the mill.

BARCLAYS BANK (BICESTER)

The Barclays Bank building, situated at 36 Market Square, Bicester, was built sometime prior to 1793, as this was the year in which Messrs. William & Thomas Tubb founded 'Tubb's Bank' on the site. The bank issued its own notes, and was the only bank in Bicester at the time. In 1918, Barclays purchased the premises, and it remained the town's only bank until the following year.

During the 1840's, it was known as 'Bicester & Oxfordshire Bank'; throughout the 1860's and 1870's, its name was 'Tubb & Coleman's'. Henry Tubb - grandson of the aforementioned Thomas Tubb - was the last to run the family business.

More information regarding the Tubb family can be found here: https://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/news/16907816.bicester-history-tubb-family-memorials-st-edburgs-church/

Picture: Barclays Bank, formerly Tubb's Bank. (Courtesy of Wikipedia).

PARK FARM COTTAGES (WENDLEBURY)

Park Farm Cottages, located on St Giles' Close, Wendlebury, were built circa the 18th century; it was originally a large farmhouse, but is now comprised of two seperate private dwellings. The building has undergone various alterations throughout its history, and is now a Grade II listed building.

Sadly, I cannot find much information regarding Park Farm - I suspect that it may have been known under a different name in days gone by! If anyone has any ideas as to what it may have been called, please let me know!

It would appear that a Mr Tanner owned the property in the 1850's, and on 12th January 1942, a sale of farming stock and agricultural equipment was held there.

(Photograph courtesy of Move Market).

RECTORY FARM BARNS (ISLIP)

Lying approximately 30 metres north of Rectory Farmhouse in the village of Islip are three barns known as 'Rectory Farm Barns', which date back to around the middle of the 18th century.

In November 1907, an inquest was held in one of the barns, concerning the death of a male child whose body had been discovered lying in a ditch.

Edwin Wise, a labourer of Islip, was driving a horse and cart between Islip and Frog's Nest Farm (Bletchington), and when he was approximately halfway between the two, he happened to look down into the ditch at the side of the road, and noticed a parcel wrapped in brown paper, tied up with string. The ditch was filled with around a foot of water.

Mr Wise retrieved the parcel from the ditch, and opened it; inside, he found some white cloth. When he felt the cloth, he recoiled in horror... He could distinctly feel tiny fingers beneath it! He quickly laid it back in a dry section of the ditch, covered it with grass and trimmings from the hedge, before continuing on his journey. Upon his return to Islip later that day, Wise went to see the village constable, and told him about his grim discovery.

P.C Mouldern went to the spot that Wise had indicated, and carefully unwrapped the parcel, revealing the body of a fully-developed male child. He could see no signs of violence upon the poor baby's body, although it was already in a state of decomposition. He carried the body to the nearby Red Lion Inn, calling a doctor in preparation for the post-mortem, which was then carried out in the Rectory Barns.

The autopsy revealed that the child was around 4 days old at the time of its sad demise, and that there was evidence to suggest that it had not been properly attended at birth. There were no signs to indicate that the baby had drowned in the ditch, but in the absence of any other definitive cause of death, and no one coming forward to claim the poor little mite, the jury returned a verdict of 'found drowned'.

(Photograph courtesy of British Listed Buildings).

MANOR FARM/HARDWICK HALL (HARDWICK)

Manor Farm in Hardwick (also known as Hardwick Hall) was built sometime between 1580 and 1643 by Sir Richard Fermor, the then Lord of the Manor.

The Fermors leased the house to the Day family in the 18th century, and between 1793 and 1812, the property was occupied by the Collingridge family. Hidden inside the house is a priest hole, which were relatively common in large houses in days gone by!

In May 1932, the fire brigade were called out to the house, as two corn ricks and one straw rick in a rickyard close to the Manor were ablaze. Thankfully, the fire was extinguished, resulting in no damage being done to the house; it was then in the possession of Mr Vivian-Smith of nearby Tusmore House, although the Manor itself was unoccupied at this time.

Tusmore and Hardwick had a large percentage of Roman Catholics, who would worship at the Fermor family's chapel at Tusmore House, as well as in the attic of Hardwick Hall! The Fermors, along with the other tenants of the manor house, were all devout Catholics, and the property became a hub of worship for others in the locality until the Catholic chapel in Hethe was built in the 1830's.

I believe that Sir Richard Fermor was the same Richard Fermor, born in Somerton, who married Cornelia Cornwallis, and was the son of Thomas Fermor and his second wife, Bridget Bradshaw.

Thomas was born circa 1510, and died in August 1580.

Interestingly, it would appear that the Fermor surname actually comes from the maternal line; Richard's 2 x great grandmother was Agnes Fermor, who married Henry Ricardes in 1419. Richard's great grandfather - another Thomas Fermor - had been a wool merchant of Witney.

Through Sir Richard's wife, Cornelia Cornwallis, later generations of Fermors were actually descended from medieval Dutch noble dynasties, such as the van Amstels.

The name Fermor means 'tax-farmer' (someone who undertook the collection of taxes), and was first brought to England during the Norman Conquest, implying that the Oxfordshire Fermors may also have been descended from Norman/French nobility.

(Photograph courtesy of Geograph).

YEW TREE FARM (CHARLTON-ON-OTMOOR)

Yew Tree Farm, situated in the village of Charlton-on-Otmoor, dates back to circa 1700.

On 27th July 1887, auctioneers Mumford & Bond held an auction of approximately 23 acres of land attached to Yew Tree Farm at The Crown Inn, advertising it as 'excellent for growing crops of corn'.

(Photograph courtesy of Knight Frank).

POND FARMHOUSE (BLACKTHORN)

Pound Farmhouse, situated in Blackthorn, dates back to 1658, although it was altered in the 19th century, and extended in the 20th century.

In the early 1900's, the house was occupied by the Jones family, who were farmers. It would appear that it had been the home of the Jones' for several generations - in 1875, a Mr John Jones was residing there.

(Photograph courtesy of Move Market).

CRICK HOUSE (BICESTER)

Crick House is located on Church Street, Bicester, and was built circa the late 17th or early 18th century, although it was remodelled during the 19th century.

In February 1904, an inquest was held at the nearby Six Bells Inn concerning the death of Vera Grimsley Smith - the infant daughter of Mr Sydney Frederick Smith of Crick House. After reviewing the medical evidence given by Dr Cecil Hendriks, as well as testimony provided by local chemist Mr Mountain, the jury returned a verdict of 'death from narcotic poison'; it transpired that the child's mother had purchased cough mixture from Mr Mountain, who had advised her to give little Vera just 10 drops of the syrup (which contained laudanum/opium).

The mother swore that she had heeded the chemist's advice, but as Dr Hendriks stated, "it was a difficult thing to know how much a child could stand", and that Vera may have been "extraordinarily sensitive to opium". The parents were not charged, as it seemed to have been a genuine (albeit tragic) accident.

By 1909, Crick House was owned by a Mrs Haylock - in February of that year, the Bicester Herald reported that Miss Ann Langton (sister of Mrs Haylock) had died in the property, aged 91 years. Ann and her sister were daughters of Mr Thomas Langton, and they were "of a very old and well-known family". The Langtons were originally from Whitton, Northamptonshire, but Ann came to Bicester to live with her sister "many years prior to her death", and it was remarked that "she was a somewhat remarkable lady, for despite her age she possessed all her faculties to the last". Her cause of death was attributed to cerebral haemorrhage, although she had only suffered for around 36 hours before finally succumbing.

In 1912, it was reported that Crick House - "the property of the late Miss Clara Langton", presumably a relative of the aforementioned Ann Langton and Mrs Haylock - was bought by Mr W. E. Pankhurst for the sum of £230; Mr Pankhurst had already agreed a lease on the property before deciding to purchase, paying rent of £18 per annum.

In the 1920's/30's, several generations of the Coles family resided at the property.

(Photograph courtesy of British Listed Buildings).

GROVE FARMHOUSE (BECKLEY)

Dated 1729, Grove Farmhouse is situated in the village of Beckley, on the edge of Otmoor. It was a cattle and dairy farm throughout its history, and its owners provided jobs to many local agricultural labourers.

In March 1867, a notice appeared in a local newspaper, requesting that anyone having any demands upon the estate of Mr William Denchfield Parrott of Grove Farm should contact his solicitor, Mr Davenport of Oxford.

In November 1889, Mr William Henry Hall - brother of Mr Edward Pinniger Hall of Grove Farm, Beckley - was elected as Mayor of Aldeburgh-on-Sea, Suffolk.

During the 1890's, the farmhouse was occupied by the Shrimpton family; on 7th June 1891, 4 year old Louisa Mary Shrimpton sadly passed away at the property. Louisa appears to have been the daughter of John Shrimpton (born 1857 in Great Haseley, the son of John Shrimpton and Mary Louisa Hatwell) and his wife Louisa Mary Tirrell (born 1858 in Woodeaton, the daughter of Thomas Tirrell and Susannah Shaw).

The second photograph below is courtesy of Ancestry, and apparently shows John Shrimpton (father of little Louisa), on the right.

ELM TREE HOUSE (WENDLEBURY) 

Elm Tree House, situated on Church Lane in the village of Wendlebury near Bicester, was built circa the early 17th century. It was officially recognised as a Grade II listed building in the 1980's.

In 1892, George Castle - a local auctioneer - hosted a sale of 'household furniture and effects' which had belonged to the recently deceased owner of the property, a Mrs Ann Tanner. Shortly after the auction, an advert appeared in the Bicester Herald newspaper:

"TO LET: At Wendlebury, Bicester, ELM TREE HOUSE containing six rooms, stable and coach-house with garden."

After further research, it transpires that Mrs Tanner was born as Ann Foster in the village in 1818 - the daughter of Richard King Foster and Ann Tredwell. She married John Tanner in 1847, and they went on to have at least 7 children. Ann lived in the village her entire life, and was buried just up the road from Elm Tree House in the cemetery of the church, in January 1892.

BEAUMONT PALACE (OXFORD)

Beaumont Palace was built just outside of the North Gate of the city of Oxford circa 1130 AD by King Henry I, who chose its location due to it being situated close to his Royal hunting lodge at nearby Woodstock. It was located on what is now Beaumont Street, which was named after the palace.

On a pillar on the north side of Beaumont Street is an inscription which reads: "near to this site stood the King's Houses, later known as Beaumont Palace. King Richard I was born here in 1157, and King John in 1166."

King Henry spent Easter 1133 in the 'nova aula' ('new hall') at Beaumont Palace, celebrating the birth of his grandson, the future King Henry II. The last king to reside at Beaumont Palace was King Edward I, who granted it to an Italian lawyer called Francesco Accorsi, as a reward for the diplomatic missions that he'd undertaken on behalf of the King.

In 1318, a man called John Deydras claimed that he was the rightful heir to the throne of England; he managed to seize the castle, but was subsequently executed for 'sedition' (essentially treason).

Earlier, in 1314, King Edward II had ordered that the Carmelites (otherwise known as the White Friars) should be allowed to seek refuge in the building, in return for his own safety following a defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn. The Carmelites disbanded following the Reformation, after which most of the Palace was dismantled, and the rest left in a ruinous state. The ruins of Beaumont Palace were still there until 1829, when the final remnants were demolished in order to create the modern layout of Beaumont Street.

The first picture below is courtesy of Wikipedia, and shows the ruins of the Palace in 1785. The second picture shows a drawing of the site circa 1800, also courtesy of Wikipedia.

EMLYN HOUSE, BICESTER

Emlyn House in Bicester (comprising of numbers 28 - 30 Sheep Street, I believe) was built circa the early to mid 18th century, and was altered/extended later on that same century.

Sadly, I cannot find much more information regarding this building... However, it would appear that in 1915, a Mrs W. T. Harris of Emlyn House donated to the Red Cross Hospital on nearby London Road.

(Image courtesy of British Listed Buildings).

BRILL WINDMILL (BRILL)

Believe it or not, the iconic Brill windmill (located just a few miles from Bicester, across the border in Buckinghamshire) dates back to 1668, making it one of the oldest existing windmills in the entire country!

It was renovated in 1951, but aside from occasional maintenance work over the years, little has changed. In 1967, the local council added structural steel framework, ensuring that it would last longer.

It is one of the earliest and best-preserved examples of what was known as a 'post mill' (a type of European windmill).

The windmill was last owned and used by the Pointer and Nixie/Nixey families, who also baked and sold bread from their homes in the village.

The first photograph was taken in 1936; the second was taken by me in 2020.

***EDIT*** I have just been reliably informed that there were once 3 windmills situated in Brill! I shall try to find out more about the other two!

BRILL TRAMWAY (BRILL)

The village of Brill used to have its own tramway, which was once the north-western terminus of the much more famous London Underground station!

After the 1868 completion of the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway, the Duke of Buckingham built the light railway in order to provide freight access by rail to his estates at Wotton Underwood, with an extension to Brill which provided access to the brickworks there.

The line was officially opened in 1871, and following much public demand, it was opened to passengers the following year.

Originally known as the 'Brill Tramway', the line's name soon changed to the 'Oxford and Aylesbury Tramroad'. A company was formed, who's job was to extend the line to Oxford; however, it was hindered by the expense of the cost of tunneling under Brill Hill, so this never happened. The line had been designed for use by horses, but the first trains used on it cruised at a rather slow maximum speed of 4mph!

The tramway remained in use up until 30th November 1935, when it was finally closed for good.

The photograph below was taken in around the late 1890's/early 1900's, and shows a train using the tramway. A map can also be viewed here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Tramway

SLADE FARM (BICESTER)

Slade Farm was built between 1698 and 1702, on an old drover's path which crossed what was then known as 'The Slade' (an old term meaning 'floodplain').

The original house was first occupied by the Foster family and was comprised of 8 bedrooms, servant's quarters and outside toilets. The entrance was situated roughly where the pedestrian crossing between what is now Southwold and Bure Park is today.

From 1904 until 1974, the farm was owned by a Mr Oliver Gilbey, who was a member of the well-known Gilbey's Gin family. The house became ruinous by the late 1970's/early 1980's, and a local builder called Mr Titchener was denied planning permission to build flats there, but demolished what was left of the house in 1988 regardless! The land was left to nature until 1991, when plans were first made to build what would eventually become known as the Bure Park estate.

A local schoolboy named Kevin Peake, along with several of his friends, fought valiantly to preserve the area, which they fondly referred to as their 'childhood adventure playground'; after a long battle, and aided by a local lady called Olive Moore, they managed to ensure that 30% of the land - along with its original hedgerows - were saved. This land eventually became Bure Park Nature Reserve. A line of lime trees has also been preserved, and they remain in the grounds of Bure Park Primary School to this day.

The first photograph shows the Slade Farmhouse, and the second features Oliver Gilbey.

MONK'S COTTAGE (ISLIP)

The postcard below features Monk's Cottage in the village of Islip.

This building was originally comprised of three seperate dwellings, and was built sometime around the 17th century.

It is now one private residence.

The house is apparently so-named due to an old local legend which claims that a chapel was built close to the current St Nicholas' Church, by the monks of Westminster Abbey, in honour of King Edward the Confessor (who was born in the village).

Time Team conducted excavations in and around the village in 2005, and unearthed the foundations of a huge manor house, dating back to the 14th century; sadly, no evidence of the chapel was ever found, although it is still possible that Islip had some monastic residents from time to time throughout its long history.

MURCOTT CHAPEL/MISSION ROOM (MURCOTT)

The 'Murcott Mission Room' was built in 1895, designed by a local Gothic Revival architect called A. Mardon Mowbray.

The church was built to serve the inhabitants of Murcott and Fencott, who would otherwise have to travel to St Mary's Church in Charlton-on-Otmoor.

An earlier church was also built in Murcott in 1847, but this time for Methodists. It could accommodate upto 50 people, and was built on the eastern edge of the hamlet, but was eventually closed sometime during the late 1900's.

Apparently, it was frequented by a local Methodist preacher called Peggy North, who lived opposite the site in Murcott House. When the Chapel closed, Methodist villagers came to an arrangement with the aforementioned 'Mission Room', whereby they could use the building for worship.

The first photograph shows the Mission Room, and was taken by me in 2021; the second is courtesy of Keith Guyler, and was taken in 1990.

CHARLTON WINDMILL (CHARLTON-ON-OTMOOR)

This photograph (taken circa 1900) shows the old windmill at Charlton-on-Otmoor, which was demolished in around 1905. The mound upon which it stood apparently still exists, probably somewhere close to the rather helpfully named street called Mill Lane in the village.

The name of the gentleman in the photograph is sadly unknown.

(Courtesy of Oxford Consultants).

THE HISTORY OF PEVENSEY HOUSE (BICESTER)

Pevensey House, Bicester, is now occupied by Alexander & Co. lettings agents; however, the building was built circa the late 18th to early 19th century. I'm unsure as to who it was named after, although I believe there was a Pevensey family living in the town at some point, so there may lie the connection!

In 1886, the following ad appeared in a local newspaper:

"PEVENSEY HOUSE, BICESTER - This desirable residence, situated in the principal street of Bicester (Sheep Street), TO BE LET, unfurnished, with immediate possession. It contains three reception rooms, six bedrooms, a dressing room, W.C, bath, excellent cellars, and all the necessary offices; good flower garden, tennis lawn, and two summer-houses; stabling for three horses, large coach-house, harness room, and side entrance to the yard."

It was probably a Mr T. Dickinson who responded to the ad, as he was mentioned as being the occupant of the house in 1888.

In June 1909, Miss Margaret Mary 'Madge' Campin - daughter of Mr John Campin of Pevensey House - married Mr Percy Truswell of Warwick; the long and detailed article published in the Bicester Herald alluded to the fact that this was very much a 'high society' wedding, uniting two young people from wealthy and influential families.

The reception was held at Pevensey House, and around sixty guests attended. After the bride and groom had left to begin their honeymoon in Ilfracombe, Devon, the real fun began: "In the evening, a dance was held at Pevensey House, and the terpsichorean art (humorous dancing) was indulged in with much spirit until 5am. During an interval, a champagne supper was served."

The following month, Mr John Campin and his newlywed daughter and son-in-law, Madge & Percy Truswell, invited around seventy elderly locals - many of whom were relying on the Bicester soup kitchen, which Madge helped to manage - to be fed, watered and entertained at Pevensey House. At the end of the evening, the grateful old folks sang 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow', before their hosts had the less-mobile among them driven home in a wagonette.

In more recent times, the building was occupied by Doctors Gordon Montgomery and John McLeod in the 1950's.

(Photograph courtesy of 'Yell').

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CAUSEWAY, BICESTER

Image below shows The Causeway, Bicester, looking towards the Market Square, circa 1890's (?). Printed on a postcard by a local store, Paragreen's. 

The layout of this ancient thoroughfare really hasn't changed all that much!

It's one of the oldest surviving streets in the town, dating back to at least medieval times. According to some 13th century charters, the original dwellings situated along The Causeway were mostly two stories high, and each had a cellar beneath.

Nowadays, the River Bure runs beneath the road; however, centuries ago, it was a ford! Sometime during the 19th century, the stream became foul, so a road was placed on top of it so that local residents didn't need to wade through the filthy water!

(Image courtesy of Pinterest).

THE HISTORY OF THE COTTAGE HOSPITAL, BICESTER

The Cottage Hospital's long history began in 1887, when the old Horse & Groom Pub - which once stood on Banbury Road - was converted into a nursing home.

In 1904, it was reported that "the nursing home is quite possibly one of the best institutions of Bicester, well worked and admirably managed. It has two very nice little wards with three beds, which can be had on a small weekly payment."

In 1908, the premises were sold to the Great Western Railway Company for the sum of £1,000; the company needed to demolish it in order to make way for the Embankment and bridge of the new railway line.

Using the money from the sale, as well as more contributed by the Earl of Jersey (who resided at Middleton Park, in Middleton Stoney), a brand new purpose-built hospital was constructed in King's End. The hospital leased land from the Coker family at £1 per annum.

The builder behind the project was Thomas Grimsley, of Grimsley & Sons in Bicester. The hospital underwent several alterations and extensions during the next few years.

In 1928, the hospital was registered as a nursing home, and ran as a cottage/maternity hospital. In 1958, an extension was built by Ron Price, with another being added in the 1970's. In 1981, physiotherapy and x-ray rooms were added.

Finally, in 2012, proposals were submitted to Cherwell District Council, outlining plans to demolish the hospital; these plans were approved. Although a new hospital was built close to the site, many locals feel that its nowhere near as good as the original!

(Image and info courtesy of Bicester Local History Society).

SHEEP STREET, BICESTER

Bicester's high street - now known as Sheep Street, due to the livestock fairs which were once held along it - was first built approximately 300 years ago, specifically for that purpose; however, it was reputedly originally called 'St John the Baptist Street'!

(Image below courtesy of Coles' Books).

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BICESTER AERODROME/RAF BICESTER

Bicester Aerodrome (formerly known as RAF Bicester) dates back to 1916. It was most notably the location of the maiden flight of the Handley Page Halifax aircraft, in 1939.

The airfield consists of 400 acres of well-drained short-mown grass, with three nominal runways (not marked), each 1,000m (3,281ft) long. The airfield surface is bumpy in places, due to collapsing field drains, requiring care on the part of pilots operating aircraft in those areas.

Flying first took place on the site as early as 1911, when a Bristol Boxkite Biplane was landed on the airfield by a Lieutenant H. R. P. Reynolds. Organised flights from Bicester began in 1916, when a training depot was established. The Royal Flying Corps began using the site as a base in January 1917.

Canvas-covered hangars were used until more substantial ones could be built.

In November 1918, No. 44 Training Station Depot arrived, followed in 1919 by 5 Squadron, flying Bristol F.2 Fighters returning from France, having flown in the First World War. All the squadrons disbanded by 1920, and the airfield was closed in 1920 after being used briefly as a clearing centre for repatriated soldiers.

In 1925, work began on redeveloping the site as a bomber station, and flying began again in January 1928. Various large RAF bombers operated from the field, including the Vickers Virginia. Other aircraft included Hawker Horsleys and, in 1935, Hawker Harts arrived. In November 1932, the only RAF squadron of Boulton Paul Sidestrands arrived, replaced by Overstrands in 1936.

Development of the station continued throughout this period, with many new buildings being erected. This included the construction of a connection from the nearby 'Varsity Line' railway to supply the airfield.

At the end of 1944, Bicester became a non-flying unit, used for maintenance, and later as a Motor Transport depot. In 1953, No. 71 Maintenance Unit arrived, that salvaged, repaired, and then transported damaged aircraft.

In 1956, Windrushers Gliding Club arrived, having moved from Little Rissington, and gliding began at the field. In 1963, the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association (RAFGSA) began using the site, eventually merging with Windrushers Gliding Club. Gliding has taken place at the airfield since 1956. In 1966, No. 1 LAA Squadron RAF Regiment arrived from RAAF Butterworth, Malaysia, along with No. 26 LAA Squadron RAF Regiment − from RAF Changi, Singapore.

In 1976, the RAF ceased to use the airfield as a military base, but still maintained staff there to run the gliding training operation as adventure training for servicemen. In the mid-1980s, the USAF briefly used the Technical and Domestic Area for storage. In 1982 the USAF created a wartime contingency hospital with 500 beds and all ancillary medical services using restored RAF World War II dormitories. There were between 12 and 20 USAF personnel stationed on site until the beginning of Operation Desert Storm, when they were augmented by 1200 USAF medical personnel from USAF medical Center, Wilford Hall, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The facility was used to treat minor physical injuries and possible PTSD patients. The unit was deactivated in 1992. Between 1979 and 1992, the RAFGSA Centre allowed US servicemen from RAF Upper Heyford to become members. US servicemen, from the US Armed Forces family housing next to the airfield in Bicester, learnt to fly at Bicester as a result.

In 1990, during Operation Desert Shield, the USAF deployed medical personnel to the site, and equipped a number of buildings in both the Technical and Domestic area as a hospital. This was done in anticipation of a large numbers of casualties that never materialized, during the 1991 First Persian Gulf War.

Much more info can be found here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicester_Airfield

(Image below courtesy of Museum Crush). 

17 MARKET SQUARE (BICESTER)

No.17 Market Square, Bicester, was originally built during the 17th century as a shop/dwelling house.

It was once owned by Mr Hugh Jagger - a veterinary surgeon, who also operated a blacksmith's forge on the site. The second photo below shows Mr Jagger's staff, stood outside the building. If you look closely, you can see the grill at the bottom behind the men on the right - an indication that large cellars existed underneath. You can also see the cobbled alley to the yard, through which the horses came and went. The man with the moustache may have been Mr Jagger himself.

(First image courtesy of Beautiful Bicester; second image courtesy of 'Bicester & Chesterton in Old Photographs').

THE HISTORY OF DEDDINGTON CASTLE (DEDDINGTON)

Prior to the Norman Conquest (1066), the Lord of the Manor was a Saxon called Brihtwine, who lived in a dwelling situated on or very close to the site which would later become Deddington Castle: a motte and bailey structure, commissioned by Odo of Bayeux.

During the 12th century, the Lord of the Manor of Deddington was William de Chesney, who also held the castle at that time. This was a very turbulent period in English history, and as a result of a family dispute between brothers King Richard and Prince John (which turned into a civil war), the castle was seized by the Crown.

The de Chesney family eventually regained possession of their former home during the following century; however, by 1310, there was very little of the structure left, aside from a chamber and dovecote. Stonework from the castle's walls was being sold off by 1377. Nowadays, the only remnants of Deddington Castle are a grassed in enclosure surrounded by banks and trees on three sides.

(Image below is taken from a report on archaeological excavations which took place at Deddington Castle - the full report can be downloaded here: https://www.deddingtonhistory.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/8023/Ivens-Castle-asummaryofexcavations.pdf).

THE HISTORY OF 24 MARKET SQUARE (BICESTER) 

24 Market Square, Bicester - Then & Now.

It was built circa the mid-18th century.

I am unsure as to the exact date of the first photo, but judging by the clothing of the unknown woman in the picture, I'd hazard a guess at approximately 1920 - 1940.

The premises were once owned by the Stuchfield family. 

First image source: Bicester Local History Society.

Second image source: British Listed Buildings.

UPDATE: The brilliant Julie Ann Godson has solved the mystery - see her post from earlier this year: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=321172453346291&id=100063606150922

THE REGAL CINEMA (LONDON ROAD, BICESTER)

The Regal Cinema in Bicester opened its doors on 1st September 1934, with the first film shown there being 'That's a Good Girl', featuring actor Jack Buchanan.

Its final screening was 'The Towering Inferno', starring Paul Newman, in December 1975. It was subsequently used as a bingo hall. The building was demolished in 1988, when it was replaced by a block of flats now known as Regal Court (on London Road).

Image source: Cinema Treasures.

YARNTON MANOR

Yarnton Manor is a Grade II listed Jacobean manor house, the foundations of which date from the time of the Norman Conquest, and possibly a little earlier.

The present-day building was constructed by Sir Thomas Spencer in 1611; the Spencers held the manor from 1580 - 1712. Notable celebrities who were known to frequent the house throughout its history include Poet Laureate John Betjeman, and novelist Iris Murdoch.

During the English Civil War, Yarnton Manor was used as a Royalist military hospital, due to the Spencer family being loyal supporters of the King. 40 soldiers died there between 1643 and 1645, and were subsequently buried in the adjacent St Bartholomew's churchyard.

The north and south wings were pulled down circa 1660, perhaps due to the Spencers suffering heavy financial losses following the Royalist's defeat. The west wing survived, but was converted into a farmhouse.

In 1718, the manor was described as being in a "ruinated condition"; it had been sold to Sir Robert Dashwood of Kirtlington several years earlier, who had neglected it, and taken stone from the building to be used in the construction of Kirtlington Park.

It wasn't until 1897 that the manor was fully restored by new owner Henry Robert Franklin, who enlisted the expertise of prominent Oxford architect Thomas Garner.

The image below shows the manor house, and is borrowed from the Yarnton Manor website.