The hamlet of Poundon lies roughly 4 miles from Bicester, just over the county border in Buckinghamshire. Its name is Anglo-Saxon in origin, although its definitive meaning is uncertain; my most plausible theory is that it was derived from the Old English words 'pound' (meaning 'enclosure place for animals'), and 'don' (meaning 'hill')... But I could be wrong!

Historically, the village was part of the 'Parish of Twyford with Charndon and Poundon', which consisted of approximately 4,458 acres. During the 14th century, Poundon was recorded as 'Powendone'.

Prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066, a Saxon countess called Goda held the manor of Twyford, including the tiny neighbouring settlement of Poundon.

According to the Certificate of Musters, 1534 - 1545:

"Able men of Poundon wit bylles:
Roberte Horwodd
John Smyth
John Jakeman
William Howse
John Ledebroke
Henry Heryng
Henry Bowry
Walter Wyse."

Musters were essentially surveys, ordered by Cardinal Wolsey, for the purpose of future taxation. These surveys were carried out by Petty Constables, and people's names were included only if they held land, possessed goods to the value of at least £1, or were fit and able to wield a bill (a type of agricultural tool, commonly used as a weapon) or fire arrows from a bow; this was worth knowing, as one never knew when they might require the men of England to fight in battle!

I have been unable to pin down precisely when the village's only public house - The Sow & Pigs - was built; however, I do know that it was mentioned as early as 1866, and that one former landlord was Mr Fred Thorpe (who lived there during the 1920's, up until his death in 1933), and his wife Bertha Thorpe (née Allen).

The couple's son, Bernard, was born at The Sow & Pigs, and lived in the village all his life. As a young man, he would cycle from Poundon to nearby Twyford in all weathers, in order to get to his job working on the railways.

The biggest building in the village is Poundon House; this opulent residence was built in 1908 by Colonel John Heyward Lonsdale, who married a woman whose surname was Parker-Bowles (perhaps a relative of Camilla Parker-Bowles? I shall have to do a bit more digging in order to verify this!).

The house was constructed using sandstone sourced from a quarry at Eydon, near Banbury, and transported to Marsh Gibbon via train, before being hauled to Poundon by teams of horses.

(Images are courtesy of 'Twystory'; the two girls in the first photo - taken circa 1932 - are believed to have been Bertha Thorpe and her niece, Edna Allen. The second photo shows the pub as it is today.)

For more info regarding muster certificates: http://www.winslow-history.org.uk/winslow_musters1522.shtm