Situated near Bicester, Souldern was originally known as 'Sulthorn', meaning 'thorn-bush in a gully'.

An ancient highway known as 'Ave's Ditch' ran through the parish, later linking with the Roman Road further south. Thanks to the Normans purposely placing the nearby Anyho Estate across the road (thereby forcing travellers to make a detour around its eastern boundary), people rarely passed through the village unless they actually intended to go there!

In 1316, the hamlet consisted of a few hovels, made from local stone and with thatched rooves, encircling the pond. The main street was the one leading to the church, and the original manor house was perched atop a hill overlooking the church.

Souldern was an important Roman Catholic stronghold during the 1570's, and during the English Civil War, the people of the village sent provisions to the King, who was in Oxford at that time.

In 1790, when the Oxford Canal was completed, a coal and fuel depot was established nearby, known as Souldern Wharf.

Several long-established surnames in the village are: Lake, Coleman, Finch, Sweetman, Bates, Jarvis, Westbury and Hitchman.

More information can be found on the village's website: http://www.souldern.org/history/