Adwell
Encyclopedia
Adwell is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Thame
in South Oxfordshire
. The parish covers 434 acres (1.8 km²) and the village has 9 homes.
burial mound
. Iron Age
pottery has been found nearby. Formerly the Cop was erroneously attributed to the Danes who were in Oxfordshire in 1010.
In 1086 the Domesday Book
recorded the village as Advelle.
The original parish church
is believed to have been built late in the 12th century, although the earliest documentation of it is dated 1254. It had only a nave
and chancel
. The latter may have been enlarged in the 13th century, judging by its east window which was in the early Decorated style. In the 14th century new windows were inserted in the nave and a new west door was added. In 1553 the building was recorded as having a bell-cot
with two bells. All of the walls were repaired around 1800, but by the early 1860s the building was found to be too weak to be restored.
The old church building was demolished and in 1865 it was replaced with a new Church of England parish church
of Saint Mary
designed by the Gothic Revival architect
Arthur Blomfield
. Blomfield's design replicated the early Decorated style, but the new building retained the south doorway of the old church, which is in the transitional style between Norman
and Early English. The new church also retains the memorials from inside the old one, including a stone effigy of a knight from about 1300. The new building has no aisles, but has north and south chapel
s arranged as transept
s either side of the chancel. There is no tower, but a bell-cot with one bell. The bell dates from about 1350 and so may be from the old church building.
The manor house
is Adwell House. There had been a 17th-century house on ths site, but it was rebuilt in either the late 18th or early 19th century. Early in the 19th century the manor was inherited by John H. Birch, who took the name Newell Birch as a condition of the legacy. He left the house to his nephew Henry Birch Reynardson, in whose family the house has remained. In the 20th century three generations of Birch Reynardson served as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire: W.J.B. Birch Reynardson in 1913, Lieutenant-Colonel H.T.B. Birch Reynardson C.M.G.
in 1958 and W.R.A.B. Birch Reynardson in 1974.
Thame
Thame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
in South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
. The parish covers 434 acres (1.8 km²) and the village has 9 homes.
History
Adwell Cop, 0.5 miles (804.7 m) southeast of the village, is a hill 148 metres high crowned with a Bronze AgeBronze Age Britain
Bronze Age Britain refers to the period of British history that spanned from c. 2,500 until c. 800 BC. Lasting for approximately 1700 years, it was preceded by the era of Neolithic Britain and was in turn followed by the era of Iron Age Britain...
burial mound
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
. Iron Age
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron-Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ireland, and which had an independent Iron Age culture of...
pottery has been found nearby. Formerly the Cop was erroneously attributed to the Danes who were in Oxfordshire in 1010.
In 1086 the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
recorded the village as Advelle.
The original parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
is believed to have been built late in the 12th century, although the earliest documentation of it is dated 1254. It had only a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. The latter may have been enlarged in the 13th century, judging by its east window which was in the early Decorated style. In the 14th century new windows were inserted in the nave and a new west door was added. In 1553 the building was recorded as having a bell-cot
Bell-Cot
A bell-cot, bell-cote or bellcote, is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells, supported on brackets projecting from a wall or built on the roof of chapels or churches which have no towers. It often holds the Sanctus bell rung at the Consecration....
with two bells. All of the walls were repaired around 1800, but by the early 1860s the building was found to be too weak to be restored.
The old church building was demolished and in 1865 it was replaced with a new Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
designed by the Gothic Revival architect
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Arthur Blomfield
Arthur Blomfield
Sir Arthur William Blomfield was an English architect.-Background:The fourth son of Charles James Blomfield, an Anglican Bishop of London helpfully began a programme of new church construction in the capital. Born in Fulham Palace, Arthur Blomfield was educated at Rugby and Trinity College,...
. Blomfield's design replicated the early Decorated style, but the new building retained the south doorway of the old church, which is in the transitional style between Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and Early English. The new church also retains the memorials from inside the old one, including a stone effigy of a knight from about 1300. The new building has no aisles, but has north and south chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s arranged as transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s either side of the chancel. There is no tower, but a bell-cot with one bell. The bell dates from about 1350 and so may be from the old church building.
The manor house
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
is Adwell House. There had been a 17th-century house on ths site, but it was rebuilt in either the late 18th or early 19th century. Early in the 19th century the manor was inherited by John H. Birch, who took the name Newell Birch as a condition of the legacy. He left the house to his nephew Henry Birch Reynardson, in whose family the house has remained. In the 20th century three generations of Birch Reynardson served as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire: W.J.B. Birch Reynardson in 1913, Lieutenant-Colonel H.T.B. Birch Reynardson C.M.G.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1958 and W.R.A.B. Birch Reynardson in 1974.