Ascott-under-Wychwood
Encyclopedia
Ascott-under-Wychwood is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode
valley about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.
The village is one of several named after the historic forest of Wychwood
; the others being Shipton-under-Wychwood
and Milton-under-Wychwood
.
Ascot d'Oilly Castle
was built in about 1129-1150, and stone tower was added to it in the 13th century. The castle bailey
is now occupied by the manor house, which is mainly 16th and 17th century but contains somce 13th century buttressed and other stonework.
Holy Trinity Church of England parish church
was built in about 1200 and remodelled in the 14th century. The upper stages of the bell tower
were built in the 15th century. The tower has a peal
of six bells. In 2001 the Church of England Benefice of Ascott-under-Wychwood, Chadlington
and Spelsbury
merged with that of Enstone and Heythrop
to form the Chase Benefice.
The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
was built in 1845 and opened Ascott-under-Wychwood railway station
to serve the village. The OW&WR is now the Cotswold Line
and the station is served by First Great Western
trains.
The village school was designed by architect C.C. Rolfe and built in 1871.
In 1873 a farmer dismissed several men of Ascott-under-Wychwood because they had formed a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers. He hired labourers from the village of Ramsden
to work as strikebreakers but a group of women from Ascott-under-Wychwood tried to dissuade the Ramsden labourers from working. Sixteen of the women were arrested, tried by magistrates in Chipping Norton
and given short sentences of imprisonment in Oxford Castle
. Their convictions were met with rioting in Chipping Norton, questions in Parliament
and a royal pardon from Queen Victoria
. The 16 are commemorated as the Ascott Martyrs
. In 1874 at least four of the women emigrated with their families to New Zealand
, where they now have numerous descendants. In 1973 on the centenary of the women's ordeal a commemorative bench was erected in the village.
, the Swan. As from July 2010 the Swan has been closed.
Ascott-under-Wychwood has a community shop, opened in 2003.
River Evenlode
The River Evenlode is a river in England which is a tributary of the Thames in Oxfordshire. It rises near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire in the Cotswold Hills and flows south-east passing near Stow-on-the-Wold, Charlbury, Bladon, and Cassington, and its valley provides the route of the southern...
valley about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.
History
Wychwood
The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire. In past centuries the forest covered a much larger area, since cleared in favour of agriculture, villages and towns. However, the forest's area has fluctuated...
; the others being Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton under Wychwood is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode valley about north of Burford, Oxfordshire. The village is one of several named after the ancient forest of Wychwood. The others are Milton-under-Wychwood immediately to the west of the village and Ascott-under-Wychwood about to...
and Milton-under-Wychwood
Milton-under-Wychwood
Milton-under-Wychwood is a village and civil parish about north of Burford, Oxfordshire, just off the A361 road between Burford and Chipping Norton.-History:The village is one of three named after the ancient forest of Wychwood...
.
Ascot d'Oilly Castle
Ascot d'Oilly Castle
Ascot d'Oilly Castle is situated north of the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire. It is a scheduled ancient monument. A fragment of the castle remains and is a Grade II listed building...
was built in about 1129-1150, and stone tower was added to it in the 13th century. The castle bailey
Ward (fortification)
In fortifications, a bailey or ward refers to a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a Motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one ward. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology...
is now occupied by the manor house, which is mainly 16th and 17th century but contains somce 13th century buttressed and other stonework.
Holy Trinity 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:...
was built in about 1200 and remodelled in the 14th century. The upper stages of the bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
were built in the 15th century. The tower has a peal
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of six bells. In 2001 the Church of England Benefice of Ascott-under-Wychwood, Chadlington
Chadlington
Chadlington is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode Valley about south of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England. The village comprises five "ends" - almost individual hamlets in their own right - called Greenend, Brookend, Westend, Millend, and Eastend....
and Spelsbury
Spelsbury
Spelsbury is a village and civil parish about north of Charlbury and about southeast of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. Spelsbury stands on a narrow hill between the Coldron and Taston brooks overlooking the River Evenlode and the ancient Wychwood Forest to the north.-History:The toponym is...
merged with that of Enstone and Heythrop
Heythrop
Heythrop is a village and civil parish just over east of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Dunthrop.Heythrop had a Norman parish church of Saint Nicholas, but the nave has been demolished and only the chancel has been preserved as a mortuary chapel...
to form the Chase Benefice.
The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton railway was a company authorised on 4 August 1845 to construct a railway line from the Oxford and Rugby Railway at Wolvercot Junction to Worcester, Stourbridge, Dudley, and Wolverhampton, with a branch to the Grand Junction Railway at Bushbury...
was built in 1845 and opened Ascott-under-Wychwood railway station
Ascott-under-Wychwood railway station
Ascott-under-Wychwood railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England. It is on the Cotswold Line...
to serve the village. The OW&WR is now the Cotswold Line
Cotswold Line
The Cotswold Line is an railway line between and in England.-Route:The line comprises all or part of the following Network Rail routes:*GW 200 from Oxford*GW 310 from Wolvercot Junction*GW 300 from Norton Junction*GW 340 from Worcester Shrub Hill...
and the station is served by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
trains.
The village school was designed by architect C.C. Rolfe and built in 1871.
In 1873 a farmer dismissed several men of Ascott-under-Wychwood because they had formed a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers. He hired labourers from the village of Ramsden
Ramsden, Oxfordshire
Ramsden is a village and civil parish about north of Witney in West Oxfordshire.-History:The course of Akeman Street Roman Road linking Cirencester with London passes through the parish, bisecting the village. It is now part of the Wychwood Way long distance path...
to work as strikebreakers but a group of women from Ascott-under-Wychwood tried to dissuade the Ramsden labourers from working. Sixteen of the women were arrested, tried by magistrates in Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton is a market town in the Cotswold Hills in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England, about southwest of Banbury.-History until the 17th century:...
and given short sentences of imprisonment in Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined Norman medieval castle situated on the west edge of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. The original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced with stone in the 11th century and played an important role in the conflict of the Anarchy...
. Their convictions were met with rioting in Chipping Norton, questions in Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and a royal pardon from Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. The 16 are commemorated as the Ascott Martyrs
Ascott Martyrs
The Ascott Martyrs were 16 women from the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England who were imprisoned in 1873 for their role in founding a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers...
. In 1874 at least four of the women emigrated with their families to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where they now have numerous descendants. In 1973 on the centenary of the women's ordeal a commemorative bench was erected in the village.
Amenities
Ascott-under-Wychwood has a public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, the Swan. As from July 2010 the Swan has been closed.
Ascott-under-Wychwood has a community shop, opened in 2003.