Begbroke
Encyclopedia
Begbroke is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire
about 1 miles (1.6 km) west
of Kidlington
and 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Oxford
.
The toponym
"Begbroke" is Old English for "Little Brook". This refers to Rowel Brook which runs through the village and was the reason for its early settlement. Rowel Brook is a tributary of the River Cherwell
.
Fragments of early pottery have been found in the parish, as well as flints, scrapers, and an axe and arrow head. Aerial photographs show ancient crop marks.
The Church of England parish church
of Saint Michael
is a 12th century Norman
building.
The former Begbroke Hill Farm was built about 1620 and was owned by the Giffard and FitzHerbert families for nearly 500 years. It is now the site of the Oxford University Begbroke Science Park
(which, despite the name, is accessible only from the neighbouring village of Yarnton
and yet lies within the parish boundary of Begbroke). Land belonging to the farm is slated for an upmarket residential development.
Orchard House, next to St. Michael's church, also belonged to the FitzHerberts. More recently it was the home of science fiction author Brian Aldiss
.
Begbroke Manor House was built in about 1700. In the 19th century it became part of the Priory of St. Philip, which until 2000 was the novitiate
house for the Roman Catholic
Servite Friars
in England. It was then sold to a Church of England order of nuns. The brethren of the Servites were well known in the village and served as Air Raid Precautions
(ARP) wardens during World War II.
Begbroke Place was built in 1906. From 1940 it until 1984 the house was incorporated into the campus of St. Juliana's Convent School, an independent girls' school run by the sisters of the Servite Order.
Commuter homes were built in the village beginning in the 1930s, mainly on the east side of the Oxford-Woodstock Road.
Begbroke also has the 17th century Royal Sun Inn, Hall Farm, a village shop and a modern village hall with cricket and bowling greens.
Begbroke is the headquarters of Solid State Logic
, the world's largest manufacturer of professional analogue and digital audio consoles for music, broadcast, post production and film. It was this company that bought the convent and convent school buildings.
Begbroke Wood is home to muntjac deer that escaped from nearby Blenheim Park. The village has footpaths leading to Bladon, where Winston Churchill
is buried at St. Martin's parish church, as well as Kidlington and other surrounding villages.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
about 1 miles (1.6 km) west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
of Kidlington
Kidlington
Kidlington is a large village and civil parish between the River Cherwell and the Oxford Canal, north of Oxford and southwest of Bicester.-History:...
and 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
The toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
"Begbroke" is Old English for "Little Brook". This refers to Rowel Brook which runs through the village and was the reason for its early settlement. Rowel Brook is a tributary of the River Cherwell
River Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the Midlands of England. It is a major tributary of the River Thames.The general course of the River Cherwell is north to south and the 'straight-line' distance from its source to the Thames is about...
.
Fragments of early pottery have been found in the parish, as well as flints, scrapers, and an axe and arrow head. Aerial photographs show ancient crop marks.
The 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 Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
is a 12th century 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...
building.
The former Begbroke Hill Farm was built about 1620 and was owned by the Giffard and FitzHerbert families for nearly 500 years. It is now the site of the Oxford University Begbroke Science Park
Begbroke Science Park
Begbroke Science Park is a science park located five miles north of Oxford, England. It is owned and managed by Oxford University. It lies within the parish of Begbroke, although it is only accessible from the village of Yarnton on the A44....
(which, despite the name, is accessible only from the neighbouring village of Yarnton
Yarnton
Yarnton is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about southwest of Kidlington and northwest of Oxford and southeast of Woodstock.-Archaeology:Early Bronze Age decorated beakers have been found in the parish...
and yet lies within the parish boundary of Begbroke). Land belonging to the farm is slated for an upmarket residential development.
Orchard House, next to St. Michael's church, also belonged to the FitzHerberts. More recently it was the home of science fiction author Brian Aldiss
Brian Aldiss
Brian Wilson Aldiss, OBE is an English author of both general fiction and science fiction. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss. Greatly influenced by science fiction pioneer H. G. Wells, Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society...
.
Begbroke Manor House was built in about 1700. In the 19th century it became part of the Priory of St. Philip, which until 2000 was the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
house for the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Servite Friars
Servite Order
The Servite Order is one of the five original Catholic mendicant orders. Its objects are the sanctification of its members, preaching the Gospel, and the propagation of devotion to the Mother of God, with special reference to her sorrows. The members of the Order use O.S.M. as their post-nominal...
in England. It was then sold to a Church of England order of nuns. The brethren of the Servites were well known in the village and served as Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
(ARP) wardens during World War II.
Begbroke Place was built in 1906. From 1940 it until 1984 the house was incorporated into the campus of St. Juliana's Convent School, an independent girls' school run by the sisters of the Servite Order.
Commuter homes were built in the village beginning in the 1930s, mainly on the east side of the Oxford-Woodstock Road.
Begbroke also has the 17th century Royal Sun Inn, Hall Farm, a village shop and a modern village hall with cricket and bowling greens.
Begbroke is the headquarters of Solid State Logic
Solid State Logic
Solid State Logic is a manufacturer of high-end mixing consoles and recording studio hardware headquartered in Begbroke, Oxfordshire, UK.- Company information :...
, the world's largest manufacturer of professional analogue and digital audio consoles for music, broadcast, post production and film. It was this company that bought the convent and convent school buildings.
Begbroke Wood is home to muntjac deer that escaped from nearby Blenheim Park. The village has footpaths leading to Bladon, where Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
is buried at St. Martin's parish church, as well as Kidlington and other surrounding villages.