Buckland, Oxfordshire
Encyclopedia
Buckland is a village and civil parish about 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Faringdon
in the Vale of White Horse
District. Buckland was part of Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred it to Oxfordshire.
The River Thames
forms the northern boundary of the parish, just over 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the village. The parish church of St. Mary the Virgin is at and Buckland House at .
The soil of Buckland is a rich, sandy loam
with the subsoil
consisting of Corallian Beds and Oxford Clay
.
The history of Buckland is inextricably linked with that of the manor
of Buckland and its owners:
For the later history of the manor, see Buckland House
.
and the manor house
of Buckland. It is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture erected by John Wood, the Younger
for Sir Robert Throckmorton
in 1757.
of Buckland until Buckland House
was built in 1757 and it was converted into stables. However, in the mid-20th century, the building again became a private house. It was built late in the 16th century and is a two storey eastward facing rectangular block, refaced in Georgian
Gothic Revival
style.
Barcote Manor or Park is a Tudor Revival house built in 1876 for Lady Theodora Guest. She sold it to the millionaire, William West, Director of the Great Western Railway
, in 1881. It later became a boarding school, the Barcote School of Coaching, and has now been converted into flats. A previous building on the site was the home of the Holcott family from 1230 to 1586.
Carswell House is a gabled building originally built by John Southby, both JP and MP for Berkshire, in the early 17th century. Major additions were added in the Victorian period. The Southbys lived on the site from 1584 to 1892.
of Saint Mary the Virgin
is largely a 12th century building, with 13th century chancel, tower and transepts and some minor Victorian additions. The main north and south nave doors are unusual in having a matching pair of Norman
arches. In the chancel is a triangular locker containg the heart-burial
(1575) of William Holcott of Barcote Manor. He was a staunch Protestant who only just avoided being burnt at the stake by Mary Tudor
. After the Reformation, he became a zealous lay preacher, often gracing the pulpit in his "velvet bonnet and damask gown...sometimes with a gold chain". There is a number of 14th century tomb recesses
, an inscribed slab with a floriated cross to Dame Felice la Blonde and a number of monuments
to the Yates of Buckland Manor, including the brass
of John Yate (1578). The church also houses a 14th century octagonal font, a late 12th century Crusader Chest, hatchment
s to the Throckmortons and bells dating back to 1636. The magnificent Barcote Chapel is famed for its decorative mosaic work (1890–92) to the memory of Clara Jane, wife of William West, of Barcote Manor.
Saint George
's Roman Catholic Church is Victorian, built in a 14th century style
for the Throckmortons of Buckland House. It consists of a chancel, north chapel, nave, south porch and western bellcote.
and others to give an insight into Buckland in the 19th and 20th centuries. The information quoted is for the civil parish of Buckland as defined at each time period.
The earliest published figure for the population of Buckland is from 1801 (although it is recorded in the 1851 census) at 727 people. The population steadily increased and by 1851, there are 987 people living in Buckland. From here is begins a steady decline and after a further 50 years in 1901, the Buckland population is down to 665 people. It varies a little over the next fifty years but by 1951 is down to 636 people. By 1971, 597 people are recorded in Buckland compared to the 553 recorded in the 2001 census.
In a census taken in 1831, 70.7% of the male Buckland population over 20 were working as labourers and servants. 13.3% of people were small farmers, master and skilled workers. 10.8% were employers and professionals. A more detailed breakdown shows that 54.4% of people were employed as agricultural labourers, 12.9% in retail and handicrafts as well as 8.8% as servants. (Base 249 males aged 20+)
recorded 553 people in Buckland civil parish, of whom 292 lived in the village itself.
, Poet Laureate
to George III
, wrote the poem Faringdon Hill. Part of it refers to Buckland:
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
in the Vale of White Horse
Vale of White Horse
The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
District. Buckland was part of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
until the 1974 boundary changes
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
transferred it to Oxfordshire.
Character and geography
Buckland is an estate village, created to house those working at Buckland House.The River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
forms the northern boundary of the parish, just over 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the village. The parish church of St. Mary the Virgin is at and Buckland House at .
The soil of Buckland is a rich, sandy loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
with the subsoil
Subsoil
Subsoil, or substrata, is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. The subsoil may include substances such as clay and/or sand that has only been partially broken down by air, sunlight, water, wind etc., to produce true soil...
consisting of Corallian Beds and Oxford Clay
Oxford Clay
The Oxford Clay Formation is a Jurassic marine sedimentary rock formation underlying much of southeast England, from as far west as Dorset and as far north as Yorkshire. The Oxford Clay is of middle Callovian to lower Oxfordian age and comprises 2 main facies. The lower facies comprises the...
.
History
Early spellings of Buckland included:- Boclande (10th century)
- Bocheland (11th century)
- Bochelanda (12th century)
- Boclonde, Bokeland, Bikeland (13th century)
The history of Buckland is inextricably linked with that of the manor
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...
of Buckland and its owners:
- The earliest known written record of Buckland is from AD 957 in a charterCharterA charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
when King Edgar the Peaceful granted Duke Ælfheah ten hideHide (unit)The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s which covered the area of Buckland. - During the reign of Edward the ConfessorEdward the ConfessorEdward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
(1042–1066), Buckland was held by Ulvric Chenp. - It is listed in the Domesday BookDomesday BookDomesday 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...
as part of the lands of Bishop OsbernOsbern FitzOsbern- Life :FitzOsbern was a relative of King Edward the Confessor as well as being a royal chaplain. During Edward's reign he received the church at Bosham, near Chichester. He was one of those present at the consecration of Westminster Abbey at Christmas 1065. He was a steward for King William I of...
of Gamesfel Hundret (known as Gainfield today) in 1086. However, his right was not established and the case had already been sent before the king, William the ConquerorWilliam I of EnglandWilliam I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
. The estate was assessed as eight hides and consisted of a mill, four fisheriesFisheryGenerally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
and a dairy farm producing 10 wheyWheyWhey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...
s of cheese a year. Its value was given as £8. - Hugh de Buckland is recorded as the next owner and occupier of the land as well as another estate in Buckland.
- At the end of the twelfth century, William de Buckland (probably the great-grandson of Hugh de Buckland) had ownership of the land. He died about 1215.
- William de Buckland left three daughters as his heirs - Maud Davranches, Hawise de Boville and Joan de Ferrers. When he died, the estate went to Maud, wife of William Davranches.
- In 1230 Maud's husband died. She married Hamo de Crevequer who accordingly attained ownership of the estate. In 1245, they gave the manor to their daughter Agnes and any future heirs.
- When Hamo de Crevequer died in 1262 leaving Maud and their daughters Agnes, Elenanor, Isabel and Iseult. Buckland was assigned to Iseult, the wife of Nicholas de Lenham.
- Iseult died shortly after her father's death. She and Nicholas left a son, John, aged 12. In 1263, wardship of Buckland was given to Eubold de Montibus who in turn have the manor to Philip Bassett until John came of age. In 1267 John de Lenham took pessession of the manor.
- Prior to 1545, Buckland was held by the De La Poles, Dukes of Suffolk.
- In 1545 the manor of Buckland passed to the Yate family.
- In 1690 it was passed by marriage to the Throckmortons of Coughton CourtCoughton CourtCoughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
in WarwickshireWarwickshireWarwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. They went on to build much of the current estate. - In the mid 1750s, Sir Robert Throckmorton had a new house built, Buckland HouseBuckland HouseBuckland House is a large Georgian stately home and the manor house of Buckland in the Oxfordshire, England . It is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture erected by John Wood, the Younger for Sir Robert Throckmorton in 1757....
. The old manor house became his stables.
For the later history of the manor, see Buckland House
Buckland House
Buckland House is a large Georgian stately home and the manor house of Buckland in the Oxfordshire, England . It is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture erected by John Wood, the Younger for Sir Robert Throckmorton in 1757....
.
Buckland House
Buckland House is a large Georgian stately homeStately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
and the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of Buckland. It is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture erected by John Wood, the Younger
John Wood, the Younger
John Wood, the Younger was an English architect, working principally in the city of Bath, Somerset. He began his work as an assistant for his father, the architect John Wood, the Elder...
for Sir Robert Throckmorton
Robert Throckmorton
Sir Robert Throckmorton of Coughton Court, MP, KG was a distinguished English Tudor courtier.-Overview:...
in 1757.
Other manor houses
Buckland Manor House was the manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of Buckland until Buckland House
Buckland House
Buckland House is a large Georgian stately home and the manor house of Buckland in the Oxfordshire, England . It is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture erected by John Wood, the Younger for Sir Robert Throckmorton in 1757....
was built in 1757 and it was converted into stables. However, in the mid-20th century, the building again became a private house. It was built late in the 16th century and is a two storey eastward facing rectangular block, refaced in Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style.
Barcote Manor or Park is a Tudor Revival house built in 1876 for Lady Theodora Guest. She sold it to the millionaire, William West, Director of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, in 1881. It later became a boarding school, the Barcote School of Coaching, and has now been converted into flats. A previous building on the site was the home of the Holcott family from 1230 to 1586.
Carswell House is a gabled building originally built by John Southby, both JP and MP for Berkshire, in the early 17th century. Major additions were added in the Victorian period. The Southbys lived on the site from 1584 to 1892.
Churches
The Church of England parish churchChurch 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 the Virgin
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...
is largely a 12th century building, with 13th century chancel, tower and transepts and some minor Victorian additions. The main north and south nave doors are unusual in having a matching pair of 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...
arches. In the chancel is a triangular locker containg the heart-burial
Heart-burial
Heart-burial is a type of burial in which the heart is interred apart from the body. This is a very ancient practice, and the special reverence shown towards the heart is doubtless due to its early association with the soul, affections, courage and conscience of man.In medieval Europe heart-burial...
(1575) of William Holcott of Barcote Manor. He was a staunch Protestant who only just avoided being burnt at the stake by Mary Tudor
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
. After the Reformation, he became a zealous lay preacher, often gracing the pulpit in his "velvet bonnet and damask gown...sometimes with a gold chain". There is a number of 14th century tomb recesses
Church monument
A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a dead person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms, from a simple wall tablet to a large and elaborate structure which may include an effigy of the deceased person and other figures of familial or...
, an inscribed slab with a floriated cross to Dame Felice la Blonde and a number of monuments
Church monument
A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a dead person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms, from a simple wall tablet to a large and elaborate structure which may include an effigy of the deceased person and other figures of familial or...
to the Yates of Buckland Manor, including the brass
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
of John Yate (1578). The church also houses a 14th century octagonal font, a late 12th century Crusader Chest, hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s to the Throckmortons and bells dating back to 1636. The magnificent Barcote Chapel is famed for its decorative mosaic work (1890–92) to the memory of Clara Jane, wife of William West, of Barcote Manor.
Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
's Roman Catholic Church is Victorian, built in a 14th century style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
for the Throckmortons of Buckland House. It consists of a chancel, north chapel, nave, south porch and western bellcote.
Others
- Old post office - Buckland previously had a post office reporting to Faringdon. A photograph sold by a commercial web site shows the post office in existence in 1965. Today, the building is used as a private residence known as the Old Post House.
- Draper's shop - The former Draper's shop, built in the 18th century, is now a house known as Hedges.
- Buckland School - In 1793 Henry Southby of Carswell House founded a free school for boys and girls in Buckland. Others helped provided additional funds to the school and in 1868 it had an income of £60 per annum, £40 from Henry Southby and £20 from other charities.
- Lamb Inn - The main building of The Lamb Inn dates from the 17th or 18th century although the restaurant was added towards the end of the twentieth century. As of 2008, the Lamb Inn is owned by Peta and Paul Barnard who previously owned The PloughPloughThe plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
at Clanfield (the winner of a Michelin star).
- AlmshouseAlmshouseAlmshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
- In 1240 an almshouse was founded and stood in a place now called Warnfords.
19th and 20th century
Various sources have been collated by the University of PortsmouthUniversity of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
and others to give an insight into Buckland in the 19th and 20th centuries. The information quoted is for the civil parish of Buckland as defined at each time period.
The earliest published figure for the population of Buckland is from 1801 (although it is recorded in the 1851 census) at 727 people. The population steadily increased and by 1851, there are 987 people living in Buckland. From here is begins a steady decline and after a further 50 years in 1901, the Buckland population is down to 665 people. It varies a little over the next fifty years but by 1951 is down to 636 people. By 1971, 597 people are recorded in Buckland compared to the 553 recorded in the 2001 census.
In a census taken in 1831, 70.7% of the male Buckland population over 20 were working as labourers and servants. 13.3% of people were small farmers, master and skilled workers. 10.8% were employers and professionals. A more detailed breakdown shows that 54.4% of people were employed as agricultural labourers, 12.9% in retail and handicrafts as well as 8.8% as servants. (Base 249 males aged 20+)
21st century
The United Kingdom Census 2001United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
recorded 553 people in Buckland civil parish, of whom 292 lived in the village itself.
Literature
In 1774 Henry James PyeHenry James Pye
Henry James Pye was an English poet. Pye was Poet Laureate from 1790 until his death. He was the first poet laureate to receive a fixed salary of £27 instead of the historic tierce of Canary wine Henry James Pye (20 February 1745 – 11 August 1813) was an English poet. Pye was Poet Laureate...
, Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, also referred to as the Poet Laureate, is the Poet Laureate appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Prime Minister...
to George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, wrote the poem Faringdon Hill. Part of it refers to Buckland:
See Buckland here her lovely scenes display,
which rude erewhile in rich disorder lay
til Taste and Genius with corrective hand
spread Culture's nicest vesture o'er the land,
and called each latent beauty to the fight;
clothed the declining slopes with pendant wood,
and o'er the sedge grown meadows poured the floor.
External links
- The Church of St.Mary The Virgin The United Benefice of Cherbury with Gainfield
- The Lamb At Buckland
- The Dovecote