Chimney, Oxfordshire
Encyclopedia
Chimney is a hamlet
on the River Thames
near Shifford Lock
, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Witney
in Oxfordshire
. It is part of the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney.
Chimney Meadows 620 acres (250.9 ha) is the largest nature reserve
managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
.
is derived Old English, meaning "Island of a man named Ceomma". A large Anglo-Saxon
cemetery, in use from the mid 10th century to the mid 11th century, has been found west of Chimney Farm. Chimney has been a small settlement since then. There were about 18 households in the 13th century, and the population reached a peak of 46 in 1821. In 1931, the last year for which separate figures are available, the population was 24.
Until the 19th century Chimney was a township in the parish of Bampton
. It was made a separate civil parish in 1866. In 1931 the parish was united with Aston
and Cote
to form Aston Bampton, which was united with Shifford
in 1954 to form the parish of Aston Bampton and Shifford
, later renamed Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on 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,...
near Shifford Lock
Shifford Lock
Shifford Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England. It is in the centre of a triangle formed by the small villages of Shifford, Duxford and Chimney in Oxfordshire. It is at the start of a navigation cut built with the lock by the Thames Conservancy in 1898...
, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Witney
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. It is part of the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney.
Chimney Meadows 620 acres (250.9 ha) is the largest nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in England....
.
History
Chimney's toponymToponymy
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...
is derived Old English, meaning "Island of a man named Ceomma". A large Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
cemetery, in use from the mid 10th century to the mid 11th century, has been found west of Chimney Farm. Chimney has been a small settlement since then. There were about 18 households in the 13th century, and the population reached a peak of 46 in 1821. In 1931, the last year for which separate figures are available, the population was 24.
Until the 19th century Chimney was a township in the parish of Bampton
Bampton, Oxfordshire
Bampton, also called Bampton-in-the-Bush, is a village and civil parish in the Thames Valley about southwest of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Weald....
. It was made a separate civil parish in 1866. In 1931 the parish was united with Aston
Aston, Oxfordshire
Aston is a village about south of Witney in West Oxfordshire, England. It is also 3.3 Miles from Ducklington. The village is part of the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney. The southern boundary of the parish is the River Thames.-History:Until the 19th century Aston was a township...
and Cote
Cote, Oxfordshire
Cote is a hamlet about south of Witney and north of the River Thames in West Oxfordshire, England. Cote is part of the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney...
to form Aston Bampton, which was united with Shifford
Shifford
Shifford is a hamlet in the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney in Oxfordshire, England. It is on the north bank of the River Thames about south of Witney.-History:...
in 1954 to form the parish of Aston Bampton and Shifford
Shifford
Shifford is a hamlet in the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney in Oxfordshire, England. It is on the north bank of the River Thames about south of Witney.-History:...
, later renamed Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney.