Clifton Hampden
Encyclopedia
Clifton Hampden is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Thames
, just over 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Abingdon
in Oxfordshire
. Since 1932 the civil parish has included the village of Burcot, 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Clifton Hampden.
was originally simply "Clifton", meaning "tun on a cliff" in Old English. There is no documentation for the "Hampden" part of the name from before 1726.
In the Anglo-Saxon era
Clifton belonged to the Bishop of Dorchester. After the Norman conquest of England
William the Conqueror
transferred the see to Lincoln
, with its properties including Clifton.
of St. Michael
and All Angels was a chapel of Dorchester parish until the 19th century. The oldest parts of the church include the arcade
of the south aisle, which was built in about 1180. Elsewhere in the church are three lancet windows from the 13th century in the Early English style. The south aisle ends in a chapel
which was added in the 14th century in the Decorated style. The arcade of the north aisle is later, in the Perpendicular style. In 1844 Sir George Gilbert Scott
rebuilt the church, ornamenting the chancel
as a memorial to the benefactor who funded the restoration
.
. In the 15th century it was a three-field system and the fields were called East, Down and Ham. In 1726 the same fields were called Upper, Middle and Lower, respectively. The land was inclosed
in 1770.
From at least the early part of the 14th century there was a ferry across the Thames between the village and Long Wittenham
.
Several cottages in the village survive from the later part of the 16th and early part of the 17th centuries. By 1726 the village had three public house
s. By 1786 there was one called the Fleur de Lys
, and this was still in business by 1864. The Plough beside Abingdon Road was a public house by 1821; it still trades under the same name but is now a restaurant.
In 1736 the Parliament
passed the first of several Acts
to turn the main road between Abingdon and Dorchester
into a turnpike
. The section through Clifton Hampden ceased to be a turnpike in 1873. In 1922 the Ministry of Transport
classified it as the A415 road. In 1928, Oxfordshire County Council
built a new bridge for the A415 beside the 15th century one.
In 1822, the Thames Navigation Commission
ers built the 0.5 miles (804.7 m) long Clifton Cut, a navigation that bypasses a shallow and difficult stretch of river. It ends with Clifton Lock
, 0.5 miles (804.7 m) above Clifton Hampden ferry. In 1867, the ferry was replaced by Clifton Hampden Bridge
, a brick structure designed by Sir G.G. Scott. This was a toll bridge until 1946, when Berkshire
and Oxfordshire county councils took it over. The Barley Mow just on the far side of Clifton Hampden Bridge is in Long Wittenham parish. In 1889, the author Jerome K. Jerome
featured the village and the Barley Mow, in his book Three Men in a Boat
:
In 1844, the Great Western Railway
opened an extension from Didcot
to Oxford. The GWR opened a station on the main road between the village and Culham. The station is closest to Clifton Hampden but it is in Culham parish and the GWR called it Culham
.
The Church of England school was built in 1847 and affiliated to the National Society for Promoting Religious Education
. It had only one schoolroom until 1909, when an infants' room was added. In 1934 the school was reorganised as a junior school, with senior pupils being schooled in Dorchester. Since 1951 it has been a Church of England voluntary controlled
primary school.
The village hall
was built in 1896. It was in this hall that Radiohead
use to pracise when they first came together, at which point they were first known as 'On A Friday'.
opened Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Hornbill, between Culham railway station and Clifton Hampden village. Most of the airfield is in Clifton Hampden parish, but HMS Hornbill was generally called RNAS Culham. The Admiralty
closed the airfield in 1956 and transferred it to the UK Atomic Energy Authority
in 1960. The former airfield is now the Culham Science Centre, an 800,000 square metre scientific research site that includes two nuclear fusion experiments: JET
and MAST
. The START Nuclear Fusion Experiment
was also conducted on the site until MAST
succeeded it in 1999.
Clifton Hampden Cricket Club plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division Three. The village also has a longbow
archery
society.
A pedigree herd of alpacas, the Lost City Alpacas, is kept at the village.
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,...
, just over 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Since 1932 the civil parish has included the village of Burcot, 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Clifton Hampden.
Manor
The 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...
was originally simply "Clifton", meaning "tun on a cliff" in Old English. There is no documentation for the "Hampden" part of the name from before 1726.
In the Anglo-Saxon era
History of Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxon England refers to the period of the history of that part of Britain, that became known as England, lasting from the end of Roman occupation and establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the 5th century until the Norman conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror...
Clifton belonged to the Bishop of Dorchester. After the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
William the Conqueror
William I of England
William 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...
transferred the see to Lincoln
Diocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.- History :...
, with its properties including Clifton.
Parish church
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 St. 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...
and All Angels was a chapel of Dorchester parish until the 19th century. The oldest parts of the church include the arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
of the south aisle, which was built in about 1180. Elsewhere in the church are three lancet windows from the 13th century in the Early English style. The south aisle ends in a 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,...
which was added in the 14th century in the Decorated style. The arcade of the north aisle is later, in the Perpendicular style. In 1844 Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
rebuilt the church, ornamenting the 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...
as a memorial to the benefactor who funded the restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
.
Economic and social history
By the early part of the 13th century the parish was being farmed with an open field systemOpen field system
The open field system was the prevalent agricultural system in much of Europe from the Middle Ages to as recently as the 20th century in some places, particularly Russia and Iran. Under this system, each manor or village had several very large fields, farmed in strips by individual families...
. In the 15th century it was a three-field system and the fields were called East, Down and Ham. In 1726 the same fields were called Upper, Middle and Lower, respectively. The land was inclosed
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
in 1770.
From at least the early part of the 14th century there was a ferry across the Thames between the village and Long Wittenham
Long Wittenham
Long Wittenham is a village and civil parish north of Didcot, and southeast of Abingdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it from Berkshire to Oxfordshire, and from the former Wallingford Rural District to the new district of South Oxfordshire.It used to be...
.
Public 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...
s. By 1786 there was one called the Fleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys is a superheroine from Quebec and an ally of Northguard, created in 1984 by Mark Shainblum and Gabriel Morrissette. The name of the character is inspired by the heraldic symbol of the fleur de lys. It is the official emblem of Quebec and a prominent part of the Flag of Quebec...
, and this was still in business by 1864. The Plough beside Abingdon Road was a public house by 1821; it still trades under the same name but is now a restaurant.
In 1736 the 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...
passed the first of several Acts
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
to turn the main road between Abingdon and Dorchester
Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Dorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
into a turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
. The section through Clifton Hampden ceased to be a turnpike in 1873. In 1922 the Ministry of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
classified it as the A415 road. In 1928, Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
built a new bridge for the A415 beside the 15th century one.
In 1822, the Thames Navigation Commission
Thames Navigation Commission
The Thames Navigation Commission used to manage the River Thames in southern England. In particular, they were responsible for installing or renovating many of the locks on the river in the 18th and early 19th centuries.- History :...
ers built the 0.5 miles (804.7 m) long Clifton Cut, a navigation that bypasses a shallow and difficult stretch of river. It ends with Clifton Lock
Clifton Lock
Clifton Lock is a lock on River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is located south of the village of Clifton Hampden and north of Long Wittenham...
, 0.5 miles (804.7 m) above Clifton Hampden ferry. In 1867, the ferry was replaced by Clifton Hampden Bridge
Clifton Hampden Bridge
Clifton Hampden Bridge is a road bridge crossing the River Thames in Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire, England, situated on the reach below Clifton Lock. Originally it joined Oxfordshire on the north bank with Berkshire on the south but in 1974 the area on the south bank was transferred from Berkshire...
, a brick structure designed by Sir G.G. Scott. This was a toll bridge until 1946, when 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...
and Oxfordshire county councils took it over. The Barley Mow just on the far side of Clifton Hampden Bridge is in Long Wittenham parish. In 1889, the author Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
featured the village and the Barley Mow, in his book Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
:
In 1844, 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...
opened an extension from Didcot
Didcot Parkway railway station
Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
to Oxford. The GWR opened a station on the main road between the village and Culham. The station is closest to Clifton Hampden but it is in Culham parish and the GWR called it Culham
Culham railway station
Culham railway station is a railway station serving the village of Culham in Oxfordshire. It is served by local train services provided by First Great Western.The station is just off the A415 road, between the villages of Culham and Clifton Hampden....
.
The Church of England school was built in 1847 and affiliated to the National Society for Promoting Religious Education
National Society for Promoting Religious Education
The National Society for Promoting Religious Education, often just referred to as the National Society, is a Church of England body in England and Wales for the promotion of church schools and Christian education....
. It had only one schoolroom until 1909, when an infants' room was added. In 1934 the school was reorganised as a junior school, with senior pupils being schooled in Dorchester. Since 1951 it has been a Church of England voluntary controlled
Voluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
primary school.
The village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
was built in 1896. It was in this hall that Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
use to pracise when they first came together, at which point they were first known as 'On A Friday'.
RNAS Culham
In 1941, the Fleet Air ArmFleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
opened Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Hornbill, between Culham railway station and Clifton Hampden village. Most of the airfield is in Clifton Hampden parish, but HMS Hornbill was generally called RNAS Culham. The Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
closed the airfield in 1956 and transferred it to the UK Atomic Energy Authority
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is a UK government research organisation responsible for the development of nuclear fusion power. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and was formerly chaired by Lady Barbara Judge CBE...
in 1960. The former airfield is now the Culham Science Centre, an 800,000 square metre scientific research site that includes two nuclear fusion experiments: JET
Joint European Torus
JET, the Joint European Torus, is the largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment worldwide currently in operation. Its main purpose is to open the way to future nuclear fusion experimental tokamak reactors such as ITER and :DEMO....
and MAST
Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak
The Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak, or MAST experiment is a nuclear fusion experiment in operation at Culham, Oxfordshire, England since December 1999. It follows the highly successful START experiment...
. The START Nuclear Fusion Experiment
Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak
The Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak, or START was a nuclear fusion experiment that used magnetic confinement to hold plasma. The experiment began at the Culham Science Centre in the United Kingdom in 1991 and was retired in 1998. It was built as a low cost design, largely using parts already...
was also conducted on the site until MAST
Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak
The Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak, or MAST experiment is a nuclear fusion experiment in operation at Culham, Oxfordshire, England since December 1999. It follows the highly successful START experiment...
succeeded it in 1999.
Amenities
Clifton Hampden has a village shop and post office and a GPs' practice, Clifton Hampden and Burcot, Oxfordshire|Burcot have a Women's Institute.Clifton Hampden Cricket Club plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division Three. The village also has a longbow
English longbow
The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, is a powerful type of medieval longbow about 6 ft long used by the English and Welsh for hunting and as a weapon in medieval warfare...
archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
society.
A pedigree herd of alpacas, the Lost City Alpacas, is kept at the village.