Hornton
Encyclopedia
Hornton is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Banbury
in Oxfordshire
.
of Saint John the Baptist
are the nave
and the arcade
of the north aisle, both of which were built late in the 12th century. They are in the transitional style between Norman
and Early English. In the 13th century the nave and north aisle were extended westwards by the addition of a fourth bay
. In the 14th century a clerestory
and a two-bay south aisle were added to the nave and most of the doors and windows were remodelled. Also in the 14th century the interior was decorated with wall paintings
including a Pietà
, a Saint George
and a Doom
; many of the wall paintings were painted over with limewash following the English Civil War
. The bell tower
was built around 1400 and the present Perpendicular Gothic east window of the chancel
was added in the 15th century.
The tower has a ring
of five bells, all cast by Henry III Bagley of Chacombe in 1741. They are currently unringable.
St. John's is now one of eight ecclesiastical parishes in the Ironstone Benefice.
Non-conformist groups in Hornton included Baptists in the 17th century and Quakers
in the 17th and 18th centuries. Hornton had a Primitive Methodist
congregation by 1836, which had built its own chapel by 1842. Hornton's present Methodist church
was built in 1884.
of England (about 1580-1640). Characteristically they are built of local Hornton ironstone
and have thatched
roofs. They include the manor house
, whose date stone records that it was built in 1607.
The open field system
of farming predominated in the parish until the common land
s were enclosed
in 1766. The enclosure included allocating some land from which the rent would maintain a schoolmaster for the village. A legal dispute with the occupier prevented the parish from obtaining this income until 1800, but by 1815 the village had a free school teaching more than 50 children. In 1833 this was superseded by the building of a new National School
for the village. In 1882 the school was enlarged and became a Church of England school
, but in 1912 it was burnt down. A new County Council elementary school was opened in 1914.
In 1783 the village had two public house
s: the Red Lion and the Crown. These were joined by the Buck by 1786 and the Bull by 1806. The only pub currently operating is the Dun Cow.
Premier Division.
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Churches
The oldest parts of 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 John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
are the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and 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 north aisle, both of which were built late in the 12th century. They are in the transitional style between 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...
and Early English. In the 13th century the nave and north aisle were extended westwards by the addition of a fourth bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. In the 14th century a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
and a two-bay south aisle were added to the nave and most of the doors and windows were remodelled. Also in the 14th century the interior was decorated with wall paintings
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
including a Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
, a 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...
and a Doom
Doom (painting)
A Doom is a traditional English term for a painting or other image of the Last Judgment, an event in Christian eschatology. Christ judges souls, and then sends them to either Heaven or Hell...
; many of the wall paintings were painted over with limewash following the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. 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...
was built around 1400 and the present Perpendicular Gothic east window of 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...
was added in the 15th century.
The tower has a ring
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 five bells, all cast by Henry III Bagley of Chacombe in 1741. They are currently unringable.
St. John's is now one of eight ecclesiastical parishes in the Ironstone Benefice.
Non-conformist groups in Hornton included Baptists in the 17th century and Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
in the 17th and 18th centuries. Hornton had a Primitive Methodist
Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism was a major movement in English Methodism from about 1810 until the Methodist Union in 1932. The Primitive Methodist Church still exists in the United States.-Origins:...
congregation by 1836, which had built its own chapel by 1842. Hornton's present Methodist church
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
was built in 1884.
Social and economic history
Many of Hornton's houses and cottages date from the Great RebuildingGreat Rebuilding
A Great Rebuilding is a period in which a heightened level of building work, architectural change, building or rebuilding occurred.More specifically, W. G. Hoskins defined the term "The Great Rebuilding" in England as the period from the mid-16th century until 1640...
of England (about 1580-1640). Characteristically they are built of local Hornton ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
and have thatched
Thatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
roofs. They include 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...
, whose date stone records that it was built in 1607.
The open field system
Open 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...
of farming predominated in the parish until the common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
s were enclosed
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 1766. The enclosure included allocating some land from which the rent would maintain a schoolmaster for the village. A legal dispute with the occupier prevented the parish from obtaining this income until 1800, but by 1815 the village had a free school teaching more than 50 children. In 1833 this was superseded by the building of a new National School
National school (England and Wales)
A national school was a school founded in 19th century England and Wales by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education.These schools provided elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor.Together with the less numerous...
for the village. In 1882 the school was enlarged and became a Church of England school
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...
, but in 1912 it was burnt down. A new County Council elementary school was opened in 1914.
In 1783 the village had two public house
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: the Red Lion and the Crown. These were joined by the Buck by 1786 and the Bull by 1806. The only pub currently operating is the Dun Cow.
Amenities
The school continues to serve the village as Hornton Primary School. The Red Lion is now called the Dun Cow. There is a Hornton and District Women's Institute. Hornton United Football Club plays in Banbury District and Lord Jersey Football AssociationBanbury District and Lord Jersey FA
The Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA is a football competition based in Oxfordshire, England. The league has a total of four divisions, of which the highest, the Premier Division, sits at level 13 of the English football league system and is a feeder to the Oxfordshire Senior Football League.-...
Premier Division.