Idbury
Encyclopedia
Idbury is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire
, about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southeast of Stow-on-the-Wold
in neighbouring Gloucestershire
.
of Saint Nicholas
was originally Norman
, but little survives from this period except the ornate north doorway. Early in the 14th century the bell-turret, north aisle, south porch and south doorway were added, new windows were inserted in the chancel
and the chancel arch was altered. The east window is Decorated Gothic. The bell tower
was added shortly afterwards. Later a clerestorey was added to the nave
and other windows were added to the nave and north aisle, all in the Perpendicular Gothic style.
Idbury had a Church of England school
from 1845 until 1966. The building is now a private house.
The engineer Sir Benjamin Baker, noted for his work on the Forth Bridge, London Victoria station and the first Aswan Dam
, is buried in the churchyard.
in 1922 and founded The Countryman magazine there in 1927. In 1924 the novelist Sylvia Townsend Warner
rented a cottage in Idbury from Robertson Scott. In 1934 the Canadian poet Frank Prewett
moved to Idbury where he briefly worked as assistant editor of The Countryman. The magazine continued publication after the retirement of Robertson Scott in 1949 and has been published at Broughton Hall, near Skipton, North Yorkshire, since 2003. It moved in 1949 to Burford, Oxfordshire and apart from a short period in a London office remained there until 2003.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southeast of Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is situated on top of an 800 ft hill, at the convergence of a number of major roads through the Cotswolds, including the Fosse Way . The town was founded as a planned market place by Norman lords to take...
in neighbouring Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
History
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 Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
was originally 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...
, but little survives from this period except the ornate north doorway. Early in the 14th century the bell-turret, north aisle, south porch and south doorway were added, new windows were inserted in 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...
and the chancel arch was altered. The east window is Decorated Gothic. 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 added shortly afterwards. Later a clerestorey was added to 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 other windows were added to the nave and north aisle, all in the Perpendicular Gothic style.
Idbury had 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...
from 1845 until 1966. The building is now a private house.
The engineer Sir Benjamin Baker, noted for his work on the Forth Bridge, London Victoria station and the first Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
, is buried in the churchyard.
The Countryman
J. W. Robertson Scott moved to Idbury ManorManor 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...
in 1922 and founded The Countryman magazine there in 1927. In 1924 the novelist Sylvia Townsend Warner
Sylvia Townsend Warner
Sylvia Nora Townsend Warner was an English novelist and poet.-Life:Sylvia Townsend Warner was born at Harrow on the Hill, the only child of George Townsend Warner and his wife Eleanora Hudleston...
rented a cottage in Idbury from Robertson Scott. In 1934 the Canadian poet Frank Prewett
Frank Prewett
Frank James Prewett was a Canadian poet, who spent most of his life in the United Kingdom. He was a war poet of World War I, and was taken up by Siegfried Sassoon...
moved to Idbury where he briefly worked as assistant editor of The Countryman. The magazine continued publication after the retirement of Robertson Scott in 1949 and has been published at Broughton Hall, near Skipton, North Yorkshire, since 2003. It moved in 1949 to Burford, Oxfordshire and apart from a short period in a London office remained there until 2003.