Kennington, Oxfordshire
Encyclopedia
Kennington is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse
district of Oxfordshire
, just south of Oxford
. The village occupies a narrow stretch of land between the River Thames
and the A34 dual carriageway. It was in Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred it to Oxfordshire
.
Kennington was partly in South Hinksey
parish and partly in Radley
parish until 1936, when a new Kennington civil parish was constituted. Apart from the village, most of Kennington civil parish is wooded, including all of Bagley Wood
and West Wood to the west of the village.
is Jacobean
, built in 1629 during the Great Rebuilding
of England. It is half-timbered, i.e. its upper storey is timber-framed but its lower storey is not. In this case the lower storey is of local limestone
.
of St. Swithun has two churches. The first is a very early example of the Norman
revival, designed by the architect Daniel Robertson
and built in 1828. The second was built alongside it in 1956-58, designed by a local architect, T. Lawrence Dale
, and the vicar, Rev. S.S. Davies. The 1828 building is now deconsecrated
.
, The Tandem. The village has a health centre, three shops, a post office
and a pharmacist.
There are two sports fields: Playfield Road and Forest Side. Playfield has recently been fitted with floodlights to enable training after sunset.
School. The village is in the catchment area for Matthew Arnold
secondary school. Matthew Arnold School is not located in the village but a bus service is provided. Chandlings Manor School, an independent co-educational preparatory school
, is nearby.
) and flats on the site of the former Kennington Service Station. Recent developments include Strode Court, and Chestnut Place on Kennington Road, to the north of the village. A new development has been completed at the site of Cranbrook House in the south of the village on The Avenue.
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 of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, just south of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. The village occupies a narrow stretch of land between 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,...
and the A34 dual carriageway. It was in 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
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Kennington was partly in South Hinksey
South Hinksey
South Hinksey is a village and civil parish just over south of the centre of Oxford. The parish includes the residential area of Hinksey Hill about south of the village....
parish and partly in Radley
Radley
Radley is a village and civil parish about northwest of the centre of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Lower Radley on the River Thames. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire....
parish until 1936, when a new Kennington civil parish was constituted. Apart from the village, most of Kennington civil parish is wooded, including all of Bagley Wood
Bagley Wood
Bagley Wood is a wood in the parish of Kennington between Oxford and Abingdon in Oxfordshire, England . It is traversed from north to south by the A34 road, which was rerouted through the wood in 1972....
and West Wood to the west of the village.
Manor house
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...
is Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
, built in 1629 during the Great Rebuilding
Great 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. It is half-timbered, i.e. its upper storey is timber-framed but its lower storey is not. In this case the lower storey is of local limestone
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
.
Parish churches
The Church of England parishChurch 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. Swithun has two churches. The first is a very early example of the 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...
revival, designed by the architect Daniel Robertson
Daniel Robertson
-Career:Robertson may have worked under Robert Adam in London, England; later he worked at Kew and Oxford. Robertson was an early exponent of the Norman Revival, designing both St Clement's Church, Oxford and St Swithun's parish church in Kennington, Berkshire in this style as early as...
and built in 1828. The second was built alongside it in 1956-58, designed by a local architect, T. Lawrence Dale
T. Lawrence Dale
Thomas Lawrence Dale, FRIBA, FSA was an English architect. Until the First World War he concentrated on designing houses for private clients...
, and the vicar, Rev. S.S. Davies. The 1828 building is now deconsecrated
Deconsecration
Deconsecration is the act of removing a religious blessing from something that had been previously consecrated by a minister or priest of that religion. The same act when performed by a member of a differing religion may be considered a curse by some religions and not a complete removal of the...
.
Amenities
Kennington has a public housePublic 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...
, The Tandem. The village has a health centre, three shops, a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and a pharmacist.
There are two sports fields: Playfield Road and Forest Side. Playfield has recently been fitted with floodlights to enable training after sunset.
Education
The local primary school is St Swithun's Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
School. The village is in the catchment area for Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold School (Oxford)
Matthew Arnold School is a comprehensive secondary coeducational school, for pupils aged 11 to 18, with specialist status in science and mathematics. It is located just west of Oxford near Cumnor Hill and Botley and is named after 19th century poet Matthew Arnold.The school contains around 1,300...
secondary school. Matthew Arnold School is not located in the village but a bus service is provided. Chandlings Manor School, an independent co-educational preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
, is nearby.
Building developments
Over the last few years there has been a great increase of building development in the village. This is to allow more housing. The developments are all large houses with large gardens which have been turned into flats. The two exceptions are the new houses at the site of the former public house The Scholar Gypsy (named after the local poet, Matthew ArnoldMatthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator...
) and flats on the site of the former Kennington Service Station. Recent developments include Strode Court, and Chestnut Place on Kennington Road, to the north of the village. A new development has been completed at the site of Cranbrook House in the south of the village on The Avenue.