Shirburn
Encyclopedia
Shirburn is a village and civil parish about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Thame
in Oxfordshire
. The eastern part of the parish is in the Chiltern Hills
.
at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment
. In 1086 the Domesday Book
recorded that the manor
of Shirburn was divided equally between Robert D'Oyly
and his brother in arms Roger d'Ivry
.
The building of Shirburn Castle
was licensed in 1377. Shirburn Castle became a centre of Recusancy
throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
by the 12th century. Between 1146 and 1163 the church seems to have been given to Dorchester Abbey
. The oldest part of the present Church of England parish church
of All Saints is the bell tower
, which seems to be Norman
except for the upper storey, which is 18th century. In the 13th century the north and south aisles and arcades
were added to the nave
. In 1876 the architect T.H. Wyatt
restored the building at the expense of the Earl of Macclesfield
. In 1943 All Saints' parish was combined with that of St. Mary's, Pyrton
. The combined parish is now part of the Benefice of Icknield. All Saints' church was made redundant
in 1995 and now belongs to the Churches Conservation Trust
.
. In 1950 Shirburn school was closed.
In 1869-72 the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
was built through the parish. Its terminus was 0.5 miles (804.7 m) south of Shirburn in the parish of . The Great Western Railway
took over the line in 1883. British Rail
ways withdrew passenger services in 1957 and closed the line to freight traffic in 1961.
Thame
Thame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. The eastern part of the parish is in the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
.
Manor
Shirburn is a spring line settlementSpring line settlement
Spring line settlements occur where a ridge of permeable rock lies over impermeable rock and there will be a line of springs along the boundary between the two layers....
at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
. In 1086 the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
recorded that the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Shirburn was divided equally between Robert D'Oyly
Robert D'Oyly
Robert D'Oyly was a Norman nobleman who accompanied William the Conqueror on the Norman Conquest, his invasion of England. He died in 1091.-Background:Robert was the son of Walter D'Oyly and elder brother to Nigel D'Oyly...
and his brother in arms Roger d'Ivry
Roger d'Ivry
Roger d'Ivry or d'Ivri was an 11th century nobleman from Ivry-la-Bataille in Normandy. He took part in William of Normandy's conquest of England in 1066 and founded the Abbey of Notre-Dame-d'Ivry in 1071...
.
The building of Shirburn Castle
Shirburn Castle
Shirburn Castle is at the village of Shirburn, south of Thame, Oxfordshire.Shirburn Castle was the seat of the Earls of Macclesfield. George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield , celebrated as an astronomer, spent much time conducting astronomical observations at Shirburn Castle, which his father...
was licensed in 1377. Shirburn Castle became a centre of Recusancy
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Parish church
Shirburn had a parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
by the 12th century. Between 1146 and 1163 the church seems to have been given to Dorchester Abbey
Dorchester Abbey
Dorchester Abbey is a Church of England parish church in Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire, about southeast of Oxford. It was formerly a Norman abbey church and was built on the site of a Saxon cathedral.-History:...
. The oldest part of the present Church of England parish church
Church 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 All Saints is 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...
, which seems to be 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...
except for the upper storey, which is 18th century. In the 13th century the north and south aisles and arcades
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....
were 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...
. In 1876 the architect T.H. Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt was an Irish British architect. He had a prolific and distinguished career, being elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1870-73 and awarded their Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 1873...
restored the building at the expense of the Earl of Macclesfield
Thomas Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield
Thomas Augustus Wolstenholme Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield was a British peer. Before inheriting the earldom, he sat in the House of Commons as Conservative Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire from 1837 until 1841....
. In 1943 All Saints' parish was combined with that of St. Mary's, Pyrton
St Mary's Church, Pyrton
St Mary's Church, Pyrton, is the Church of England parish church of Pyrton, Oxfordshire, England. Its parish is part of the benefice of Icknield, in the deanery of Aston and Cuddesdon, the archdeaconry of Oxford and the diocese of Oxford...
. The combined parish is now part of the Benefice of Icknield. All Saints' church was made redundant
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in 1995 and now belongs to the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
.
Economic and social history
A parish school had been established by 1808. By 1871 it was described as occupying a cottage that had been converted into a schoolhouse. In 1946 it was reorganised as a junior school, and older pupils went to school in ChinnorChinnor
Chinnor is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Thame. The village is a Spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern escarpment...
. In 1950 Shirburn school was closed.
In 1869-72 the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
The Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway was a railway branch line between Watlington and Princes Risborough which remained operational for over 88 years between 1872 and 1961....
was built through the parish. Its terminus was 0.5 miles (804.7 m) south of Shirburn in the parish of . 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...
took over the line in 1883. British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways withdrew passenger services in 1957 and closed the line to freight traffic in 1961.