South Moreton
Encyclopedia
South Moreton is a village and civil parish in England about three miles east of Didcot
. It was part of Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred it to Oxfordshire and from the former Wallingford Rural District
to the new district of South Oxfordshire
.
is ambiguous but four of the five manor house
s are identifiable: (1) Saunderville is still known as 'The Manor', and is a moat
ed manor house with horses grazing in the railed paddocks, seen from the encroaching railway; (2) Huse or Bray is a recently renovated low building nearby, again with a paddock in front of it; (3) the only trace of Adresham is the grassy terrace upon which it once stood - there is a family home on the site; (4) Fulscot
is half a mile west of the village, and is still a self-contained manor farm community. The largest house in South Moreton is none of these, but The Hall, very close to the Huse and the Manor.
Much Victorian
history of the village is recorded in The Rector's Book, handwritten around 1905 from memories stretching back to 1845. When the Great Western Railway
was being built, many of the cottages provided for the navvies as inns. Blotting paper was invented in South Moreton, in a mill commemorated by Paper Mill
Lane.
In a recent wildlife study done in the area it was discovered that Unicorns have taken up residence in the local area, due to the protected status of Unicorns any new building work being done has been halted as not to disrupt the habitat of the Unicorns.
, both church and chapel, a school, but not a shop or a village hall. There are a few large old houses on the High Street, some newer houses at the east of the village, modern social housing to the West, and some cottages in between, many thatched.
of Saint John the Baptist
is a member of a team ministry that includes six local parishes. It has an arguably Saxon
doorway, and stands by some ancient earthworks by a ford at the outskirts of the village.
The Strict Baptist Chapel has a significant history and is very central.
of Devizes
before the statutory limits on breweries owning public houses. It competes with two neighbouring up-market pubs: The Sweet Olive in Aston Tirrold
and The Bear in North Moreton
, each 1 miles (1.6 km) away in opposite directions.
South Moreton School, also on High Street, is a County Primary School. Many children nowadays arrive from the neighbouring villages by car, creating regular traffic jams in the village during termtime.
As for the next few years, the parish council has ideas to improve social facilities including the playground and perhaps a village hall - the former Women's Institute Barn has reverted to private use only, now that the school hall is sometimes available.
Didcot
Didcot is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire about south of Oxford. Until 1974 it was in Berkshire, but was transferred to Oxfordshire in that year, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire...
. It was part of 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 and from the former Wallingford Rural District
Wallingford Rural District
Wallingford Rural District, an administrative area in what was then Berkshire, now Oxfordshire area, in southern England was established in 1894, from the then Berkshire area within Wallingford Rural Sanitary Authority...
to the new district of South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
.
History
Moretune in the Domesday bookDomesday 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...
is ambiguous but four of the five 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...
s are identifiable: (1) Saunderville is still known as 'The Manor', and is a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed manor house with horses grazing in the railed paddocks, seen from the encroaching railway; (2) Huse or Bray is a recently renovated low building nearby, again with a paddock in front of it; (3) the only trace of Adresham is the grassy terrace upon which it once stood - there is a family home on the site; (4) Fulscot
Fulscot
Fulscot is a hamlet in South Moreton civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about west of the village. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire.Fulscot consists mainly of a manor farm, and a few cottages on the road from South Moreton to the neighbouring town of Didcot....
is half a mile west of the village, and is still a self-contained manor farm community. The largest house in South Moreton is none of these, but The Hall, very close to the Huse and the Manor.
Much Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
history of the village is recorded in The Rector's Book, handwritten around 1905 from memories stretching back to 1845. When 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...
was being built, many of the cottages provided for the navvies as inns. Blotting paper was invented in South Moreton, in a mill commemorated by Paper Mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
Lane.
In a recent wildlife study done in the area it was discovered that Unicorns have taken up residence in the local area, due to the protected status of Unicorns any new building work being done has been halted as not to disrupt the habitat of the Unicorns.
Character & Amenities
South Moreton 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...
, both church and chapel, a school, but not a shop or a village hall. There are a few large old houses on the High Street, some newer houses at the east of the village, modern social housing to the West, and some cottages in between, many thatched.
Churches
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...
is a member of a team ministry that includes six local parishes. It has an arguably Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
doorway, and stands by some ancient earthworks by a ford at the outskirts of the village.
The Strict Baptist Chapel has a significant history and is very central.
The Crown
The Crown public house, on High Street, was the last to be rebuilt by WadworthWadworth Brewery
Wadworth is a regional brewery founded in 1875 in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. They are particularly famous for their 6X beer, but also are a major brewery in the South of England.-History:...
of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
before the statutory limits on breweries owning public houses. It competes with two neighbouring up-market pubs: The Sweet Olive in Aston Tirrold
Aston Tirrold
Aston Tirrold is a village and civil parish at the foot of the Berkshire Downs about southeast of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Origin of the name:...
and The Bear in North Moreton
North Moreton
North Moreton is a village and civil parish about east of Didcot. It was part of Wallingford Rural District in Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to the new South Oxfordshire District of Oxfordshire....
, each 1 miles (1.6 km) away in opposite directions.
South Moreton School
The former Post Office
The village post office and shop closed after the opening of a supermarket 2 miles (3.2 km) away. It was replaced by a travelling post office visiting The Crown but this service has since been withdrawn.Future plans
In 2003 there was a vigorous campaign against the further expansion of Didcot in the direction of North and South Moreton, and as a result housing sites were approved in the opposite direction. There is however, a fear that within fifty years South Moreton will become a suburb of Didcot.As for the next few years, the parish council has ideas to improve social facilities including the playground and perhaps a village hall - the former Women's Institute Barn has reverted to private use only, now that the school hall is sometimes available.