Stanton St. John
Encyclopedia
Stanton St. John is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire
about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) northeast of the centre of Oxford
.
records that in 1086 William the Conqueror
's half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux owned the manor
Stanton St. John and Ilbert de Lacy was his principal tenant.
After 1526 the manor of the village was granted to New College, Oxford
.
of Saint John the Baptist
was built in the 12th century. The arcade
between the nave
and north aisle dates from this period and is in the Transitional style between Norman architecture
and the Early English Gothic style. The chancel
arch also is in the transitional style, but may have been rebuilt in about 1700. The chancel was rebuilt around the beginning of the 14th century and is a high quality example of the transition from Early English (its side windows) to the Decorated style (its east widow, which has unusual tracery
). The south aisle was built late in the 14th century, with a clerestorey above its arcade to light the nave. In the 15th century all but one of the windows in the north aisle were replaced in the Perpendicular Gothic style and the bell tower
was built. The tower has a ring
of five bells. The church furniture includes four early 16th century benches whose bench ends have unusual carvings of poppyheads, human heads and grotesque animals.
minister John White (1575–1648) was born here. He was the vicar of Dorchester, Dorset, and was nicknamed the "Patriarch of Dorchester". White was instrumental in founding the New England
colony of Massachusetts
. A later John White ran Manor Farm on behalf of New College, and repaired the Manor Farm house in 1660.
During the English Civil War
, Royalist
troops were stationed in the village in 1643 and 1644 as part of the defence of Oxford against Parliamentarian
forces to the east. In 1646 Parliamentarian troops occupied the village during the siege of Oxford.
The villagers originally farmed the land by the open field system
. By 1706 a number of fields had been enclosed
, but more than 400 acres (161.9 ha) of common land
remained until they were enclosed by an Act of Parliament
in 1777.
In 1717 Dame Elizabeth Holford left a bequest to be invested until it was large enough to endow a free school for the parish. Trustees to set up the school were appointed in 1759 and the school was built on land provided by New College in 1767. By the 1950s the school was a Church of England
primary school.
s:
The village has a Women's Institute.
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) northeast of the centre 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...
.
Manor
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...
records that in 1086 William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
's half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux owned 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...
Stanton St. John and Ilbert de Lacy was his principal tenant.
After 1526 the manor of the village was granted to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
.
Parish church
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...
was built in the 12th century. 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....
between 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 north aisle dates from this period and is in the Transitional style between Norman architecture
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 the Early English Gothic style. 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...
arch also is in the transitional style, but may have been rebuilt in about 1700. The chancel was rebuilt around the beginning of the 14th century and is a high quality example of the transition from Early English (its side windows) to the Decorated style (its east widow, which has unusual tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
). The south aisle was built late in the 14th century, with a clerestorey above its arcade to light the nave. In the 15th century all but one of the windows in the north aisle were replaced in the Perpendicular Gothic style and 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. 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. The church furniture includes four early 16th century benches whose bench ends have unusual carvings of poppyheads, human heads and grotesque animals.
Economic and social history
The village retains several 16th and 17th stone-built houses, including Manor Farm and John White's house. The PuritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
minister John White (1575–1648) was born here. He was the vicar of Dorchester, Dorset, and was nicknamed the "Patriarch of Dorchester". White was instrumental in founding the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
colony of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. A later John White ran Manor Farm on behalf of New College, and repaired the Manor Farm house in 1660.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
troops were stationed in the village in 1643 and 1644 as part of the defence of Oxford against Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
forces to the east. In 1646 Parliamentarian troops occupied the village during the siege of Oxford.
The villagers originally farmed the land by 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...
. By 1706 a number of fields had been 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...
, but more than 400 acres (161.9 ha) of 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...
remained until they were enclosed by an Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom
An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is a type of legislation called primary legislation. These Acts are passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, or by the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh....
in 1777.
In 1717 Dame Elizabeth Holford left a bequest to be invested until it was large enough to endow a free school for the parish. Trustees to set up the school were appointed in 1759 and the school was built on land provided by New College in 1767. By the 1950s the school was a Church of England
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...
primary school.
Amenities
Stanton St. John has two 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...
s:
- The Star Inn (Wadworth BreweryWadworth BreweryWadworth 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:...
) - The Talkhouse (Fuller's Brewery).
The village has a Women's Institute.