Sutton Courtenay
Encyclopedia
Sutton Courtenay is a village and civil parish on the River Thames
2 miles (3.2 km) south of Abingdon
and 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Didcot
. It was part of Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred it to Oxfordshire.
and domestic service were the main sources of employment within the village. Now the prime employers include local scientific establishments and Didcot power station. There are many commuters using Didcot railway station
, London
being a mere 45 minutes away. Didcot Power Station
itself falls within the boundaries of Sutton Courtenay parish, as do several large quarries that have been used for gravel
extraction, and then used for landfill
activities taking domestic refuse from London via a separate rail terminal.
period, when the alluvial plains of the Thames made the area fertile for agriculture. The Romans
were present in the village as evidence of a ceremonial site and road survive. Excavations have revealed rough Saxon huts of the early stages of Anglo-Saxon
colonization, but their most important enduring monument in Sutton was the massive causeway and weirs which separate the millstream from Sutton Pools. The causeway was probably built by Saxon labour.
Written records of Sutton's history began in 688 when Ine
, King of Wessex
, endowed the new monastery at Abingdon with the manor
of Sutton. In 801, Sutton became a royal vill,http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62730 with the monastery at Abingdon retaining the church and priest's house. It is believed that this was on the site of the 'Abbey' in Sutton Courtenay. The Domesday Book
of 1086 shows that the manor of 'Sudtone' was owned half by the King
and farmed mainly by tenants who owed him tribute. There were three mills, 300 acres (1.2 km²) of river meadow (probably used for dairy farming) and extensive woodlands where pigs
were kept.
Sutton became known as Sutton Courtenay after the Courtenay family took residence at the Manor in the 1170's. Reginald Courtenay became the first Lord of Sutton after he had helped negotiate the path of the future king, Henry II, to the throne.
had its head office in Sutton Courtenay. In 2003 Amey plc
had been in financial trouble and was purchased by Spain's largest construction firm, Ferrovial Servicios. At the time it employed approximately 400 people at its Sutton Courtenay site.
, was destroyed when fire ripped through the building.
On 30 January 2008 there was an explosion and fire at Sutton Courtenay Tyres and petrol station, which led to about 100 nearby houses being evacuated for fears that acetylene
cylinders might explode.
Hall' is one of the oldest buildings in the village, being built in about 1192 in the reign of Richard I
, Coeur de Lion. Across the road from the Norman Hall is The Abbey
, actually the rectory house, which dates from about 1300. The 14th-century Great Hall has an arched oak roof. The manor house
was formerly known as Brunce's Court when it was the home of the Brunce family, one of whom, Thomas Brunce
, became Bishop of Norwich
. It is a five-gabled, two-winged house which has had many additions over the centuries but originated as the great medieval royal hall, frequented by King Henry I
and then taken over by the Courtenay family, who gave their name to the village. All Saints' Church was also built at this time (see below), and is a fine example of local Norman and Medieval architecture
.
In 1912 the Prime Minister
H.H. Asquith chose The Wharf (which he built in 1913) and the adjoining Walton House for his country residence. Asquith and his large family spent weekends at The Wharf where his wife Margot held court over bridge
and tennis. She converted the old barn directly on the river which served for accommodation for the overflow of her many weekend parties. A painting of the period by Sir John Lavery
(now in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin) shows Elizabeth Asquith and her young friends lounging in boats by the riverside. Asquith signed the declaration that took Britain into the First World War here. He and his family remained in the village after he resigned as Prime Minister. He is buried in All Saints' churchyard (see below).
zig-zag work and later carved capitals. On the tower door, there are crusader crosses inscribed by soldiers either hoping for or giving thanks for a safe return from the Crusades
. The main south door is surrounded by a fine brick porch
built with money left to the poor of the parish by the 15th-century Bishop Thomas Bekynton of Bath & Wells
. The brick-built south porch also has a room above reached by a narrow stairway from inside the church. Other fittings include a 17th-century wineglass pulpit (installed in 1901), a carved mid-12th century font with fleur-de-lys pattern and three late 14th-century misericord
s. There is a close resemblance between the misericords at Sutton Courtenay and those created a short time afterwards at Soham
in Cambridgeshire and Wingfield, Suffolk
. It is possible that the same itinerant carver was responsible for all three sets. The church was nearly destroyed during the Civil War
when munitions stored by the Parliamentarian
vicar exploded in the church.
The churchyard is notable as the location of the burial place of Eric Arthur Blair
, better known by his pen name, George Orwell. As a child he fished in a local stream. He wanted to be buried in the churchyard of whichever was the nearest church to where he died. However he died in London and none of the local churches had any space in their graveyards. Thinking that he might have to be cremated against his wishes, his widow asked her friends whether they knew of a church that had space for him. David Astor
, a friend of Orwell's who lived in Sutton Courtenay, explained the problem to his local vicar, and arrangements were made.
The Churchyard also contains the grave of David Astor and that of Lord H. H. Asquith
, Earl of Oxford
. Asquith so much loved the simplicity of the village that he chose to be buried there rather than in Westminster Abbey
.
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,...
2 miles (3.2 km) south of Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
and 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Didcot
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.
Today
In the past, agriculture, a local paper millPaper 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 :...
and domestic service were the main sources of employment within the village. Now the prime employers include local scientific establishments and Didcot power station. There are many commuters using Didcot railway station
Didcot Parkway railway station
Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
being a mere 45 minutes away. Didcot Power Station
Didcot Power Station
Didcot Power Station refers to a combined coal and oil power plant and a natural-gas power plant that supply the National Grid. They are situated immediately adjoining one another in the civil parish of Sutton Courtenay, next to the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire , in the UK...
itself falls within the boundaries of Sutton Courtenay parish, as do several large quarries that have been used for gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
extraction, and then used for landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
activities taking domestic refuse from London via a separate rail terminal.
History
Settlement in the parish dates from at least the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period, when the alluvial plains of the Thames made the area fertile for agriculture. The Romans
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
were present in the village as evidence of a ceremonial site and road survive. Excavations have revealed rough Saxon huts of the early stages of Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
colonization, but their most important enduring monument in Sutton was the massive causeway and weirs which separate the millstream from Sutton Pools. The causeway was probably built by Saxon labour.
Written records of Sutton's history began in 688 when Ine
INE
INE, Ine or ine may refer to one of the following:*Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung*Instituto Nacional de Estadística...
, King of Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
, endowed the new monastery at Abingdon with 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 Sutton. In 801, Sutton became a royal vill,http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62730 with the monastery at Abingdon retaining the church and priest's house. It is believed that this was on the site of the 'Abbey' in Sutton Courtenay. 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...
of 1086 shows that the manor of 'Sudtone' was owned half by the King
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...
and farmed mainly by tenants who owed him tribute. There were three mills, 300 acres (1.2 km²) of river meadow (probably used for dairy farming) and extensive woodlands where pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
were kept.
Sutton became known as Sutton Courtenay after the Courtenay family took residence at the Manor in the 1170's. Reginald Courtenay became the first Lord of Sutton after he had helped negotiate the path of the future king, Henry II, to the throne.
Industry and Economy
At one time Amey plcAmey plc
Amey plc, previously known as Amey Ltd and Amey Roadstone Construction, is a United Kingdom based infrastructure support service provider. It was once listed on the London Stock Exchange but since 2003 it has been a subsidiary of Spanish company Grupo Ferrovial, S.A....
had its head office in Sutton Courtenay. In 2003 Amey plc
Amey plc
Amey plc, previously known as Amey Ltd and Amey Roadstone Construction, is a United Kingdom based infrastructure support service provider. It was once listed on the London Stock Exchange but since 2003 it has been a subsidiary of Spanish company Grupo Ferrovial, S.A....
had been in financial trouble and was purchased by Spain's largest construction firm, Ferrovial Servicios. At the time it employed approximately 400 people at its Sutton Courtenay site.
Recent Events
In August 1998 the large mock-tudor mansion Lady Place, former home of nutritionist Hugh MacDonald SinclairHugh Macdonald Sinclair
Hugh Macdonald Sinclair, FRCP was a doctor, medical researcher, and expert in human nutrition. He is most widely known for claiming that what he called "diseases of civilization" such as coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, strokes and skin disease are worsened by "bad...
, was destroyed when fire ripped through the building.
On 30 January 2008 there was an explosion and fire at Sutton Courtenay Tyres and petrol station, which led to about 100 nearby houses being evacuated for fears that acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
cylinders might explode.
Manor houses and rectory
In the Norman era, the oldest surviving buildings of the village were built. The 'NormanNorman 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...
Hall' is one of the oldest buildings in the village, being built in about 1192 in the reign of Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, Coeur de Lion. Across the road from the Norman Hall is The Abbey
The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay
The Abbey at Sutton Courtenay is a courtyard house of c. 1320, and later remodelled, in the English county of Oxfordshire ....
, actually the rectory house, which dates from about 1300. The 14th-century Great Hall has an arched oak roof. The 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...
was formerly known as Brunce's Court when it was the home of the Brunce family, one of whom, Thomas Brunce
Thomas Brunce
Thomas Brunce was a 15th century Bishop of Rochester and then Bishop of Norwich.-Life:...
, became Bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
. It is a five-gabled, two-winged house which has had many additions over the centuries but originated as the great medieval royal hall, frequented by King Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
and then taken over by the Courtenay family, who gave their name to the village. All Saints' Church was also built at this time (see below), and is a fine example of local Norman and Medieval architecture
Medieval architecture
Medieval architecture is a term used to represent various forms of architecture common in Medieval Europe.-Characteristics:-Religious architecture:...
.
Prime Minister's residence
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
H.H. Asquith chose The Wharf (which he built in 1913) and the adjoining Walton House for his country residence. Asquith and his large family spent weekends at The Wharf where his wife Margot held court over bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
and tennis. She converted the old barn directly on the river which served for accommodation for the overflow of her many weekend parties. A painting of the period by Sir John Lavery
John Lavery
Sir John Lavery was an Irish painter best known for his portraits.Belfast-born John Lavery attended the Haldane Academy, in Glasgow, in the 1870s and the Académie Julian in Paris in the early 1880s. He returned to Glasgow and was associated with the Glasgow School...
(now in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin) shows Elizabeth Asquith and her young friends lounging in boats by the riverside. Asquith signed the declaration that took Britain into the First World War here. He and his family remained in the village after he resigned as Prime Minister. He is buried in All Saints' churchyard (see below).
All Saints' Church
Sutton Courtenay Church as it stands today, originated in the 12th century. The interior shows NormanNorman 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...
zig-zag work and later carved capitals. On the tower door, there are crusader crosses inscribed by soldiers either hoping for or giving thanks for a safe return from the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
. The main south door is surrounded by a fine brick porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
built with money left to the poor of the parish by the 15th-century Bishop Thomas Bekynton of Bath & Wells
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
. The brick-built south porch also has a room above reached by a narrow stairway from inside the church. Other fittings include a 17th-century wineglass pulpit (installed in 1901), a carved mid-12th century font with fleur-de-lys pattern and three late 14th-century misericord
Misericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s. There is a close resemblance between the misericords at Sutton Courtenay and those created a short time afterwards at Soham
Soham
Soham is a small town in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It lies just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket . Its population is 9,102 , and it is within the district of East Cambridgeshire.-Archaeology:...
in Cambridgeshire and Wingfield, Suffolk
Wingfield, Suffolk
Wingfield is a village in the English county of Suffolk. It is found east of Diss, signposted off B1118, near Eye.Wingfield Castle, which is now a private house, was for many centuries the home of the Wingfield family and their heirs, the De La Poles, Earls and Dukes of Suffolk...
. It is possible that the same itinerant carver was responsible for all three sets. The church was nearly destroyed during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
when munitions stored by the 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...
vicar exploded in the church.
Churchyard
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
, better known by his pen name, George Orwell. As a child he fished in a local stream. He wanted to be buried in the churchyard of whichever was the nearest church to where he died. However he died in London and none of the local churches had any space in their graveyards. Thinking that he might have to be cremated against his wishes, his widow asked her friends whether they knew of a church that had space for him. David Astor
David Astor
Francis David Langhorne Astor CH was an English newspaper publisher and member of the Astor family.-Early life and career:...
, a friend of Orwell's who lived in Sutton Courtenay, explained the problem to his local vicar, and arrangements were made.
The Churchyard also contains the grave of David Astor and that of Lord H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
, Earl of Oxford
Earl of Oxford
Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, held for several centuries by the de Vere family from 1141 until the death of the 20th earl in 1703. The Veres were also hereditary holders of the office of master or Lord Great Chamberlain from 1133 until the death of the 18th Earl in 1625...
. Asquith so much loved the simplicity of the village that he chose to be buried there rather than in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Famous people
- Herbert Asquith, Prime Minister and Earl of Oxford (as above)
- Margot AsquithMargot AsquithMargot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith , born Emma Alice Margaret Tennant, was an Anglo-Scottish socialite, author and wit...
, socialite, wife of prime minister, and countess - David AstorDavid AstorFrancis David Langhorne Astor CH was an English newspaper publisher and member of the Astor family.-Early life and career:...
, newspaper publisher (as above) - Thomas Bekynton, Bishop of Bath and WellsBishop of Bath and WellsThe Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
(as above) - Eric Arthur Blair (as above)
- Thomas BrunceThomas BrunceThomas Brunce was a 15th century Bishop of Rochester and then Bishop of Norwich.-Life:...
, 15th-century Bishop of NorwichBishop of NorwichThe Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided... - Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
and Helena Bonham CarterHelena Bonham CarterHelena Bonham Carter is an English actress of film, stage, and television. She made her acting debut in a television adaptation of K. M. Peyton's A Pattern of Roses before winning her first film role as the titular character in Lady Jane...
, great-granddaughter of Herbert Henry Asquith, have moved to the village in recent times, purchasing the Mill House (which had been owned and improved by her grandmother, Violet Bonham CarterViolet Bonham CarterHelen Violet Bonham Carter, Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury, DBE was a British politician and diarist. She was the daughter of H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister from 1908-1916, and later became active in Liberal politics herself, being a leading opponent of appeasement, standing for Parliament and being...
). - Jacques GoddetJacques GoddetJacques Goddet was a French sports journalist and director of the Tour de France from 1936 to 1986....
, organiser of the Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, went to school here. - Empress MatildaEmpress MatildaEmpress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
, 12th-century "Lady of the English" and claimant of the throne of England, was probably born at Sutton Courtenay Manor - Hugh Macdonald SinclairHugh Macdonald SinclairHugh Macdonald Sinclair, FRCP was a doctor, medical researcher, and expert in human nutrition. He is most widely known for claiming that what he called "diseases of civilization" such as coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, strokes and skin disease are worsened by "bad...
, nutritionist