Emmington is a village in the civil parish of Chinnor, in the South Oxfordshire district, in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is about 4.5 miles (7 km) southeast of Thame. In 1931 the parish had a population of 41.[1] On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Chinnor.[2]

Emmington
Parish church of St Nicholas
Emmington is located in Oxfordshire
Emmington
Emmington
Location within Oxfordshire
OS grid referenceSP7402
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townChinnor
Postcode districtOX39
Dialling code01844
PoliceThames Valley
FireOxfordshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Oxfordshire
51°42′54″N 0°55′41″W / 51.715°N 0.928°W / 51.715; -0.928

Manor edit

The Domesday book of 1086 records Emmington:

"William Peverel holds 10 hides in Emmington.[3] Land for 5 ploughs. Now in demesne are 2 ploughs and six slaves and 10 villans and 4 bordars with 5 ploughs. There are 12 acres[4] of meadow. It was worth £6 now £7. Alwine held these two estates freely."

The Manor was held by the Sackville family from about 1200, when it was held by Geoffrey de Sackville, until 1577, when Sir Thomas Sackville, (later Earl of Dorset), sold it to Sir George Peckham. In 1586, William Hampden (cousin and executor of John Hampden) acquired the Manor, and it was passed down through the Hampden family until 1665, when Richard Hampden sold it a London merchant, Henry Ashhurst. In 1805, the Manor was sold to the Wykeham family, and finally in 1929 was sold to Magdalen College, Oxford. [5]

Parish church edit

 
View from St Nicholas' nave, looking toward the chancel

Emmington has had a parish priest since at least 1190.[6] Demolition work in 1873 discovered what was believed to be Norman masonry, suggesting that the original parish church was on the same site as the present Church of England parish church of Saint Nicholas. The building was largely rebuilt in the 14th century, and the belltower and several Decorated Gothic features survive from this time.[7] In 1874 the chancel and nave were partly rebuilt under the direction of the Gothic Revival architects Charles Buckeridge and J.L. Pearson.[7]

The tower has three bells. The oldest is the second bell, which John Appowell of Buckingham[8] cast in about 1550.[9] Joseph Carter of Reading, Berkshire[8] cast the tenor in 1584.[9] Henry II Knight, also of Reading,[8] cast the treble bell in 1664.[9] St Nicholas' also has a Sanctus bell that Thomas Chandler of Drayton Parslow[8] cast in 1723.[9] The Chandler family cast bells from 1635 until 1726 but this is the only surviving bell recorded as being cast by Thomas Chandler.[8] St Nicholas' is a Grade II* listed building.[10]

Emmington is in the parish of St Andrew, Chinnor, which is part of the Benefice of Chinnor, Sydenham, Aston Rowant and Crowell.[11] St Nicholas' church was closed in 1987 and reopened for worship in 1991.[12] In 2003 it was declared redundant and closed again, and it is now privately owned.[12]

Amenities edit

 
The Inn at Emmington

Emmington has no public house. However, just over the boundary in the parish of Sydenham is The Inn at Emmington, which is closer to Emmington than to the village of Sydenham.[13]

2016 earthquake edit

In March 2016 an earthquake centred on Emmington was felt for miles around.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ "Population statistics Emmington CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Relationships and changes Emmington CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  3. ^ William Peverel held a number of manors that William the Conqueror had granted to him, including Emmington and Crowell in Oxfordshire.
  4. ^ 12 acres (5 ha)
  5. ^ "Parishes: Emmington Pages 91-98 A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 8, Lewknor and Pyrton Hundreds". British History Online. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  6. ^ Lobel 1964, pp. 91–98.
  7. ^ a b Sherwood & Pevsner 1974, p. 592.
  8. ^ a b c d e Dovemaster (31 October 2012). "Bell Founders". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  9. ^ a b c d Davies, Peter (20 September 2009). "Emmington S Nicholas". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  10. ^ Historic England (18 July 1963). "Church of St Nicholas (1368901)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  11. ^ Archbishops' Council. "Benefice of Chinnor, Sydenham, Aston Rowant & Crowell". A Church Near You. Church of England. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. ^ a b "St Nicholas Church". Church Gazetteer. St. Nicholas Center. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  13. ^ The Inn at Emmington
  14. ^ "BBC". BBC. Retrieved 7 March 2016.

Sources edit

External links edit