Bierton
Encyclopedia
Bierton is a village in Buckinghamshire
, England
, about half a mile northeast of the town of Aylesbury
. It is a mainly farming parish, 10 km² in size.
The village name was first recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as Bortone and means "farmstead near a stronghold" in modern English. The hamlets of Broughton
, Broughton Crossing
and Burcott
lie within Bierton with Broughton civil parish within Aylesbury Vale
district which in 2001 had a population of 2,119.
The Church of England parish church
of Saint James the Great
is largely 14th century.
The development of Bierton as a village was hampered by its being a linear settlement along the last road leading from Aylesbury
to have its toll gate removed. The extra costs involved in travelling northwards using this route deterred many merchants, who favoured the less costly route via Winslow
and Buckingham
. The village remained an important point on this alternative northward route however, due to the presence of a wagon pond. This was used to swell the wooden axles of carts, and was a popular watering spot for carthorses.
At one time the village contained no fewer than seven public house
s and porter
houses. The stained glass door of the long since defunct "Star" can still be seen as can that of the "Eagle" next door to the Jubilee Hall. The two remaining pubs are the historically significant Red Lion, and the Bell.
The Red Lion public house is a 16th century inn, and was significant during the English Civil War
. Bierton was a Royalist
stronghold, opposed to its larger Parliamentarian
neighbour of Aylesbury, and the Red Lion was host to many Cavalier
Officers, and rumours have it to Charles I
himself. A minor battle was fought northwest of the village towards Weedon
.
The major industry of the village in times past was brick making. Sitting on large sub-strata of Bierton Complex blue clay, the resource was mined for several centuries, and the bricks were fired close to the quarry. Brick Kiln lane exists to this day, although the workings themselves are no longer active.
The clay pits are now quiet pools, known as The Ponds. They have been turned into a private carp and tench fishery, whose fishing plots are extremely highly sought after.
A well close to the church of St James the Great is dedicated to St Osyth
, a local Anglo Saxon
princess born at Quarrendon Palace. Reputedly beheaded in the woodland at St Osyth Priory by the Danes
after having earlier drowned in a stream and been revived by nuns, it was said that a Spring sprung up in nuns wood within the grounds of St Osyth Priory that is still in existence today. It is not known why the well at Bierton is dedicated to the saint, only that ancient Bierton was on the route that her body was taken from the priory to her final resting place, and it is said that they made a stop off at bierton and layed her body down at the wells current spot and it is for this reason that the well is dedicated to her.
Today, with Aylesbury growing, the village is at risk of becoming a suburb of the larger town. All that separates the two presently is a field of allotments about a hundred yards wide, owned by Bierton with Broughton Parish Council.
Bierton Church of England Combined School is a mixed voluntary controlled, Church of England
primary school, which takes children between the ages of four and 11. The school has about 300 pupils.
Notable inhabitants of Bierton include architect Deborah Saunt of Channel 4
television's series Grand Designs
, playwright Robert Farquhar and BBC fashion commentator Jerry O'Sullivan.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about half a mile northeast of the town of Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
. It is a mainly farming parish, 10 km² in size.
The village name was first recorded in 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 as Bortone and means "farmstead near a stronghold" in modern English. The hamlets of Broughton
Broughton, Aylesbury
Broughton is a hamlet to the east of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England and together with Bierton and other neighbouring hamlets forms part of the civil parish of Bierton with Broughton. Broughton is also the name of a nearby housing estate in Aylesbury itself.Broughton was first recorded as...
, Broughton Crossing
Broughton Crossing
Broughton Crossing is a small settlement located between the Buckinghamshire villages of Bierton and Broughton in England.It takes its name from a long-vanished level crossing where the road crossed the now-defunct Cheddington to Aylesbury Line a branch line connecting the West Coast Main Line at...
and Burcott
Burcott, Bierton, Buckinghamshire
Burcott is a hamlet in the parish of Bierton with Broughton, Buckinghamshire, England.Its name is a common one in England, and refers to a fortified cottage. This is probably the stronghold referred to in the place name of Bierton...
lie within Bierton with Broughton civil parish within Aylesbury Vale
Aylesbury Vale
The Aylesbury Vale is a large area of flat land mostly in Buckinghamshire, England. Its boundary is marked by Milton Keynes to the north, Leighton Buzzard and the Chiltern Hills to the east and south, Thame to the south and Bicester and Brackley to the west.The vale is named after Aylesbury, the...
district which in 2001 had a population of 2,119.
The 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 Saint James the Great
Saint James the Great
James, son of Zebedee was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle...
is largely 14th century.
The development of Bierton as a village was hampered by its being a linear settlement along the last road leading from Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
to have its toll gate removed. The extra costs involved in travelling northwards using this route deterred many merchants, who favoured the less costly route via Winslow
Winslow, Buckinghamshire
Winslow is a small market town and also a civil parish designated as a town council within Aylesbury Vale district in north Buckinghamshire. It has a population of about 4500....
and Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
. The village remained an important point on this alternative northward route however, due to the presence of a wagon pond. This was used to swell the wooden axles of carts, and was a popular watering spot for carthorses.
At one time the village contained no fewer than seven public house
Public 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 and porter
Porter (beer)
Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts...
houses. The stained glass door of the long since defunct "Star" can still be seen as can that of the "Eagle" next door to the Jubilee Hall. The two remaining pubs are the historically significant Red Lion, and the Bell.
The Red Lion public house is a 16th century inn, and was significant 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...
. Bierton was a 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...
stronghold, opposed to its larger 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...
neighbour of Aylesbury, and the Red Lion was host to many Cavalier
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...
Officers, and rumours have it to Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
himself. A minor battle was fought northwest of the village towards Weedon
Weedon, Buckinghamshire
Weedon is a village and civil parish north of Aylesbury and south of Hardwick in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England.The toponym is derived from the Old English for "hill with a heathen temple". In records dated 1066 the village was recorded as Weodune.Weedon has a Methodist...
.
The major industry of the village in times past was brick making. Sitting on large sub-strata of Bierton Complex blue clay, the resource was mined for several centuries, and the bricks were fired close to the quarry. Brick Kiln lane exists to this day, although the workings themselves are no longer active.
The clay pits are now quiet pools, known as The Ponds. They have been turned into a private carp and tench fishery, whose fishing plots are extremely highly sought after.
A well close to the church of St James the Great is dedicated to St Osyth
Osyth
Osgyth was an English saint. She is primarily commemorated in the village of Saint Osyth, Essex, near Colchester...
, a local Anglo 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...
princess born at Quarrendon Palace. Reputedly beheaded in the woodland at St Osyth Priory by the Danes
Danelaw
The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
after having earlier drowned in a stream and been revived by nuns, it was said that a Spring sprung up in nuns wood within the grounds of St Osyth Priory that is still in existence today. It is not known why the well at Bierton is dedicated to the saint, only that ancient Bierton was on the route that her body was taken from the priory to her final resting place, and it is said that they made a stop off at bierton and layed her body down at the wells current spot and it is for this reason that the well is dedicated to her.
Today, with Aylesbury growing, the village is at risk of becoming a suburb of the larger town. All that separates the two presently is a field of allotments about a hundred yards wide, owned by Bierton with Broughton Parish Council.
Bierton Church of England Combined School is a mixed voluntary controlled, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
primary school, which takes children between the ages of four and 11. The school has about 300 pupils.
Notable inhabitants of Bierton include architect Deborah Saunt of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television's series Grand Designs
Grand Designs
Grand Designs is a British television series produced by Talkback Thames and broadcast on Channel 4 which features unusual and often elaborate architectural home-building projects....
, playwright Robert Farquhar and BBC fashion commentator Jerry O'Sullivan.