Great Milton
Encyclopedia
Great Milton is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire
, about 7 miles (11.3 km) east of Oxford
.
appears to refer to the "Middle Town" of a group.
The Domesday Book
of 1086 records that Remigius de Fécamp
, Bishop of Lincoln
held a large estate of 31 hides
of land at Great Milton. The estate had presumably belonged to the Diocese of Dorchester, of which Remigius had been consecrated bishop in 1070. The see of Dorchester had been absorbed into that of Lincoln in 1072, and Remigius had been translated to Lincoln as bishop of the newly united diocese.
The Domesday Book lists two water mills in the parish. By the time of the Hundred Rolls
in 1279 there was a third watermill and in about 1500 there was a fourth mill. There is no known subsequent record of the third and fourth mills, but both of the others seem to have survived until the 17th and in at least on case the 18th century. By the 19th century both mills were disused. In 1322 there was at least one windmill
in the parish, and possibly two. The parish still had two windmills in 1838 and about 1900.
In 1762 a fire destroyed 16 houses in the village.
By 1822 the parish had at least three public house
s: the Bell, the Bull and the Red Lion.
and chancel
of the Church of England parish church
of Saint Mary
were built shortly after the Norman Conquest of England
. The building was damaged by fire in the 13th century. During the 14th century the chancel was enlarged and the north and south aisles were added. At this time the church served a parish including the villages of Chilworth Valery and Chilworth Muzzard, the hamlets of Combe and Little Milton, and the manor of Ascot. In 1850 St. Mary's was restored at a cost of £2,000.
In 1552 St. Mary's had four bells plus a Sanctus bell, and in 1631 Ellis I Knight of Reading
supplied a ring
of five bells. Ellis II & Henry III Knight recast two of the bells in 1673 and Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester
recast three more in 1771. Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester cast a further bell in 1772 and William Taylor cast a further bell in 1848, presumably at his Oxford bell-foundry
. W. & J. Taylor also cast the present Sanctus bell, which dates from 1825.
The village has a public house
, the Bull Inn, and a post office and general store. The manor house is now the French chef Raymond Blanc
's restaurant and hotel, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
.
team that plays annually in the Oxfordshire Gladiators' Cup.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, about 7 miles (11.3 km) east 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...
.
History
The toponymToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
appears to refer to the "Middle Town" of a group.
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 records that Remigius de Fécamp
Remigius de Fécamp
Remigius de Fécamp was a Benedictine monk who was a supporter of William the Conqueror.-Early life:...
, Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
held a large estate of 31 hides
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
of land at Great Milton. The estate had presumably belonged to the Diocese of Dorchester, of which Remigius had been consecrated bishop in 1070. The see of Dorchester had been absorbed into that of Lincoln in 1072, and Remigius had been translated to Lincoln as bishop of the newly united diocese.
The Domesday Book lists two water mills in the parish. By the time of the Hundred Rolls
Hundred Rolls
The Hundred Rolls are a census of England and parts of what is now Wales taken in the late thirteenth century. Often considered an attempt to produce a second Domesday Book, they are named for the hundreds by which most returns were recorded....
in 1279 there was a third watermill and in about 1500 there was a fourth mill. There is no known subsequent record of the third and fourth mills, but both of the others seem to have survived until the 17th and in at least on case the 18th century. By the 19th century both mills were disused. In 1322 there was at least one windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
in the parish, and possibly two. The parish still had two windmills in 1838 and about 1900.
In 1762 a fire destroyed 16 houses in the village.
By 1822 the parish had at least three 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: the Bell, the Bull and the Red Lion.
Parish church
The naveNave
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 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...
of 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 Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
were built shortly after the Norman Conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. The building was damaged by fire in the 13th century. During the 14th century the chancel was enlarged and the north and south aisles were added. At this time the church served a parish including the villages of Chilworth Valery and Chilworth Muzzard, the hamlets of Combe and Little Milton, and the manor of Ascot. In 1850 St. Mary's was restored at a cost of £2,000.
In 1552 St. Mary's had four bells plus a Sanctus bell, and in 1631 Ellis I Knight of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
supplied 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. Ellis II & Henry III Knight recast two of the bells in 1673 and Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester, England, who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be...
recast three more in 1771. Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester cast a further bell in 1772 and William Taylor cast a further bell in 1848, presumably at his Oxford bell-foundry
Bellfounding
Bellfounding is the casting of bells in a foundry for use in churches, clocks, and public buildings. A practitioner of the craft is called a bellmaker or bellfounder. The process in Europe dates to the 4th or 5th century. In early times, when a town produced a bell it was a momentous occasion in...
. W. & J. Taylor also cast the present Sanctus bell, which dates from 1825.
Amenities
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...
, the Bull Inn, and a post office and general store. The manor house is now the French chef Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc OBE is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain's most respected chefs. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the...
's restaurant and hotel, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons is a luxury hotel-restaurant in the village of Great Milton near Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England. It is located in an historic manor house near the church that was visited by Oliver Cromwell.The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scores 9/10 in the Good Food Guide...
.
Notable residents
- John ThurloeJohn ThurloeJohn Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:...
, Secretary of State under Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland.... - Sir Tim RiceTim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
- Raymond BlancRaymond BlancRaymond Blanc OBE is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain's most respected chefs. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the...
- Peter LawrencePeter Lawrence (teacher)Peter Stafford Hayden Lawrence was a famous master at Eton College and a published author. He was, until his death, the last surviving master at Eton to have served in the Second World War....
- Michael de LarrabeitiMichael de LarrabeitiMichael de Larrabeiti was an English novelist and travel writer. He is best known for writing The Borrible Trilogy, which has been cited as an influence by writers in the New Weird movement.-Early life:...
- Sinclair Hood (archaeologist)
- Dr Peter ZinovieffPeter ZinovieffPeter Zinovieff is a British inventor of Russian ethnicity, most notable for his EMS company, which made the famous VCS3 synthesizer in the late 1960s...
Sports
The village was also the original base of Great Milton Hockey Club, a mixed-sex field hockeyField hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
team that plays annually in the Oxfordshire Gladiators' Cup.