Leafield
Encyclopedia
Leafield is a village and civil parish about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Witney
in West Oxfordshire
. The parish includes the hamlet
of Langley, 1 miles (1.6 km) west of Leafield village.
The village is 635 feet (193.5 m) above sea level in the Cotswold Hills
. It was the highest point in Oxfordshire until the 1974 county boundary changes
enlarged the county.
forest. The area of forest south of Langley was cleared in 1857–58, leaving straight, regular field boundaries typical of the 18th and 19th century enclosure
s.
The village has the remains of a medieval
preaching cross
. The steps and lower part of its base are old. A new Gothic Revival
shaft and top were added in 1873 as a thanksgiving for the village escaping a smallpox
epidemic.
Leafield was a dependent chapelry of the ecclesiastical parish of Shipton-under-Wychwood
until the 19th century. Leafield's Church of England parish church
of Saint Michael
and All Angels was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott
, built in 1859 and consecrated in 1860. The bell tower
was completed in 1874 and has a ring
of six bells, all cast that year by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough
. St. Michael's is now a member of the Forest Edge Benefice.
Leafield Church of England Primary School opened in 1839. It was expanded by the building of additional classrooms in 1871, 1897 and 1904. The 1871 classroom was designed by the architect C.C. Rolfe. Leafield's school district was expanded in 1873 to include Asthall
, Langley and Wychwood
. Leafield C of E School resisted Oxfordshire County Council
's attempts to reorganise it as a junior school until after the Second World War
. The school's catchment area was expanded in 1986 to include Ascott-under-Wychwood
.
redeveloped the site as a training college, but then closed the site in 1993. It was then used by Tom Walkinshaw Racing
(TWR) as a motorsport development centre for the Arrows
Formula One
team, until the team's demise in the 2002 season
. From the 2006 season
until the 2008 season
Leafield Technical Centre was the headquarters of the now-defunct Super Aguri F1
team.
Menard Competition Technologies is now based at Leafield Technical Centre. MCT has made the engines for Norton Motorcycles' range of Commando 961 models since 2009.
s: The Fox and The Pearl. The Fox is currently closed although the new owners plan to re-open it soon. The Pearl (formerly the Spindleberry) now operates as a Chinese restaurant, takeaway and bar.
The Wychwood Way
, a 37 miles (59.5 km) circular walking trail, passes through Leafield Lower End.
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
in West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire is a local government district in north west Oxfordshire, England including towns such as Woodstock, Burford, Chipping Norton, Charlbury, and Witney ....
. The parish includes the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Langley, 1 miles (1.6 km) west of Leafield village.
The village is 635 feet (193.5 m) above sea level in the Cotswold Hills
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. It was the highest point in Oxfordshire until the 1974 county 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....
enlarged the county.
History
The parish is within the former limits of the WychwoodWychwood
The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire. In past centuries the forest covered a much larger area, since cleared in favour of agriculture, villages and towns. However, the forest's area has fluctuated...
forest. The area of forest south of Langley was cleared in 1857–58, leaving straight, regular field boundaries typical of the 18th and 19th century enclosure
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...
s.
The village has the remains of a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
preaching cross
Preaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
. The steps and lower part of its base are old. A new Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
shaft and top were added in 1873 as a thanksgiving for the village escaping a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic.
Leafield was a dependent chapelry of the ecclesiastical parish of Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton-under-Wychwood
Shipton under Wychwood is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode valley about north of Burford, Oxfordshire. The village is one of several named after the ancient forest of Wychwood. The others are Milton-under-Wychwood immediately to the west of the village and Ascott-under-Wychwood about to...
until the 19th century. Leafield's 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 Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
and All Angels was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
, built in 1859 and consecrated in 1860. 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 completed in 1874 and 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 six bells, all cast that year by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
. St. Michael's is now a member of the Forest Edge Benefice.
Leafield Church of England Primary School opened in 1839. It was expanded by the building of additional classrooms in 1871, 1897 and 1904. The 1871 classroom was designed by the architect C.C. Rolfe. Leafield's school district was expanded in 1873 to include Asthall
Asthall
Asthal or Asthall is a village and civil parish on the River Windrush in Oxfordshire, about west of Witney. It includes the hamlets of Asthall Leigh, Field Assarts, Stonelands, Worsham and part of Fordwells....
, Langley and Wychwood
Wychwood
The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire. In past centuries the forest covered a much larger area, since cleared in favour of agriculture, villages and towns. However, the forest's area has fluctuated...
. Leafield C of E School resisted Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
's attempts to reorganise it as a junior school until after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The school's catchment area was expanded in 1986 to include Ascott-under-Wychwood
Ascott-under-Wychwood
Ascott-under-Wychwood is a village and civil parish in the Evenlode valley about south of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.-History:The village is one of several named after the historic forest of Wychwood; the others being Shipton-under-Wychwood and Milton-under-Wychwood.Ascot d'Oilly Castle was...
.
Leafield Technical Centre
A large radio transmission station was sited at Langley from 1912 until 1986. British TelecomBT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
redeveloped the site as a training college, but then closed the site in 1993. It was then used by Tom Walkinshaw Racing
Tom Walkinshaw Racing
Tom Walkinshaw Racing , was an auto racing team and engineering firm founded in 1976 by touring car racer Tom Walkinshaw.-History:TWR started by modifying BMW 3.0 CSLs, but soon was contracted to head Mazda's works program in the British Touring Car Championship. The TWR developed RX-7, with Win...
(TWR) as a motorsport development centre for the Arrows
Arrows
Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team, until the team's demise in the 2002 season
2002 Formula One season
The 2002 Formula One season was the 53rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 3, 2002, and ended on October 13 after seventeen races....
. From the 2006 season
2006 Formula One season
The 2006 Formula One season was the 57th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship which began on March 12 and ended on October 22 after eighteen races. The Drivers' Championship was won by Fernando Alonso of Renault F1 for the second year in a...
until the 2008 season
2008 Formula One season
The 2008 Formula One season was the 59th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on 16 March and ended on 2 November with eighteen Grand Prix races....
Leafield Technical Centre was the headquarters of the now-defunct Super Aguri F1
Super Aguri F1
Super Aguri F1 was a Formula One team that competed from to . The team, founded by former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki, was based in Tokyo, Japan but operated from the former Arrows factory at the Leafield Technical Centre, Oxfordshire. The cars were referred to as Super Aguri Hondas, with the team...
team.
Menard Competition Technologies is now based at Leafield Technical Centre. MCT has made the engines for Norton Motorcycles' range of Commando 961 models since 2009.
Amenities
Leafield 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 Fox and The Pearl. The Fox is currently closed although the new owners plan to re-open it soon. The Pearl (formerly the Spindleberry) now operates as a Chinese restaurant, takeaway and bar.
The Wychwood Way
Wychwood Way
The Wychwood Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England in the United Kingdom.-The route:The Wychwood Way runs through the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood in West Oxfordshire....
, a 37 miles (59.5 km) circular walking trail, passes through Leafield Lower End.