Stanford in the Vale
Encyclopedia
Stanford in the Vale is a large village and civil parish about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south-east of Faringdon
and 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Wantage
in the Vale of White Horse
. It was part of Berkshire
until the 1974 boundary changes
transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire.
. It has two churches, one primary school, one preschool, two public house
s, shops and businesses, as well as numerous clubs and societies. The Church of England parish church
of Saint Denys
dominates Church Green. The village is built on Corallian Limestone
and there is major quarrying activity, extracting sands and gravels.
, which flows into the River Thames
at Abingdon
. In Saxon
times, the crossing was known as "stony ford". It is often assumed that this ford
once served where the bridge now spans the river on the A417, near Stanford Mill, however others speculate that it was actually a crossing of Frogmore Brook. In mediaeval times, the village rivalled Abingdon as a market centre, having the unusual feature of two village greens. During 1644 and 1645, the English Civil War
came to Faringdon
and Radcot (a strategic river crossing over the Thames). According to local legend Cromwell
’s cavalry was billeted in the village.
Stanford in the Vale featured on national UK
news in August 2005 because of a serious fire affecting a row of thatched cottages on the village green.
, Denchworth
, West Challow
, Hatford
, Gainfield
, Shellingford
and Charney Bassett
.
A regular bus service to Wantage and Faringdon is also provided by RH Transport.
was born in the village in 1947. Her parents lived on the road called Van Diemans.
in France
since 1989.
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
and 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
in the Vale of White Horse
Vale of White Horse
The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
. 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 the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire.
Geography
Stanford is on the A417 roadA417 road
-Streatley - Gloucester :It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place -Streatley - Gloucester (M5):It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage,...
. It has two churches, one primary school, one preschool, two 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, shops and businesses, as well as numerous clubs and societies. 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 Denys
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
dominates Church Green. The village is built on Corallian Limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and there is major quarrying activity, extracting sands and gravels.
History
Stanford in the Vale takes its name from the ancient crossing of the River OckRiver Ock
The River Ock is a small English river which is a tributary of the River Thames. It has as its catchment area the Vale of White Horse, a low-lying and wide valley in South Oxfordshire and flows into the River Thames, at Abingdon on the reach above Culham Lock.-Course:The River Ock rises near the...
, which flows into the River Thames
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,...
at 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...
. In 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...
times, the crossing was known as "stony ford". It is often assumed that this ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
once served where the bridge now spans the river on the A417, near Stanford Mill, however others speculate that it was actually a crossing of Frogmore Brook. In mediaeval times, the village rivalled Abingdon as a market centre, having the unusual feature of two village greens. During 1644 and 1645, the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
came to Faringdon
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
and Radcot (a strategic river crossing over the Thames). According to local legend Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver 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....
’s cavalry was billeted in the village.
Stanford in the Vale featured on national UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
news in August 2005 because of a serious fire affecting a row of thatched cottages on the village green.
Transport
Stanford has had its own community bus service, set up and operated by volunteers, since 1982. It provides regular services to the local towns of Faringdon and Wantage, and also serves the surrounding villages LyfordLyford, Oxfordshire
Lyford is a village and civil parish about north of Wantage. Historically it was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Hanney. Lyford was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire.-Manors:...
, Denchworth
Denchworth
Drayton is a village and civil parish about north of Wantage. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire.The parish is bounded by the Land Brook in the west and the Childrey Brook in the east...
, West Challow
West Challow
West Challow is a village and civil parish about west of the market town of Wantage in the Vale of White Horse. The village is on Childrey Brook, which is a tributary of the River Ock...
, Hatford
Hatford
Hatford is a small village and civil parish of some in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Amenities:...
, Gainfield
Gainfield
Gainfield is a small ribbon development in Buckland civil parish about east of Faringdon in the Vale of the White Horse District of England. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire....
, Shellingford
Shellingford
Shellingford, historically also spelt Shillingford is a village and civil parish about south-east of Faringdon in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 Local Government Act transferred it to Oxfordshire....
and Charney Bassett
Charney Bassett
Charney Bassett is a village and civil parish about north of Wantage and east of Faringdon in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Archaeology:...
.
A regular bus service to Wantage and Faringdon is also provided by RH Transport.
Notable people
The poet Pam AyresPam Ayres
Pam Ayres MBE is an English poet, songwriter and presenter of radio and television programmes. Her 1975 appearance on the television talent show Opportunity Knocks led to a variety of appearances on TV and radio shows, a one woman touring stage show and performing before the Queen.-Early life:Pam...
was born in the village in 1947. Her parents lived on the road called Van Diemans.
Twinning
The village has been twinned with Saint-Germain-du-CorbéisSaint-Germain-du-Corbéis
Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-References:*...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
since 1989.