This picture, taken c1912 is looking along Bridge Street from the Market Square.The Talbot Inn can be seen on the left, next to it is a narrow red brick home and next to that is Thompson's high class grocery store which today is The Romany In...
This is the only department store that has ever been in Bampton and it sold anything and everything from lino to material, bolts of cloth, men's and women's clothing, footwear and much more and it also housed the Post Office.Today, the p...
The Elephant and Castle Inn on the left and the Methodist church beyond it with one house in between.The Bridges have always been a place where locals met to chat.There is a wall outside Bridge House, this side of the Inn which is no longer there ...
This is Church View looking North towards the church of Saint Mary The Virgin. Apart from the complete lack of cars, note the open ditch on the right with large stone slabs crossing it to afford access to each of the dwellings along the street. ...
This is a view of Broad Street looking to the North.The young trees on the left were a gift for the village from George Gerring. The trees that had been there were in a dangerous state and had been removed.There are gas lights on the left, a rece...
This picture was taken about 1912. On the left is the shop of J Beard where he ran a printing business and he was an insurance agent.In the very centre of the picture you can see the George and Dragon Inn on the other side of the road.Coming towa...
Wenman's Bakery and shop was at the East end of the Market Square. It was pulled down c1920 along with the little cottage to the est of it to create a space for the War Memorial. The horse from the bakery would be borrowed along with the on...
In 2007 Doug Read helped the Archive make a film to explain the essence of High Cut Ploughing which today, is done at Ploughing Matches. It used to be done with horses and then little tractors and the high cut with clean sides meant the broadcast...
This notice was produced January 14th 1731 and lists the Orders and Statutes for the Free School. While it was called a Free School it is interesting to note that there were actually fees to be paid.
Doug Read had a passion for ploughing, in particular High Cut Ploughing most of his adult life and was awarded an OBE for his services to ploughing. He won many competitions and judged many. He also had other hobbies including vintage cars and h...
This prospectus was created in October 2001 for Bampton C of E Primary School.At this time, Julia Evans was the Headteacher and Rev. David Lloyd was the Chair of Governors.
This is one of several leaflets produced by the government and sent out to every household during the 1939 1945 war, referred to as WWII. The topic is Evacuation, Why and How. The topics covered include:-Why evacuateThe government evacuation sch...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This issue is from April 2004 and the topics covered and advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Fire and Rescue Station Needs You!Photo of firefighters Mark Lloyd, Steve License, ...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced 3 times a year. This issue is from December 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESSave Our Post OfficeRenovation Work in the Market SquareAffordable Housing Needs Survey- q...
Pierre Bovington, the son of Yvette is welcomed back home from the Falklands War in 1982. In the photograph are1. Herbert Lock, son of Bill2. Ron Hickman – butcher3. Henry Willis4. Betty Lock5. Yvette Bovington6.7. Pierre, Yvette’s son back from ...
At a meeting in 1934 there was considerable discord and some not very pleasant behaviour between councillors all to do with getting fresh water to Bampton.
This booklet was produce by the EFDSS pre 1971 because prices are in old money and the UK went decimal February 15th 1971. It is called The Dancing English.
After a very hot and dry summer the Bampton Horticultural Society held an excellent summer show although there were fewer entries in some of the flower and vegetable classes.The Lady Anne Montagu Cup for overall points was won by Mr J Horne.The cu...
The WI put on the pantomime Jack and The Bean Stalk in the WI Hall in 1969Inside the cow were Betty Collett and Valerie Adams played the cowJack & Jill were played by Penny Daniels and Angela Collett.
A Caversham firm want to make a 49 acre marina at Tadpole Bridge on the Thames. WODC lowlands area planning committee are objecting tot he plan because gravel extraction will have to take place first a marina could be built. The decision has been...
15 year old Claire Wythes first went along to Guides aged three because her mother, Margaret Wythes was Brown Owl with the Bampton Guides. Claire was awarded the Queen's Guide Award, the Guides top award, at the WI Hall by the District Comm...
The Bampton Horticultural Society has two shows a year and this is their autumn one. In the picture, Betty Collett the club secretary is seen holding a huge marrow with club chairman, John Snook. The John Taylor cup for the most overall points w...
Clare Dryden was invested as May Queen. Bob Harris, probably best known for presenting The Old Grey Whistle Test but at this point he was a presenter on Radio Oxford, put the sash on Clare. The ceremony took place in the WI Hall, Market Square. ...
In 1973 the New Inn on Bampton's High Street was re-named The Morris Clown.It was a very contentious issue because the jester in the Bampton Morris has never been called a Clown, always a Fool. That piece of history cut no mustard with the B...
In 197 Son Townsend clocked up 50 years as a Morris Dancer and later Fool in Bampton. He first danced out with the side in 1925. To mark the occasion a clock and silver salver were given to Son.The young dancers left to right behind Son are (I t...
Bampton always has a weekend filled with fun and laughter over the late May Bank Holiday. These cuttings talk about the Shirt Race and the Morris Dancing.In one of the cuttings you can also read about1. An exhibition of Arts and Crafts in the Tow...
Marion and Ted Lay lived in Bampton all their married life and as Jamie Wheeler says"They were the loveliest people you could ever meet. I claim a slight family association as their daughter Marjorie married Jim Brooks. It was a second marria...
Jason Seacole of Henry Box School in Witney was integral in England School Boys winning all their matches in the season. England beat West Germany in the final of the eight nations schoolboys' international in Dortmund in May winning 4-2. ...
Kite sculpture at Bampton Arts Centre Aug 8-22 1976 by Professor Kyle Hanton.The Bampton Arts Centre in later years was re-named West ox Arts and it is housed in the upper floor of Bampton's Town Hall.
This is the December 1998 issue of The Beam. A publication by the Parish Council that is produced 3 times a year and given free to all households in Bampton. Topics and advertisers are :- The Bampton BeamVolume 13 No.3August 1998 Pg. No. Summary...
The Great Shirt Race takes place on the Saturday before the late May Bank Holiday. The winners in this year were Anthony Collett and partner Richard Buckingham. Neither of them can be sure of the year, they won more than once but it will be 1978...
Properties in Mercury Close had been empty for quite some time since they were no longer used by personnel from USAF based at Fairford. Local MP Douglas Hurd came to see the vandalism to the properties.
Miss Marjorie Pollard OBE from The Deanery in Bampton officially opened Kingsgate flats for senior citizens in Aston in 1976. Mr Richard Godbehere was warden at the flats. Marjorie and Richard called in on Miss Joan Barton to see how she liked h...
Christina Ann James from Bowling Green Close in Bampton married Anthony John Shurey of Clanfield at Witney Registry Office in 1974. Best man was Richard Snook.
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year and a copy given to every household. This issue is from August 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include :-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Market Square Phase 2 Improvements by Grah...
Yet again the local plan for housing has been delayed. West Oxfordshire District Council said it is because they've received far more feedback from local than they expected and they need time to go through them all. While we have no plan in...
A talk about the arms industry during the First World War and beyond will be held at the village hall in October 2014. Sue Smith and Symon Hill gave the talk on October 23rd.
Bampton residents were invited to take part in a survey; around 1,500 questionnaires were completed as part of the project to draw up a community-led plan for the village, to help guide future developments by reflecting residents' views.
A double page spread about the exhibition of the History of Morris Dancing put on in the Vesey room by Janet Rouse for the Bampton Community Archive June to the end of July 2014.
The Bampton Community Archive is trying to get a list of all the wells that used to be in Bampton. It was the late 1950s before there was mains water to the village. If sufficient information can be gathered an exhibition on wells in Bampton wil...
The developers Gladman Developments keep trying to get permission to create a new housing estate on land between the Aston Road and Buckland Road. Twice it has been turned down but the company has a 90 percent success rate. Now, at February 2021...
The Bampton Beam used to be produce 3 times a year. This issue is from April 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton’s Pre-School Playgroup – New Building Needed – Help Required!The Skate Park is Ready b...
The Bampton Beam used to be produce three times a year. This publication is from December 2002. The articles covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Skate Park by Alan DunbarThe New Bus Services by Cllr Fred GrayBampton ...
This picture must have been taken early in the twentieth century. It shows two ladies, a girl and a boy in charge of a hay cart and shire horse. It is by Meadow Farm along the Buckland Road. The style of cart is that of an Oxford cart.Suzanne W...
Campaigners have condemned the xo-called 'no win no fee' policy of a developer behind plans for more than 700 homes on sites across Oxfordshire. 446 are planned for sites in West Oxfordshire. Sites are in Witney and Bampton.
Witney Gazette Aug 26th 2015.A Government inspector, Simon Emerson has been appointed to look at WODC plans for house building in next 20 years.More detail in the article.
The Wedding Neil O'Brien & Sarah Bisp September 27th 2003. The gathering is on Church Green on the south side of Saint Mary's.Di O'Brien is Neil's mother and was school secretary in Bampton for many years.
In December 2014, pupils from Bampton Primary School and the Ladybird Nursery planted trees to commemorate the 40th year of the Tree Council's National Tree Week.In the picture are Lisa Lane with three year olds Ethan Walsh and Nala Hunt. Th...
This was the first garage to be run and owned by the Morris car company in Oxford.While acknowledging this is not a garage in Bampton, many local men eventually worked at the Morris Oxford car plant in Oxford so local families have an interest.
In alternate years the Bampton Community Archive organises a open garden day called Bampton's Hidden Gardens. Toby Hopkins dressed as a scarecrow as part of the fun.
When the Wenrisc ward was closed in 2015 there was great concern locally that it may be permanent despite being told it was for refurbishment. It was with relief that it was reopened a year later.
This envelope and cutting were lent to the Archive by Freda Bradley. Sundown Cottage was in the grounds of Prospect, the house immediately in front of you as you walk down the lane past the south side of the Grammar School. Mr & Mrs Rose bou...
Richard Briers used to live in Carswell on the edge of Bampton and came to Adrian Simmonds' shop in the Market Square to buy his pet food. He is in the shop in this photograph.
These are brothers Jim and Dick Daniels. Jim is the older brother standing in the front in a scout's uniform. Dick is in the background. A few years later Jim joined the Air Scouts and did circuits and bumps and enjoyed it despite not liki...
Win Jones aged 94 is a very remarkable lady. She works hard at keeping fit and that is probably what has helped her to get over being infected with covid-19
The Bampton Beam used to be produced 3 times a year. This issue is from August 2002 and the topics covered and advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton’s Own Special Celebrations for The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Tuesday 4 June 2002Sports Da...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This issue is from April 2002. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESParish Council and District Council Elections 2nd May 2002Photograph of flooding and Morr...
Doug Read OBE (he gained the OBE for services to ploughing) was a huge fan of classic cars and owned several over the years. These are four of them and show1. Trojan Tourer 1924 model owned by Doug Read. Douglas Read driving, passengers David Hun...
In November 2015 eight products, including Patrick Strainge's Bampton Royal sausages were nominated for the Q Guild Smithfield Awards. Only 200 butchers in England can hold a Q guild aware at any one time so it really is a feather in the cap...
This small newspaper cutting gives a wonderful moment in time giving a general picture of how things were in the early days of WWII. The author comments on:-The visibility of evacuees - many came from Bow in LondonThe Manor was offered as a hospi...
These little cottages have been extended over the years but seen here, Nos 1 and 2 Mill Green are in their original petite state. A snowy time after Christmas 1981
This letter, dated November 1st 1944 was send by Stan Smith's commanding officer to Stan's father informing him that Stan was missing but may be a POW. He was a POW and near the end of the was became one of the POWs who took part in the...
Freda Bradley lent this to the Archive to copy and we believe she is talking about her Grampy owning Sundown Cottage at one time.In the 1960s it was purchased by Bernard Rose along with Sandfords where he and wife Molly lived and he demolished the...
This is one of the earliest photograph of the Bampton Morris Men taken in 1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year.The dancers areGeorge Wells/TaylorThomas William TannerJoseph RouseRobert DixeyGeorge DixeyJames DeweCharles Henry Tanner, r...
We were all sorry when Adrian Simmonds had to close his shop. It was like an Aladdin's cave inside and he aimed to have 6 new things each week. There is a letter to the Bampton Beam here from Toby Hopkins and one from Adrian himself.
This lovely photograph shows James and Elizabeth (nee Fox) Green with their children Lizzie, Harry, Jack, Jim, Rose, Fred and Percy taken about 1902.Harry, really Henry Arthur Green died in the WWI
These are a collection of records compiled by Lloyd Hughes Owens and cover many aspects of local life and people. 1247 local tithes; 1275 extract from Quo Warranto Roll concerning tenures; 1288 Bond of obligation to pay rent for Vicars' hous...
The lovely black and white photograph shows Mrs Clark in her shop doorway. The shop was in the High Street on the north side almost opposite Bovington's wet fish shop.
This video club shop was well used and its demise was brought about when the local little supermarket began renting films and it was just too easy to get a film from the supermarket while buying other items.It was a special outing to rent a film f...
In the middle of this picture you can see Angela John Antiques on the left and Health Matters on the right. Both were in the Market Square. To the left you can just see the entrance to Market Square Garage. On the right behind the blue car you ...
The Eagle Inn in Church View, Sadly, it closed in January 1992. It was the head quarters of the Bampton Traditional Morris Men when Francis Shergold was squire of the side. It was a happy place with darts, aunt sally, a garden and a one time a ...
Brian and Siobhan O'Rourke owned the Cotton Club and started it in these premises in Rosemary Lane. It acquired a wonderful reputation and I know one seamstress in South Wales who came once every two months to buy her cotton fabric here. Af...
John Temple ran this hardware shop for many years and it was brilliant. He always had a smile on his face and worked very hard to stock items that were really wanted.
This is the original Duttons shop in Bridge Street somewhere about 1880. Note at this time there were just two windows, not four that are there today.In the second picture you can see George Dutton on the left and the 15 year old boy is William M...
In the 1970s Fleur de Lys was a hair salon owned by Margaret Roberts. It is in Bushey Row. There were several owners after Margaret and it was later a video rental shop, a shop selling twee things for gardeners and a Physiotherapy Centre. Now i...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year and this issue is from December 2001. The topics covered and advertisers incluce:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESYes! The Mosaic’s Coming to Town by Sally Proctor, Administrator for WOA GalleryDesign f...
The Burford and Bampton branches of the British Red Cross got together for their annual bazaar. L-R in the photograph are Mrs R Lockyer, Mrs Isabel Collins, Mrs Bridget Smith and Mrs Margaret Wilson.
Celebrating the launch of the nationwide Farm Holiday Bureau are Mr Nick Hooper, Mrs Mary Rouse from Lew and Mr Dick Millard of the English Tourist Board. Nick and Mary were members of the local group, the Thames Valley Farm and Country Holiday g...
Although the caption talks about a 'Street Fayer' the picture is actually of Jim Smith and Martin Barber in fancy dress for the Shirt Race organised annually by the SPAJERS ie the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing. The s...
In 1983 the Lowlands Area Planning Sub committee gave permission for 70 more homes to be built between New Road and Coalpit Lane. The said no more than 20 per year on the 8 acre site but in the event, there were more than this annually.
This newspaper cutting is from April 1st 1983.The anniversary of the Women's League was celebrated by joining with the Mothers' Union for prayers and a celebration tea.The PTA held a bazaar and raised £75 for their funds which in 1983 wa...
Tom Smith was the son of a gypsy Queen and for 1969, the number of people and cars who came to his funeral was a very memorable affair. To this day, locals call the bend just outside Bampton on the Bampton to Brize Norton Road 'Hoppy's ...
Freda Daniels was not quite 3 years old when she was dressed up to sell poppies in 1929. She was born April 13th 1927. The photograph of her sitting has '3 years old' written on the back.When she married she became Mrs Freda Bradley.
When Lloyd Hughes Owens created a series of albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s there were people alive who could remember seeing Fred Able in Bampton with his little cart, two donkeys and his dog.