type written document by Lloyd Hughes Owen (Historian and Headmaster of Bampton School in 1950's), obviously transcribed from a vellum book written by Thomas Horde Esquire, Lord of the Manor of Aston and Cote in the parish of Bampton for the benefit of his tenants and landlords of Aston setting out the ancient farming system.
There is a photograph of Eton Villas taken a few decades ago and a written history of the buildings starting with the sale of the original buildings or Hereditaments in 1902 at the Talbot.
Francis Shergold spent most of his adult life dancing Bampton Traditional Morris and was the squire of the Bampton Traditional Morris Men for over 50 years. In 1996 he was awarded the gold badge of the English Folk Dance and Song Society at Cecil Sharp House in London. The citation (included here) was read by Derek Schofield; 'Nibs' Matthews (Sydney Alfred Matthews) had the pleasure of pinning the badge on Francis's jacket. Francis gave a heartfelt speech of thanks and had his photograph taken with his beloved wife Ann and his sister Ruth Wheeler and then enjoyed a pint with Nibs. Sadly, now in 2017 both Francis and Nibs are long gone and their obituaries are included in this pdf.
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
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 marriage for them both and Jim had previously been married to my Auntie Joyce. I always regarded him as my uncle. Ted was a Morris dancer years ago and we always did one dance outside his house on Whit Monday and for Mrs. Lay after Ted died. Mrs. Lay was sister of Harry Pocock whose name crops up on this site quite often. He died the day I was born (or so Mrs. Pocock used to tell me)"
Mrs Rogers lived in Brook House on Bridge Street where she sold sweets and newspapers. Bampton is 18 miles from Oxford and 18 from Swindon and somehow, Mrs Brooks managed to get a sugar allowance during WWII from both Swindon and Oxford which enabled her to make and sell lots of sweets.
Brook House is the one on the left of the picture, across the road.
She is on the left in this picture with Mr and Mrs Albert Townsend from across the road at Castle View Farm. They are standing just inside the wall of the farm.
