Print

Long Compton is a village and civil parish in Warwickshire, England near the extreme southern tip of Warwickshire, and close to the border with Oxfordshire. It is part of the district of Stratford-on-Avon and in the 2001 census had a population of 705, increasing to 764 at the 2011 Census.

The village is in the Cotswolds and is located on the A3400 (formerly the A34) from Oxford to Stratford-upon-Avon. As the name implies it is a long village. In the centre is the large church of St Peter and St Paul, which dates from the 13th century. The parish contains Weston Park, within which was the depopulated settlement of Weston-by-Cherington. About one mile south of Long Compton are the Rollright Stones, a neolithic monument.

The Earl of Northampton and the Sheldon family (of Sheldon tapestry fame) were strong supporters of King Charles I during the Civil War and Long Compton suffered more than most from that devastating conflict, aside from the church, no house in Long Compton pre-dates the Civil War, evidencing the destruction which several armies passing through and staying in the village brought in their wake.

A small gallery of images from Long Compton

.More Images on Geograph.

The village stretches for nearly ¾ mile along the A3400 as it runs north from Chipping Norton through the centre of the parish. Near its northern end, just beyond the church, the road is carried by Crow Bridge over the Nethercote Brook, on which, ¼ mile west, Long Compton Mill stands, probably on the site of the mill mentioned in the Domesday Survey. The road then turns to the north-west towards Shipston-on-Stour, dividing into two branches to encircle Harrow Hill.

The entrance to the churchyard, at its south-east corner, is under a 17th-century cottage that forms a quasi-lych-gate (see gallery). The gabled east wall, towards the road, is of stone rubble but the upper north and south side walls have some timber-framing. The roof is thatched. A former pathway through the churchyard, farther west, was diverted some years ago.

Links to SWFHS Content about Long Compton

Thanks to Wikipedia and Long Compton Parish for the information. For more in-depth information please see the Long Compton entry on London University's website British History Online.

Other Online Resources

Hits: 2178