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 {gallery}Long Compton{/gallery}.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
- Details
- Written by: webmaster
- Hits: 3851
Stoneleigh is a small village in Warwickshire, England, on the River Sowe, about 5 miles (8 km) south of Coventry and 5 miles (8 km) north of Leamington Spa. The population taken at the 2011 census was 3,636. The village is about 600 yards (549 m) northeast of the confluence of the River Sowe and the River Avon. This large parish, formerly 6 miles in depth from north to south, with a breadth of 5 miles in the south and 2 miles in the north but much of it has been absorbed into Coventry in recent years. The northern portion of the parish was constituted the ecclesiastical parish of Westwood in 1846, with the church of St. John the Baptist, built of stone in the Early English style on a site given by Lord Leigh and largely at his expense. Westwood, with its hamlets of Fletchamstead, Canley, and Tile Hill, was included within the city boundary in 1927, and other parts of the parish were added under the Coventry Extension Act of 1931.
By the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, there were two priests in the parish, though nothing now remains of their church. The manor then possessed two mills and four miles of woodland. However, it was the arrival of Cistercian monks who founded Stoneleigh Abbey in the middle of the twelfth century which made the greatest mark on the character of the village in centuries to come.
The village's church (see gallery) is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Stoneleigh has no public house, however, the local historical society is keen to dispel the myth that all three were closed by Lord Leigh more than 100 years ago after his daughter was laughed at by drunks when she was going to church on a tricycle. However, it has a thriving Village Social Club, which meets in the evenings on Vicarage Road.
Stoneleigh was the site of the most destructive tornado of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak of 23 November 1981. The second-strongest tornado of the outbreak, rated as an F2/T4 tornado, passed through Stoneleigh and surrounding areas at around 14:00 local time, causing severe damage including the complete destruction of a static caravan park and damage to residential buildings.
A small gallery of images from Stoneleigh {gallery}Stoneleigh{/gallery}More images on Geograph.
Stoneleigh Abbey is to the southwest of the village. It was founded in 1154 by the Cistercians. From 1561 to 1990 it was the home of the Leigh family. In 1996, The Rt Hon. John, 5th Baron Leigh (1935-2003), transferred ownership of Stoneleigh Abbey and its 690-acre (279 ha) grounds to a charitable trust. Between 1996 and 2000 it was extensively renovated with the help of grants, including a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Within the grounds of the Abbey are two groups of houses built by Charles Church in 2002, named Grovehurst Park and The Cunnery. A row of old workers' cottages, Rectory Cottages (see gallery), was totally renovated in the same year.
Stoneleigh Park (previously known as the National Agricultural Centre) is to the southwest of the village. Stoneleigh Park is an exhibition and conference centre which used to host, amongst many other annual events, the Royal Show, a huge national agricultural event, and the Town and Country Festival. From 1991-2001 it hosted the Newfrontiers "Stoneleigh Bible Week", when up to 30,000 Christians from all over the world gathered for worship and teaching over a fortnight with alternating weeks.
Links to SWFHS Content about Stoneleigh
- Baptism Records Index 1750-1906
- Marriage Records Index 1754-1916
- Burial Records Index 1745-1916
- War Memorial Transcription Page
Thanks to Wikipedia and Stoneleigh Parish for the information. For more in-depth information please see the Stoneleigh entry on London University's website British History Online.
Other Online Resources
- Details
- Written by: webmaster
- Hits: 3760