Kellys_Berks_Bucks&Oxon_1915_1148.jpg

352

W IT N E Y .

OXFORDSHIRE.

tio n , th e t o t a l co s t, in c lu d in g s ite , b e in g a b o u t £ 2 ,0 0 0 ;
th e fo u n d a tio n sto n e w a s la id b y M iss T o w n s e n d , M a rc h
4 th in t h a t y e a r , a n d th e c h a p e l o p en e d in th e fo llo w ­
in g O c to b e r : th e re are s itt in g s fo r 450 ; th e ch a p e l w as
first fo u n d e d in 1662. T h e P r im it iv e M e th o d is t ch a p el
is in C o rn s tr e e t, a n d w as b u ilt in 1869. T h e W e sle y a n
c h a p e l, in H ig h s tr e e t, e re c te d in 1850, a n d s u b s e q u e n tly
e n la r g e d , is an ed ifice of sto n e in th e G o t h ic s ty le , and
h a s s itt in g s fo r 800 p e r s o n s : a tta c h e d a re la r g e d a y
sc h o o ls.
T h e C h u r c h H o u se, C h u r c h G re e n , w as e re c te d in
19 11 a t a co st of £ 1 ,2 3 0 , r a is e d b y p u b lic s u b sc rip tio n .
T h e W itn e y B u r ia l B o a rd w as form e d in 1855 ; the
c e m e t e r y , c o v e rin g an are a of 3a. ir . 25P. w as p u rch a sed
b y t h e B o a rd fo r £ 1 7 0 , and opened fo r in te rm e n ts in
J a n u a r y , 1 8 5 7 : th e c o s t of e re c tin g th e tw o m o rtu a ry
ch a p e ls an d c e m e te ry k e e p e r’s h o u se and la y in g o u t th e
g r o u n d s w as £ 1,3 6 0 . In 1896, it w as en la rg e d b y 3
a c r e s , p re s e n te d b y th e D u k e of M a r lb o r o u g h K .G . and
is no w u n d e r th e c o n tro l of th e U rb a n D is t r ic t C o u n cil,
a c t i n g as a b u ria l b o ard .
T h e T o w n H a ll, w h ic h sta n d s in th e M a rk e t sq u a re, w as
r e p a ir e d in 1876, an d is a s m a ll b u t a n c ie n t r e c ta n g u la r
b u ild in g of sto n e c o n s is t in g of one la r g e c h a m b e r, su p ­
p o rte d on n in e sto n e c o lu m n s , th e lo w e r s ta g e fo rm in g
an open p ia z z a : it is o cc a sio n a lly u se d for le c tu r e s and
p u b lic p u rp o s e s , an d w ill h o ld 150 p erso n s.
T h e C o rn E x c h a n g e , in th e M a r k e t sq u a re , is a b u ild ­
in g of sto n e , e r e c te d in 1863 b y a p u b lic c o m p a n y , at
a c o s t of £ 2 ,5 0 0 ; on th e g r o u n d flo o r is th e m a r k e t h a ll,
w ith offices and r e tir in g ro o m s, w h ere as se m b lie s , b alls,
e x h ib itio n s an d p u b lic m e e tin g s a re h e l d : it w ill hold
700 p erso n s.
T h e r e are ro o m s o c c u p ie d a s r e a d in g
ro o m s b y th e W itn e y A th e n a e u m , a n d as a c o u n c il
c h a m b e r b y th e U rb a n D is t r ic t C o u n c i l ; th e u p p e r p a rt
o f th e b u ild in g is n o w o c c u p ie d b y th e W in d r u s h C lu b .
T h e P o lic e S ta tio n , on th e w e st sid e of C h u r c h G re en ,
e r e c t e d in i8 6 0, a t a c o s t of £ 2 ,5 0 0 , h a s a la r g e ro o m ,
in w h ic h t h e p e t t y se ssio n s a re h e ld , w ith a r e t ir in g
ro o m fo r m a g is t r a t e s a n d w a it in g r o o m s ; th e sta tio n
also in c lu d e s h o u ses fo r th e s u p e rin te n d e n t an d a s e r ­
g e a n t, b e s id e s g u a r d ro o m s n n d ce lls.
T h e B u t t e r C ro s s , in th e M a r k e t p la c e , b u i’ t in
1683 b y W illia m B la k e esq . of C o g g e s , a n d re n o ­
v a t e d in 18 11 a n d 1868, is a w o o den s t r u c tu r e , s u p ­
p o r te d b y t h ir t e e n c y lin d r ic a l p i l l a r s ; i t h a s fo u r
g a b le s a t t h e c a r d in a l p o in ts , a n d a t th e a p ex of
th e ro o f is a s q u a r e t u r r e t w it h an illu m in a te d
c lo ck , p la c e d b y su b s c r ip tio n in 18 8 9 ; th e b a s e m e n t
w as u se d a t o n e tim e on m a r k e t d a y s fo r t h e sa le of
b u tt e r , p o u lt r y , e g g s an d o th e r co m m o d itie s.
T h e to w n h a s lo n g b ee n c e le b r a te d fo r th e m a n u f a c ­
t u r e of b la n k e ts , w h ic h g iv e s e m p lo y m e n t to a la r g e
p o rtio n o f th e p o p u la tio n . I n 1710 th e b la n k e t w e a v e rs
in th e to w n a n d 20 m ile s a ro u n d i t w e re in c o rp o ra te d
b y R o y a l C h a r te r , d a te d 2 3 rd M ay in t h a t y e a r , and
soon a fte r th e B la n k e t H a ll w a s e r e c te d , in w h ic h th e
b la n k e ts w e re w e ig h e d , m e a s u re d a n d m a r k e d a c c o r d ­
in g to th e t e r m s o f th e C h a r te r , th e m a n u fa c t u r e at
t h is t im e e m p lo y in g 150 lo o m s a n d 400 h a n d s. T h e r e
a re no w (19 15 ) a b o u t 400 lo o m s an d 1,000 b a n d s e m ­
p lo y e d in th e tra d e an d th e p r o d u c tio n of b la n k e ts is
m u c h la r g e r t h a n a t a n y p r e v io u s t im e . T h e M essrs.
E a r ly h a v e been co n n e c te d w it h th e in d u s tr y fo r n e a rly
200 y e a r s , a n d p a r t of o n e of th e m ills , o f w h ic h M essrs.
W . S m it h a n d C o m p a n y W itn e y L im it e d are p r o ­
p r ie to r s , w as u n d e r th e o ld c h a r te r . M e ssrs . M a rrio tt
a n d So n s L im it e d h a v e also m ills in th e to w n . T h e
w a t e r o f th e r iv e r W in d r u s h is sa id to p o sse ss p e c u lia r
q u a litie s , w h ic h c o n trib u te to th e w h ite n e ss an d so ftn e ss
o f th e b la n k e ts m a n u fa c tu r e d h e re .
O th e r w o o llen
g o o d s, a s w e ll a s g lo v e s , are m a d e h e re , an d th e r e is
o n e b re w e ry .
A f o r t n ig h t ly m a r k e t fo r c a tt le , sh eep an d p ig s is h e ld
in th e M a r k e t s q u a re , a n d a c o rn m a r k e t w e e k ly on
T h u r s d a y s ; b o th a re w e ll a tte n d e d . F a ir s are h e ld on
t h e T h u r s d a y fo llo w in g t h e firs t S u n d a y a fte r S e p te m b e r
8 th an d t h e T h u r s d a y b efo re O c to b e r 10th fo r c a tt le
a n d sh e e p
.
U n d er C o g g e s W o o d to W o o d sto c k ro a d are th e lin k s of
t h e W itn e y G o lf C lu b . T h e co u rse is of 9 h o le s, on
t u r f of v e r y fin e q u a lity .

[

k e l l y ’s

C lo se t o th e p a r is h c h u r c h a r e s i x a lm sh ou ses,
o r ig in a lly fou n d e d fo r s ix w id o w s o f d e c a y e d b lan k et
m a n u fa c t u r e r s , b u t now in h a b ite d b y w id o w s of jo u r ­
n e y m a n w e a v e rs a n d p erso n s w h o w e re co n n e c te d w ith
th e t r a d e ; th e h o u se s, r e b u ilt in 1868, w e re ere cted
a n d en d o w e d w it h 115 a c re s of la n d , n o w y ie ld in g £90
y e a r ly , b y Jo h n H o llo w a y , of L o n d o n , w h o d ie d Jun e
3 rd , 1 7 2 4 ; t h e in m a te s h a v e a n allo w a n ce o f 3s. a w eek.
A t th e w e st en d of th e to w n are s ix o th e r alm sh o u se s ,
b u ilt in 1821 b y W illia m T o w n se n d , a n a t iv e of W itn e y
a n d h a b e r d a s h e r of H o lb o rn , L o n d o n , fo r th e u se of
a g e d u n m a r r ie d w o m e n , e a c h of w h o m also re c e iv e s an
a llo w a n ce of 4s. w e e k ly .
In th e 16 th c e n tu r y th e re w as a co lle g e h e re b e lo n g ­
in g to C o rp u s C b r is t i C o lle g e , O x fo rd , to w h ic h stu d e n ts
w ere w o n t to re m o v e d u r in g v is it a t io n s of th e p la g u e at
O x fo rd .
F r e e la n d ’ s e s ta t e s of 85 a c r e s p r o d u c e £ 9 2 y e a rly ,
f o r d is tr ib u t io n in c lo th in g a n d m o n e y to th e p o o r of
th e p a ris h , a n d th e re a r e se v e ra l o th e r
c h a ritie s
am o u n tin g to £ 1 8 5 y e a r ly , fo r d is tr ib u tio n in b rea d ,
m e a t an d m o n ey , b e s id e s a b o u t £ 8 a y e a r for ch urch
p u rp o se s.
T h e D u k e o f M a r lb o r o u g h K .G . is lo rd of th e m an o r,
an d h o ld s a c o u r t b aro n e a ch y e a r.
U n d e r L o c a l G o v e rn m e n t B o a rd O rd e r N o . 37 ,3 7 *» F e b 2, 1898, th e tow n sh ip of W itn e y w as ex te n d e d on M arch
3 1, 1898, b y th e in c lu sio n of p a r t s of H a ile y an d C u r ­
b r id g e .
.
T h e a r e a of th e to w n s h ip an d U rb an D is t r ic t is 369
a c re s o f la n d a n d 9 of w a t e r ; r a te a b le v a lu e , £ 1 5 ,4 7 4 ;
th e p o p u la tio n in 19 11 w as 3,529 an d of th e e c c le sia stic a l
p a ris h , 4,610.
T h e a re a s of C r a w le y . H a ile y a n d C u r b r id g e a re given
s e p a ra te ly .
C U R B R I D G E is a h a m le t of W itn e y , 1 m ile an d a
h a lf w est. T h e c h u r c h of S t. J o h n th e B a p tis t, a chapel
of ease to th e p a rish c h u r c h , w as e re c te d in 1906, from
d e sig n s b y M essrs. N ich o lso n an d C o r le t t, a r c h it e c ts , of
L o n d o n , an d d e d ic a te d b y th e B ish o p of O x fo rd , Dec.
11 in t h a t y e a r : i t is of r o u g h sto n e, a n d co n ta in s a
rood sc re e n and cro ss a n d a re re d o s co n ta in in g a figure
of S t. Jo h n : th e e a st w in d o w is a m e m o r i a l : th e re are
s itt in g s fo r 90 perso n s. T h e r e is a P r im it iv e M eth o d ist
ch a p e ! h e re , b u ilt in 1902. In t h is h a m le t are th e re ­
m a in s of w h a t w as o n ce a fine b a ro n ia l m a n sio n , but
now a fa rm h o u se , an d k n o w n as “ C a s w e ll f a r m ; ” it
is s t ill su rro u n d e d b y a la r g e m o a t , a n d th e m assiv e
c r e n e lla te d p ie rs of th e g r e a t g a t e w a y a r e y e t re m a in ­
in g ; th e l a s t fa m ily of d is tin c t io n w h o re s id e d here
w e re th e W e n m a n s, o r ig in a lly c lo th ie r s in W i t n e y ; the
e x is t in g h o u se fo r m s t h r e e s id e s of a q u a d r a n g le with
a c e n tr a l b lo ck a n d tw o g a b le d w in g s , e x te n d in g to­
w a rd s th e re a r. T h e D u k e of M a rlb o ro u g h K . G . is lord
of th e m a n o r a n d p r in c ip a l la n d o w n e r. T h e soil is
m i x e d ; su b so il, c la y an d sto n es. T h e c h ie f cro p s are
ce rea ls. T h e a re a , as a lte r e d , is 2,857 a c re s o f la n d and
10 of w a t e r ; r a te a b le v a lu e , £ 3 * 9 9 0 ; th e p o p u la tio n in
19 11 w as 678, in c lu d in g 14 o fficers a n d 130 in m a te s in
W itn e y P o o r L a w In s t it u t io n .
P o st O ffice, C u r b r id g e .— A lfr e d A lls w o r t h ,
su b -p o st­
m a s te r .
L e t t e r s a r r iv e fro m B a m p to n a t 7.4 5 a . m . ;
d isp a tc h e d a t 8 a .m . & 8 .15 p . m . ; S u n d a ys, 8 .15 p.m.
W itn e y , 2 m ile s d is ta n t, is th e n e a re s t m o n ey o rd e r &
t e le g r a p h office
|

N E W L A N D , a d i s t r i c t in t h e c iv il p a r is h of Cogges,
p r a c tic a lly fo rm s p a r t o f t h e to w n o f W itn e y , and consists
of one lo n g stre e t d iv e r g in g fro m B r id g e s tr e e t and ex­
ten d in g a lo n g th e h ig h ro ad to O x fo rd .
T h e r e is a
W e sle y a n M issio n ch apel here.
P o st O ffice, N e w la n d .— J a m e s H in to n , su b -p o stm aster.
L e t t e r s are d e liv e r e d fro m W itn e y a t 6 .15 a.m . &
p .m . ; d is p a tc h e d a t 9 .15 a .m . & 2.25 & 6 .15 p m .;
no d e liv e r y on su n d a y .
W itn e y , 1 m ile d is ta n t, is
th e n e a re st m o n ey o rd e r & t e le g r a p h office
S a c r is t a n a t S t. M a ry ’ s, Jo h n S ea co le.
S a c r is ta n , H o ly T r in ity , J o h n H u m p h ris.
S e x to n , S t . Jo h n ’ s, C u r b r id g e , J e h u S m ith .

1

O F F I C I A L E S T A B L I S H M E N T S , L O C A L I N S T I T U T I O N S &c.
P o s t, M . 0 ., T . & T e le p h o n ic E x p re s s D e liv e r y O ffice, 1
H ig h s t r e e t . M rs. A n n ie W e s tle y A d a m s ,p o s tm is tre s s
A r r i v a l s L o n d o n , S o u th & W e st of E n g la n d . O x fo rd &
N o rth of E n g la n d , S c o tla n d & Ir e la n d , 7 a .m . ; L o n ­
d o n , O x fo rd & a ll p a rts , 12.25 & 5.25 p . m . ; on tu es d a y th e la s t d e liv e r y is 12.30 p .m . b u t c a lle r s can
•obtain le tt e r s a fte r 5 p .m . fo r th e tow n of W itn e y o n ly
D e p a r tu r e s .— L o c a l m r a l d is tr ic t , 6 a .m . ; L o n d o n , O x - \

fo rd & a ll p a rts , 9.20 & 11.4 0 a .m . & 2.40, 6.50 fi
9.50 p .m . ; F a rin g d o n , S w in d o n & W e s t of England.
7.4 5 p .m . ; lo ca l to D u c k lin g to n , S t a n d la k e , North
L e ig h , H a ile y , L e a fie ld , M in s te r L o v e ll & S o u th L e ig h
1 p .m . ; on S u n d a y s t h e r e is o n ly one d e liv e ry , 9
7.30 p .m . & d is p a tc h e s a t 7.4 5 p .m . to Faringdon.
S w in d o n & W e st of E n g la n d A 9.50 p .m . to London.
O x fo rd A c