| Emmington | |
|---|---|
 Parish church of St Nicholas | |
  Emmington Location withinOxfordshire | |
| OS grid reference | SP7402 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Chinnor |
| Postcode district | OX39 |
| Dialling code | 01844 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Emmington is a village in thecivil parish ofChinnor, in theSouth Oxfordshire district, in the county ofOxfordshire, England. It is about 4.5 miles (7 km) southeast ofThame. In 1931 the parish had a population of 41.[1] On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Chinnor.[2]
TheDomesday book of 1086 records Emmington:
"William Peverel holds 10hides in Emmington.[3] Land for 5 ploughs. Now indemesne are 2 ploughs and six slaves and 10villans and 4bordars with 5 ploughs. There are 12acres[4] of meadow. It was worth £6 now £7. Alwine held these two estates freely."
The Manor was held by the Sackville family from about 1200, when it was held by Geoffrey de Sackville, until 1577, whenSir Thomas Sackville, (later Earl of Dorset), sold it toSir George Peckham. In 1586, William Hampden (cousin and executor ofJohn Hampden) acquired the Manor, and it was passed down through the Hampden family until 1665, when Richard Hampden sold it a London merchant, Henry Ashhurst. In 1805, the Manor was sold to the Wykeham family, and finally in 1929 was sold toMagdalen College, Oxford.[5]
Emmington has had a parish priest since at least 1190.[6] Demolition work in 1873 discovered what was believed to beNorman masonry, suggesting that the original parish church was on the same site as the presentChurch of England parish church ofSaint Nicholas. The building was largely rebuilt in the 14th century, and thebelltower and severalDecorated Gothic features survive from this time.[7] In 1874 thechancel andnave were partly rebuilt under the direction of theGothic Revival architectsCharles Buckeridge andJ.L. Pearson.[7]
The tower has three bells. The oldest is the second bell, which John Appowell ofBuckingham[8] cast in about 1550.[9] Joseph Carter ofReading, Berkshire[8] cast the tenor in 1584.[9] Henry II Knight, also of Reading,[8] cast the treble bell in 1664.[9] St Nicholas' also has aSanctus bell that Thomas Chandler ofDrayton Parslow[8] cast in 1723.[9] The Chandler family cast bells from 1635 until 1726 but this is the only surviving bell recorded as being cast by Thomas Chandler.[8] St Nicholas' is aGrade II* listed building.[10]
Emmington is in the parish ofSt Andrew, Chinnor, which is part of theBenefice of Chinnor,Sydenham,Aston Rowant andCrowell.[11] St Nicholas' church was closed in 1987 and reopened for worship in 1991.[12] In 2003 it was declaredredundant and closed again, and it is now privately owned.[12]
Emmington has nopublic house. However, just over the boundary in the parish of Sydenham is The Inn at Emmington, which is closer to Emmington than to the village of Sydenham.[13]
In March 2016 an earthquake centred on Emmington was felt for miles around.[14]
