| Black Bourton | |
|---|---|
 St Mary the Virgin parish church | |
  Black Bourton Location withinOxfordshire | |
| Population | 266 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SP2803 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bampton |
| Postcode district | OX18 |
| Dialling code | 01993 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Black Bourton Parish Council |
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Black Bourton is a village andcivil parish about 2 miles (3 km) south ofCarterton, Oxfordshire. The village is on Black Bourton Brook, a tributary of theRiver Thames. The2011 Census recorded the parish population as 266.[1]RAF Brize Norton adjoins the parish. The northern boundary of the parish is along the middle of the main runway of the airfield.
TheChurch of England parish church ofSaint Mary the Virgin was originally built about 1190.[2] The five-bayarcade between thenave and northaisle survives from this time. In the 13th century thechancel, nave and north aisle were remodelled, and the easternmost bay of the aisle was projected northward to form a northtransept.[2]Early English Gothiclancet windows in chancel, nave and north chapel date from this time. The north doorway of the north aisle dates from the 14th century. In the 15th century thebell tower was built into the nave and the stonepulpit was built.[2] By the end of the 16th century the north transept had become the memorial chapel of the Hungerford family. Built into the north wall is a substantialstone monument to Eleanor Hungerford (died 1592): a recumbent effigy framed byCorinthian columns. The chapel also includes anEnglish Baroquecartouche to Anthony Hungerford (died 1703) on the west wall.[2] Black stone plaques on the floor record other members of the family.
The building wasrestored under the direction of the architectE.G. Bruton in 1866.[2] During the restoration a number of late 13th centurywall paintings[2] were discovered inside the church. At the time these were whitewashed over again, but in 1932 they were uncovered again and restored.[3] On the south wall is StRichard of Chichester with, below, theAdoration of the Magi, theMassacre of the Innocents, and the Angel appearing toSt Joseph, all with foliage borders.[4] On the north side of the nave over the arcade are paintings of the Tree of Jesse, St Christopher, themartyrdom of St Thomas Becket, theCoronation of the Virgin, theBaptism of Jesus,Saints Peter and Paul[5] and thestoning of Saint Stephen.[6] The church is now aGrade I listed building.[7]
By 1757 the tower had aring of five bells including thesanctus bell. Henry I Knight of Reading cast three of them including the tenor bell in 1618–19. Henry III Bagley, who hadbell-foundries atChacombe andWitney, cast the third bell in 1743. In 1866 Mears and Stainbank of theWhitechapel Bell Foundry re-cast the second bell, which had long been cracked, and added a new treble bell. The frame is oak, was made in the lateMiddle Ages and by 1965 required replacement. In 1966 the tenor bell of 1619 was transferred to the parish church of St John the Evangelist inCarterton. Due to the condition of the frame the bells remaining at St Mary's were unringable[4] until 2017, whenJohn Taylor & Co ofLoughborough restored them and added a new treble bell, increasing the ring of bells to six.[8] St Mary's churchyard includes 32Commonwealth War Graves Commission burials. There are 30 Second World War burials, one from the First World War and one other.[9] Most of the Second World War graves are of members of theRAF and allied air forces from RAF Brize Norton. The parish is now part of theBenefice of Shill Valley and Broadshire.
APrimitive Methodist congregation was established in the village in the 19th century and built its own red brick chapel in 1861.[10][11]
The influential romantic novelistMaria Edgeworth was born in Black Bourton in 1767. Acul-de-sac in Carterton is named "Edgeworth Drive" after her. The painterWilliam Turner was born in Black Bourton in 1789. Bourton Place was themanor house of the Hungerford family.[10] It was demolished in about 1800.[10] The village school was designed by the architect SirGeorge Gilbert Scott and built in 1865.[10] In 1873 theEast Gloucestershire Railway betweenFairford andWitney was opened. It providedAlvescot railway station1⁄2 mile (800 m) west of Black Bourton on the road toAlvescot. TheGreat Western Railway took over the line in 1890 andBritish Railways closed it in 1962.
Occasionally aircraft flying to or from RAF Brize Norton have crashed in Black Bourton parish. On 27 August 1944 anArmstrong Whitworth Albemarle ST Mk V ofNo. 297 Squadron RAF overshot the runway, clipped a tree in Black Bourton and then crashed in a field at Mill Farm. The aircraft caught fire and all five crewmen were killed.[12] In August 2020 a memorial plaque mounted on a smallcairn was installed at Mill Farm to commemorate the crew.[13]
Black Bourton has agastropub and hotel, The Vines.[14]
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