| Nettlebed | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Pottery kiln, possibly 17th-century | |
  Nettlebed Location withinOxfordshire | |
| Area | 6.13 km2 (2.37 sq mi) |
| Population | 727 (2011 Census) |
| • Density | 119/km2 (310/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU7086 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Henley-on-Thames |
| Postcode district | RG9 |
| Dialling code | 01491 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Nettlebed Community |
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Nettlebed is a village andcivil parish inOxfordshire in theChiltern Hills about4+1⁄2 miles (7 km) north-west ofHenley-on-Thames and 6 miles (10 km) south-east ofWallingford. The parish includes the hamlet of Crocker End, about1⁄2 mile (800 m) east of the village. The2011 Census recorded a parish population of 727.[1]
It is claimed that in the 17th century a "Palæolithic floor" was found in Nettlebed Common.[2] Mesolithicflintmicroliths and cores have been found in the parish.[3]
The earliest known records of the name "Nettlebed" are from the 13th century. TheInquisitiones post mortem record it asNetelbedde in 1252 and 1276. The name does mean a nettlebed: a place overgrown withnettles.[4] Nettlebed village is on an ancient route through theChiltern Hills betweenHenley-on-Thames andWallingford, which for centuries was part of a trunk route betweenLondon andOxford. The road between Henley and Wallingford was made into aturnpike in 1736 and ceased to be a turnpike in 1873.[5] It is now classified as theA4130. Nettlebed's strategic position led to its having severalpubs,inns andcoaching inns. They included the White Hart, which is 17th-century,[6] and the Bull Inn[7] and Sun Inn,[8] which are 18th-century. Only the White Hart in the High Street is still trading.[9][10]
Nettlebed had a sub-post office andgeneral store in Watlington Street. It has now ceased trading and is a private house. In 2012 Thierry Kelaart and Patrick Heathcote-Amory, son ofSir Ian Heathcote-Amory were married at St Bartholomew's parish church.Michael Middleton acted as father of the bride and guests included theDuchess of Cambridge.[11] The Old Priest House, on the High Street, is a Grade IIlisted building.[12]
TheChurch of England parish ofSaint Bartholomew was originally achapelry of the adjacent parish ofBenson. There is a record of theEmpress Matilda giving thebenefice of Benson, including chapels at Nettlebed andWarborough, to theAugustinian Abbey at nearbyDorchester, Oxfordshire in about 1140.[13] TheMedieval church building was replaced in 1845–46 by the presentGothic Revival brick building, designed by a member of theHakewill family of architects.[14] The only surviving part of the previous church is the lower stages of the brick west tower, which seems to be 18th-century.[15]
The church has some 20th-centurystained glass windows, including two made in 1970 byJohn Piper andPatrick Reyntiens. One is thechancel east window, in which a centraltree of life is flanked by fish on one side and butterflies on the other.[16] The other is thebaptistery south window in the southaisle. This shows a tree of life with birds perching in it including an owl, a hawk and a pheasant.[17] The tower has aring of six bells, all cast by Charles and George Mears of theWhitechapel Bell Foundry in 1846.[18]
The Scottish bankerRobert Fleming boughtJoyce Grove in 1903, along with its 2,000-acre (810 ha) estate. A new house was commissioned from the architectC.E. Mallows in 1908. After Robert Fleming's death in 1938 the house and its grounds were given toSt Mary's Hospital, London. Joyce Grove was used as a convalescent home during the war, and more recently became aSue Ryder Care Home.[19]
Bricks, tiles and pottery were made in Nettlebed from the second half of the 14th century[20][21] until the 1930s.[citation needed] In the 15th century Nettlebed supplied ceramic tiles toAbingdon Abbey[20] and bricks toStonor House.[22] The name "Crocker End" means "Potter's End". One remaining brick "bottle kiln" is preserved in Nuffield. It may be 17th-century. It is aGrade II* listed building.[23] In 1674,George Ravenscroft obtained from Nettlebed, the sand used in the making of the firstflint glass.[citation needed]
Nettlebed had what seems to have been the onlysmock mill in Oxfordshire.[24] It used to be atChinnor but was moved to a windier site at Nettlebed in about 1825. It was a slender octagonal building with fourcommon sails and afantail. It burned down in 1912.[25]
The village has a long-establishedfolk club which holds concerts on Monday evenings from 8pm at The Village Club in Nettlebed High Street. The Folk Song Club is a volunteer run, non-profit organisation. It was founded in July 1975 at the Bull Inn. WhenBrakspear Brewery closed the Bull Inn in 1991, the club moved to its present venue, which has capacity for 200 people.[26] Musicians who have performed at the club includeMartin Carthy,Fairport Convention,John Kirkpatrick,Ralph McTell,Show of Hands,Steeleye Span andRichard Thompson.[26] The Club is also known for special performances such as its "Feast of Fiddles'" where a mix of leading national performers and local artists provide themed evenings. In 2002 the club won theBBCRadio 2 Folk Club of the Year Award.[27]
Thames Travel bus route X38 linksNuffield withWallingford andOxford in one direction andHenley on Thames andReading, Berkshire in the other. It stops on theA4130 main road at Nettlebed Green, near the brick kiln at the east end of the village. Buses run generally hourly from Mondays to Saturdays. There is no Sunday service.[28]
![25 High Street. The façade is 18th-century but the house is probably 16th-century.[30]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNettlebed_HighSt_25.jpg)
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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