North Newington In Years Gone By
From the Bishop Carpenter School 150th Anniversary celebrations (1854 – 2004)
An aerial view of the centre of North Newington in 1961…..Note the open spaces to the right of the school down School Lane and Park Lane.
The Mill House (which became La Madonette, and is now Mill Stream)
As you approach the village from Banbury along Banbury Rd, looking to the right at Park Farm, note the lack of the modern farm cottages which where only built in the 1960’s
Having passed the entrance to Park Farm, we start to climb the hill into North Newington, compare these pictures to todays view – some houses have changed slightly!
Did you know that the village had a Village Hall located in the Park Farm fields – that is why there is a footpath (little used) that goes to the old site – look for the wooden building in this photo
It was the place for many village celebrations until it fell into disrepair
On entering the village the first turn to the right is into Top Lane (now Park Lane), and the second turn right is into Bottom Lane (now School Lane). This is the view from corner by what is now Tumbledown Cottage
Top Lane
Bottom Lane which used to have two pubs in it in the older cottages at the end
Bishop Carpenter School was not always as big or as modern as it is today! These pictures of the school were taken from Park Lane looking over what was an empty plot used for pigs / orchard at various times.
In this photo there is a house directly to the left of the School building which is no longer there – this is the site of the old forge and its house which fronted directly on to School Lane and the Green
You can clearly see the old houses at the back of the school from this view. These were demolished and are now part of the School ground and the back garden at the Old Forge.
The 1939 school plan
Interior views of the school (I wonder what today pupils would make of the school as it was then – not a computer in sight!)
Interior views of the school
Interior views of the school
Walking back to the green we can see the centre of the village, and you can see the extra house (Forge) to the right of Herriefs Farm, and the Bakers Arms is just visible to the left (now the Blinking Owl)
Work in progress at the Forge
The village green was a focal point for the village even in those days and in this photo you can see the Hunt gathering in front of Herriefs Farm ready to give chase.
The roads where a bit quieter then and this view is looking back from Wheelwright Cottage towards Park Lane
Wheelwright Cottage
Next to Wheelwright is Gledstone Cottage which was the home for the Welbank family who produced pressure cookers in the village
Standing on opposite side from T-Tree House looking back to the green
Before T-Tree House in its current form was built, a cottage belonging to Mrs Gray stood there – see the pump in this photo which is still there.
Moving up towards Shutford Road we come to Saddlers Cottage, so named as it was an active saddlery run by George Elliot, his daughter lived in the village until a few years ago. He was filmed a lot hence the cameras.
Mr George Elliot
Moving on again we are now looking back down Shutford Rd from a location by Pear Tree Cottage and can see two village people in the middle of the road, clearly cars where not around much!
Rose Villa Hope you enjoyed seeing these little windows on what life in North Newington used to be like!