Southmoor
Coordinates: 51°40′48″N 1°25′23″W / 51.680°N 1.423°W
Southmoor is a village in the civil parish of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Traditionally part of Berkshire, the 1974 boundary changes transferred local government to Oxfordshire.
Southmoor village is just south of the A420 between Oxford and Swindon.
History
Southmoor was historically the southern part of the township of Draycot Moor (also spelt Draycott Moor), a manor of the ancient parish of Longworth. At the time of the Domesday Book the manor was held by Abingdon Abbey. In 1574 the manor passed to St John's College, Oxford, who still own it today.[1]
John Blandy the Elder left money in his will of 1736 to found the Blandy educational charities.[2] John Blandy the Younger left money to augment the charities in his will of 1791.[2] In 1874 a scheme was established under the Endowed Schools Act 1869 for the Blandy charities to provide an elementary school, scholarships, a public lending library and extra playground facilities.[2] The school is now a primary school, John Blandy Voluntary Controlled School.[3]
A Wesleyan chapel was built in Southmoor in 1841.[4] It is now a Methodist Church in the Wantage and Abingdon Methodist Circuit.[5]
Draycot Moor became a separate civil parish in 1866. On 1 April 1971 the two parishes of Kingston Bagpuize and Draycot Moor merged into one civil parish forming Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor.[6]
Amenities
Southmoor has 2 public houses, the Waggon and Horses and The Hind's Head. There is a hotel and restaurant, Fallowfields Country House Hotel. There is also a village hall. Southmoor's retailers are One Stop, The Log Cabin Newsagents (which once was a log cabin on the other side of the road which is now Blenheim Way), Aquarius hairdressers and Crossroads garage. John Blandy VC Primary School teaches children from the ages of 4 to 11 and has about 180 pupils. It has also a nursery situated in the grounds. There is also a thriving tennis club; cricket club; drama group; village newspaper and many other activities and events
Transport
The village is served by Stagecoach and other smaller bus company services. There are services up to every 30 minutes to Oxford or Swindon on route 66 running Mondays to Saturdays and hourly services on Sundays. There are services to the towns Abingdon and Witney on the X15 service running Monday to Saturday. Available public transport facilities thus make Southmoor a convenient dormitory for working and shopping in Oxford.
Famous resident
Dr. David Kelly (weapons expert), microbiologist and distinguished UN-sponsored weapons inspector, was a Southmoor resident; Dr. Kelly disappeared in July 2003, and the finding of his body soon afterwards on nearby Harrowdown Hill led to a public enquiry concluded by the Hutton Report.
References
- ↑ Page, W.H.; Ditchfield, P.H., eds. (1924). "Parishes: Longworth". A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 4. Victoria County History. Institute of Historical Research. pp. 466–471. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 Page & Ditchfield, 1924, pages 349-353
- ↑ John Blandy
- ↑ Oxfordshire Churches & Chapels: Southmoor
- ↑ Wantage and Abingdon Methodist Circuit: Southmoor Methodist Church
- ↑ Vision of Britain website: Longworth
Sources
- Page, W.H.; Ditchfield, P.H., eds. (1924). Parishes:Kingston Bagpuize. A History of the County of Berkshire, Volume 4. Victoria County History. pp. 349–353.
External links
Media related to Southmoor at Wikimedia Commons
