Watlington
Watlington is a market town and also civil parish regarding 7 miles (11 kilometres) south of Thame in Oxfordshire, near the region's eastern side and also less than 2 miles (3 km) from its boundary with Buckinghamshire. The parish includes the districts of Xmas Common, Greenfield as well as Howe Hillside, every one of which are in the Chiltern Hills. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 2,727. The Watlington area is most likely to have actually been cleared up at an early day, motivated by the distance of the Icknield Way. The toponym indicates "settlement of Waecel's individuals" and also shows line of work from around the 6th century. A 9th-century charter by Æthelred of Mercia records 8 'manses' or major houses in Watlington. The Domesday Book of 1086 determined the area as a farming area valued at £ 610. Medieval papers show that the contemporary street strategy was in existence in the 14th century, as Cochynes-lane (Couching Street), as well as Brook Street are recorded. There are documents of inns in Watlington since the 15th century. In 1722 the town's market was noted as being held on a Saturday. By the end of the 18th century the town had 6 inns, all of which were bought up in the next few years by a local brewing household, the Haywards. The number of certified facilities increased up until late in the 19th century when George Wilkinson, a Methodist acquired 6 of them and shut them down. Today Watlington has three pubs: the Carriers Arms, The Chequers and also The Fat Fox Inn. Parliamentarian soldiers were billeted at Watlington during the English Civil Battle. It is thought that John Hampden remained in the community the night before the Battle of Chalgrove Field. In 1664-- 65 the Town Hall was built at the expense of Thomas Stonor. Its top area was enhanced by Stonor as a grammar school for children, as well as in 1731 Dame Alice Tipping of Ewelme offered a further endowment to enhance the number of students. In 1842 the community Vestry developed a National School, which shared the very same areas in the City center. In 1843 a National School for girls was developed next to St Leonard's church. In 1872 the young boys' and also girls' colleges were absorbed right into a new Board institution, which like its predecessors was associated to the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. In 1927 the institution was separated into separate junior and also elderly schools. In 1956 a new high school-- the Icknield Institution-- opened up for elderly students as well as the primary school took over the old facilities. The Icknield School is now Icknield Community College. By 1895 the City center, no more used as a college, was in disrepair. In 1907 it was restored by public membership. It is a landmark at the meeting point of three roadways in the centre of the town. Since 1990 Watlington has actually been twinned with the town of Mansle in the Poitou-Charentes area of France. The Watlington Hoard, a collection of silver items dating back to the time of Alfred the Great in the 9th century, was rediscovered in Watlington by James Mather, an amateur metal-detectorist, in 2015. The heap was ultimately excavated, as well as ultimately purchased by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford for £ 1.35 m.
