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It is difficult today to imagine that Botley was once a peaceful place. Lying
between Oxford and Cumnor and roads to the west it seems now to be just a busy
highway. But up until the 1920's it was a really pretty village with its rustic
look of grey stone walls, thatched cottages and farms, a lovely old bakehouse
and corner shop, all surrounded by fields and footpaths and lovely trees. A
quiet and serene place it seemed, but all is now lost beneath the encroachment
of bricks and concrete, concealing an origin which goes back to the days of the
Saxon invaders who gave the place its name.
Botley means ‘clearing in a wood’. It was first recorded in 1086, a very wet and
watery place with its many streams. The village cannot boast of any grand houses
but the mill and Seacourt Farm are both mentioned in the Domesday Book and were
very important in their time.
During the Civil War the mill suffered much damage; it is claimed that unknown
rebels came from Abingdon and set fire to the mill, destroying it, but tradition
has it that Cromwell rebuilt the mill for the use of his men. A sword about a
yard long and a cannon ball were fished from the stream years later. Botley Mill
has a long history, playing an important part in the lives of the people, as did
Seacourt which was also a village in those far-off days with a church and a
manor of considerable value.
Botley stayed small and remote until a causeway with bridges over its seven
streams was built early in the 16th century, bringing an important road into the
hamlet for the first time. Along this stony pathway villagers and travellers had
shorter journeys into Oxford and the surrounding areas with views of lush
meadows and pastures, when maybe this little rhyme was written:
‘Who does not know Botley so small Where sweet springs expectantly fall And
bridges constructed in line Span pastures where feed the rich kine.’
It was not until much later that an improvement was made to this road and a toll
gate was set up to help pay for repairs. Although this made travelling easier
there were other dangers to contend with, as the roads around Oxford became
infested with robbers and highwaymen and Botley Road was no exception: it is
recorded that one February night in 1784 the Bath coach was held up at the foot
of Cumnor Hill and eight passengers lost £28 between them!
As time passed the village of Seacourt was abandoned and by 1722 there was just
an old farmhouse with a few cottages and inns — there had been 24 of these at
one time! It is likely they were provided to accommodate and refresh the
pilgrims and travellers who journeyed to Oxford and to the shrine of St
Frideswide at Osney. Botley, it is said, was famous for its beer and was a
popular place to stop for a drink.
Sadly, the last two cottages at Seacourt were demolished to make way for
redevelopment in 1964. Now Botley is a thriving suburb with its shops, banks and
offices, good nursery and primary schools, social clubs and an excellent
library, and not forgetting the modern red brick church dedicated to St Peter
and St Paul which links with its twin parish of North Hinksey, just a mile away.
There the pretty little Norman church of St Lawrence, the thatched cottages, old
stone walls and village green remain a place where residents and visitors can
wander in peace and tranquillity.
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