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Steeple Aston lies about nine miles south of Banbury and was an established
market centre of 200 souls when, according to the Domesday Book, Henry de Estone
was the non-resident rector. By the end of the 13th century the name had changed
to Stepelaston, a steeple being the old name for an unfortified tower. It is not
possible to know when the first church was built on the site used regularly
today for worship, but part of the pillar now used for the hymns board is
probably original. Additions and alterations have becn made every century since
and there is now an excellent organ and a peal of eight bells. There is also a
memorial to Judge Page (the hanging judge) whose ghost, it is said, is put into
a beer barrel every midsummer night and chased round Middle Aston pond by owls,
who are the ghosts of widows of 100 men hanged by the Judge. Judge Page would
not complete payment to the stonemason, Hendrick Scheemaker, who omitted the
wedding ring on the finger of the Judges wife.
The famous Steeple Aston cope, which was cut up at the time of the Reformation,
is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum for safe keeping, but a photograph of
it is at the back of the church.
Brasenose College was entitled to appoint rectors to Steeple Aston, as they do
now, one of the earliest being Dr Samuel Radcliffe who founded a school and
masters house in North Side. As the village grew a new technical school (now
the village hall) was built, also an infants school with its inscription Feed
my Lambs which can be seen from the road.
Under Dr Radcliffes will two almshouses were built (1663) near the old school.
These have been modernised and are well maintained under the Radcliffe Trust.
Until the Second World War a Sunday dinner was sent from the rectory to each
house weekly but food rationing put a stop to that.
Over 30 Grade II listed buildings are in the conservation area. Most large
houses have been subdivided, including the Grange, an ornate house with some
doors and window tracery (visible from Water Lane) which may have come from Kew
Palace. Most old cottages have been joined together to form single homes but old
artisans cottages in Harrisville were destroyed fairly recently and the
occupants rehoused in council houses opposite Nizewell (Nine Wells) Head. The
oldest council houses may be found at the end of Fenway. Later, Jubilee Close
was constructed in the field named in honour of Queen Victorias Jubilee. Then
Bradshaw Close was built on Meadowfold and lastly Grange Park Road was
developed on the beautiful gardens of the Grange. Other individual houses have
been built as in-filling. Old coach houses, stables and barns have been
converted into homes, often because their doors were too small for modern
machinery.
The nine footpaths are well marked and include The Tchur which runs from North
Side to South Side the word Tchur is local and means a passage between two
high walls. To complete the walk round the village centre is exactly one mile.
Go down Cow Lane and follow the signs round Folly field to find the eye-catcher
designed by William Kent (1740) as a feature of landscape for Rousham House. The
remains of a Roman villa are hidden under a field, but for special pleasure see
the huge sycamore tree in the late winter when snowdrops are out or walk down
South Side at daffodil time; everywhere are young trees planted to commemorate
Queen Elizabeths Jubilee in 1977.
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