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Cuddesdon is a small village of 126 dwellings. It used to be known as the ‘Holy
Village’ and differs from other villages because it has an Anglican theological
training college and also used to be the official home of the Bishops of Oxford
at the Old Palace.
The college was founded over a century ago. During the Second World War it was
taken over by the government as a hostel for Irish girls who worked in the
Cowley factories. One amusing story comes to mind: an altar cloth was missing.
The special constables were called in to investigate — they learnt that the
girls were having sewing classes so decided to play a waiting game. The
following Sunday one girl turned up in church wearing a beautiful skirt (made
from the altar cloth) to confess her sins! The principal of the college is also
vicar of the parish and over the years practically all who have held this post
have become bishops — notably the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Runcie, who held
the post between 1960/69.
The Old Palace as it was known, opposite the college, stood in twelve acres of
trees. Over the centuries it has a history of fires, the last being four decades
ago when it was burned to the ground. In the 1960s part of the woodland ground
was sold for executive-type houses — in the kitchen garden four staff bungalows
were built and a modern palace/house for the Bishop was also built. The Bishops
have since preferred to live elsewhere and the house is now a Toc H conference
centre.
The village has a hamlet known as Denton on the south-west side which has 27
houses. The big house has windows built in its surrounding garden wall which
were purported to have come from Brasenose College, Oxford, in days gone by.
There are two picturesque timber-framed black and white thatched cottages, and a
small brook running through.
Denton has a large spring which in years gone by supplied the hamlet with its
water. Because of its quality the water was collected by the then Oxford Eye
Hospital and used for eye treatments. Now of course it is all mains water.
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