Kennington Parish Oxfordshire
Kennington Good Neighbours
Village List 2015–2017 Good Neighbours Committee
Chairman Margaret Biggs 5 Grundy Crescent 01865 730353 Treasurer Thelma Marson 14 Colley Wood 01865 735145 Transport Barbara Boyne 82 Upper Road 01865 735634 Dilys Cale 69 Upper Road 01865 739774 Valerie Martin 164 Poplar Grove 01865 580511 Alison Peedell 206 Upper Road 01865 730961
Kennington Good Neighbours thanks all Sponsors for their donations towards the cost of producing this booklet.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this booklet we apologise if mistakes are discovered. During the life of this pamphlet names and addresses will change. However, the details contained here will provide a stepping-stone to the new contact. Special thanks to Paddy Landau of the Kennington Chronicle.
Table of Contents Kennington Parish Oxfordshire...... 1 Good Neighbours Committee...... 2 Kennington Good Neighbours...... 5 The Village of Kennington...... 6 The Parish Church...... 6 The Tandem Public House...... 9 Kennington Today...... 9 Defibrillators...... 9 Churches...... 10 Health...... 15 Education...... 16 Parish Matters...... 19 Groups and Societies...... 21 Groups and Societies (continued)...... 22 Groups and Societies (continued)...... 23 Miscellaneous Contacts...... 24
Page 2 Page 3 TUITION IN PIANOFORTE, ORGAN, KEYBOARD, COMPOSITION, SINGING, AND THEORY
TREVOR COWLETT, M.A. (OXON)
159 Bagley Close Kennington Oxford OX1 5LU Telephone 01865 735885
206 Upper Road Kennington Oxford OX1 5LR
Belindacot Event Safety Ltd Brian Peedell Consultant Safety Office Telephone 01865 730961 Email [email protected] Mobile 07923 557151
Isis Windows Ltd Installers of quality PVCu Windows, Doors & Conservatories Paul Johnson Director Unit 8a Landscape Close, Weston on the Green, Bicester, Oxon, OX25 3SX Tel. 01869 343434 Fax 01869 343435 Email [email protected]
Page 4 Kennington Good Neighbours
For over 40 years Kennington Good Neighbours has produced the Village List every two years. This has contained information on the Churches, Health, Education and Parish Matters together with details of Clubs and Societies. For many years it was contained on two sheets of A4 paper—now we have the eighth of these booklets! Since the first booklet was produced in 2000, new houses have been erected. The Scholar Gypsy and the Garage have been demolished with Ross Court built in their place. There are new dwellings at the end of Poplar Grove and flats built on the site of the garage. Strode Court on Kennington Road has also been completed. 2007 saw the completion of the Fairways development. As well as this, small pockets of land have been developed. In 2012, houses were built at the end of Simpsons Way. This means new residents. We hope that this booklet will prove to be useful for them and for the many for whom the village has been home for a long time.
• KGN offers neighbourly help to all, especially the elderly.
• Where there is a genuine need we will find a volunteer.
• Help is strictly confidential.
Ways in which practical help can be given include: • Transport, for those without, to local hospitals, Health Centre, Dentist, etc.
• Shopping, visiting, etc.
If you know of someone in need of friendship or support please contact Margaret Biggs 01865 730353 [email protected]
Page 5 The Village of Kennington Kennington lies within the Thames Valley on a long narrow strip of land between the ancient woodland of Bagley Wood to the west and the water meadows of the River Thames to the east. The Anglo-Saxon people who moved through this part of the country in the fifth and sixth centuries must have regarded the site as ideal for a settlement and established a small hamlet here at the time. The earliest mentions of the village by name are in a Charter of 821 by Cœnwulf, King of the Mercians, and later in a Charter of 956 in which Eadwig, King of Wessex, granted to his faithful priest Brihthelm, CENIGTUN to go to any heir he chose. In early documents the settlement’s name was variously spelt: CENIGTUN in the 9 th century, CHENITUN in the 10th and 11th centuries, KENITUNE and KEINTONE in the 12th century, then developing into KENIGTON, the nearest to the modern title. It is thought to mean “The place of Cena’s people,” the village therefore deriving its name from its Anglo-Saxon founder Cena, the Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘bold, valiant, keen.’ Bagley Wood (Anglo-Saxon Bacganleah) was first referred to in an Abbey Charter of 955 when King Eadred, King of Wessex, gave lands including the wood to the Abbot of Abingdon Abbey. Throughout the Middle Ages Kennington remained a small agricultural hamlet centred on a large farm with a cluster of cottages to house the labourers, a chapel probably served by the monks of Abingdon and, no doubt, a small inn. The population then is estimated at 120 to 130 and in the 1881 census it was 141. In the next 800 years the number of people living here hardly changed. Kennington remained in the hands of the Abbey until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. Bagley Wood passed to St John’s College, Oxford, to which it still belongs. The village went to lay landowners. Little is known of Kennington from the Dissolution until 1629 when Oliver Smith and Henry Bosworth, rich brewers of Oxford, bought land and built the Manor House for Oliver’s son John, who married Henry’s daughter Elizabeth that year. The house is virtually unchanged today and is a Grade II Listed building. The Parish Church
Little is known of the mediaeval chapel, which disappeared before 1790. The Old Church was built in 1828. In shape it is classical and the architect imitated the Norman style with the windows and west door so well that it is sometimes mistaken for Norman work. This building is also listed. In 1913 plans were drawn up to extend the Church. Land behind it had been given by Norton Disney, the chief landowner in the village. The extension however was not possible and the Church remained unchanged until the 1950’s. By then the much larger church of St Swithun had been built. The old building was de-consecrated and became the Church Hall. Included in the gift of land from Norton Disney was over an acre of land in Sandford Lane to be used as a Church burial ground. Before this the churchyard at Radley catered for Kennington’s needs.
Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 The Tandem Public House
The Tandem was originally an old house. There is a stone with the date 1770 and the initials TW in the wall of the public bar. These were the initials of Timothy West, the builder. It was rebuilt and enlarged on the old foundations in 1939. It was originally called ‘The Fish’ but it became ‘The Tandem’ in the nineteenth century for a special reason. Students at the University enjoyed driving their horses in pairs, but this was not allowed in the city. As ‘The Fish’ had large stables (now garages) it became fashionable to keep a second horse in Kennington, harness it up and drive on in Tandem! Kennington Today
It is possible to regard 13th May 1913 as the birthday of modern Kennington. On that day the Kennington Estate was put up for auction and many of the plots were bought by Oxford people who then built their own homes. As the village grew it was granted civil status in 1936 following pressure from a group of villagers. Before then Kennington was divided between the parishes of South Hinksey and Radley. The size of the village increased with mostly post-war development when it changed from a small rural community to the Kennington we know today. The current population exceeds 4,000. This figure comes as a surprise to many—the long straggly village seems to indicate a larger number of residents. The reason why Kennington developed this way is apparent when one looks at the natural boundaries: Bagley Wood, a favourite haunt of the poet Matthew Arnold, on one side and the River Thames on the other. Because of these natural boundaries Kennington remained relatively isolated for a very long time. Kennington is a responsive and friendly place, which despite its nearness to Oxford has retained its identity thanks to a jealously-guarded Green Belt. Added to the strong community spirit, the caring nature of the village towards those overseas in need of help is illustrated by the work of Kennington Overseas Aid. This group raises large amounts of money each year for deserving projects in other lands. Nearer to home Kennington & District United Church Choirs, under the leadership of Trevor Cowlett and Friends of Kennington Cancer Fund, guided by Pearl Livett, raises thousands of pounds for more local projects and for the Oncology Unit at the Churchill Hospital. So the village of Kennington, sometimes disturbed by the traffic that flows along the A34 to the west, can look east to the quiet water meadows and to the river beyond as it has done for more than a thousand years. Defibrillators
There are three community defibrillators sited in Kennington. They are located outside the Laundrette in Playfield Road, the Village Centre opposite the Tandem, and outside Kirlena House, 18 Kennington Road. To access them in an emergency, dial 999 and give the postcode, which is displayed on the cabinet. You will then be given the access code and instructions in what to do.
Page 9 Churches
St Swithun Rev Pam McKellen 01235 554739 Website www.stswithunskennington.org Services Sunday 9:30 am 3rd Sunday 9:30 am Messy Church 9:30 am Morning Prayer in Church Hall Midweek service Thursday 10:30 am Wardens Isabel Baggott 01865 730950 Gerry Bowen-Thomas 01865 739356
Good Shepherd Father Stanislaw Gibzinski 60 Abingdon Road 01865 437066 [email protected] Service most Mondays 6:30 pm Chairman of the Guild David Butler 01865 739487
Methodist Rev Rosemary Davies 01865 763676 Services Sunday 10:30 am Senior Steward Doreen Biggadike 01865 433910 Lettings Trevor Cowlett 01865 735885 MN8 Discussion Group Andrew Dunsdon 01865 453899 First Monday in month at 8 pm Monthly Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy Methodist Church 2nd Tuesday in the month Yvonne Enock 2 Colley Wood 01865 736968 Churches Together Dilys Cale 01865 739774 Afternoon Fellowship 3rd Tuesday 2:30 pm Various homes
Page 10 YOUR LOCAL KITCHEN COMPANY
5 REASONS TO CALL “Work excellent! Thank • Quality of work guaranteed you for a job well done; • No more ringing around very impressed with • You go to work hassle-free Swedemade. Many • Completely project managed from start to finish thanks! • All trades under one roof, based in Cumnor Mrs Wynne CALL SWEDEMADE NOW ON 01865 864636 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.SWEDEMADE.CO.UK COME AND SEE US AT BRADLEY FARM, CUMNOR (PLEASE PHONE FOR AN APPOINTMENT)
Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Ian Walters
Painter and Decorator Interior & Exterior City & Guilds Qualified
Birch Cottage, Orchard Lane, Old Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5JH
Telephone 01865 736545 Mobile 07771 766638
Page 14 Health
Kennington Health Centre 01865 730911 www.kenningtonhealthcentre.co.uk The Health Centre is Open: Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6:30 pm Doctors at the Health Centre: Drs Hall, Erin, Jones, Akinola, Humphreys, Cawthorne, Warren and Winkel Details of the clinics at the Centre: GP Surgery and Appointments Well Baby Clinics Immunisation Health Visitor Advisory Sessions Health Checks Antenatal Clinics Diabetic Clinic Respiratory Clinic Minor Surgery Family Planning Travel Immunisation and Advice Health Screening – Well Woman and Well Man Cervical Screening Please visit our website or ask one of our receptionists for information on any of the clinics. If you have any ideas or comments for the surgery please feel free to email our practice manager Jackie Bowley on [email protected]. She will take these on board and feed back any outcomes to you.
Dental Surgery J A Galvin 78 The Avenue 01865 739474
Red Cross Ann Coulter 142 Poplar Grove 01865 739271
Alzheimer Day Support, Abingdon Helen Little 01235 531989 Kathryn Baggott
Page 15 Education St Swithun’s Primary School Head Teacher Helen Atkinson 01865 438933 [email protected] Playgroup Mornings & some afternoons Sarah Thomas 01865 326606 [email protected] Parent and Toddler Group Tuesday & Thursday 9:30 to 11:30 am Beth Ash 01865 739957 Clockwork Music Friday 9:15 to 11:15 am Claire Naylor 01865 435144 Oxfordshire Adult Learning Service Central Enrolment 01865 727148
Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Parish Matters
Parish Council Clerk Anne Feather 20 Kennington Road 01865 421126 [email protected] Memorial Field Chairman James Leonard 40a Bagley Wood Road 01865 452783 Playing Fields Association Chairman Tim Gardiner 43 Playfield Road 01865 739653 [email protected] Secretary Bob Johnston 102 Kennington Road 01865 730209 [email protected] Kennington Chronicle Editor Paddy Landau 29 Colley Wood 01865 736821 [email protected] Village Hall Committee Secretary & Bookings Peter Biggs 5 Grundy Crescent 01865 730353 07831 661365 [email protected] Library Village Centre [email protected] 01865 730763 Opening times Monday 2 to 5:30 pm Wednesday 10 am to 12:30 pm Friday 2 to 7 pm Saturday 10 am to 1 pm
Kennington Overseas Aid www.koa.org.uk Halcyon Leonard 01865 452783 Sylvia Vetta 01865 739071 Marilyn Farr 01865 326159 Fairtrade for Kennington Robin Mason 182 Upper Road 01865 321044
Page 19 GARDEN RESCUE D J NEWMAN
FENCING, TURFING & LAWN MAINTENANCE PAVING, PATIOS & PLANTING
ALL ASPECTS OF GARDENING & LANDSCAPING COVERED BY OUR TRAINED, INSURED PROFESSIONALS FREE QUOTATIONS 01865 739621 OR 07901 826455
Page 20 Groups and Societies
St Swithun’s Guild Barbara Boyne 82 Upper Road 01865 735634 Meets 4th Wednesday in the month at 2:30 pm in St Swithun’s Church Hall Kennington and District Church Choir Trevor Cowlett 159 Bagley Close 01865 735885 Trefoil Guild Jan Patterson 6 Kirk Close 01865 730606 Guides Jo Lees 5 Otters Reach 01865 321670 www.kenningtonguides.org.uk Brownies Angela Axe 81 Upper Road 01865 736271 St Swithun’s Church Hall Tuesday 5:30 to 7 pm Rainbows Pauline Robinson 59 The Avenue 01865 453791 Liz Gaskell for Uniforms etc. 18 Woodcroft 01865 730053 Scouts, Cubs and Beavers Maria Chaundy 46a Meadow View Road 07727 363594 Whist Drive June Arif 29 Longfellow Drive, 07812 414136 Abingdon, OX14 5PQ History Society Jean Holt 84 The Avenue 01865 730280 Cricket Club Graham Rowley 16 St Swithun’s Road 01865 739117 [email protected]
Continued/…
Page 21 Groups and Societies (continued)
Social Club Tina & Justin Sercombe 01865 236909 Swimming Club Kath Suckling 7 Cranbrook Drive 01865 739788 Kennington Amateur Dramatic Society Pat Giles 30 Links Road 01865 452518 Badminton Club Tim Shepherd 13 Simpsons Way 01865 326819 Music Mayhem and Music Maestros Christian Bradley 01865 736040 Open to children aged 7 to 11. £1 per session. Mondays 5 to 6 pm in the Village Centre. Children over 11. £1 per session. Mondays 6 to 6:45 pm in the Village Centre. Kennington Horticultural Society Brian Peedell 01865 730961 [email protected] Kennington Festival Group Margaret Biggs 5 Grundy Crescent 01865 730353 [email protected] Dee Grant (secretary) 174 Upper Road 01865 739423 Scarlet Ribbons Round Dancing Club Judi Read 5 Cranbrook Drive 01865 424745 Women’s Institute WI (evening) Maureen Palma 01235 530357 WI Link (afternoon) Ann Coulter 142 Poplar Grove 01865 739271
Continued/…
Page 22 Groups and Societies (continued)
Kennington Youth Club Chairman Roy King 62 The Avenue 01865 735864
Kennington Athletic Football Club Secretary Rebecca Howson 12 Hanson Road 01235 539209 Abingdon
Kennington Walks Eileen Rodgers 65 Bagley Close 01865 739173
Kennington Strollers Rosemary Aldgate 2 Playfield Road 01865 735419
Friends of Kennington Cancer Fund Pearl Livett 159 Upper Road 01865 735851
Friends of Kendall Copse Roger Gelder 177 Poplar Grove 01865 436081
Life Writing Group Rosemary Aldgate 2 Playfield Road 01865 735419 This group meets monthly to write and discuss memoir writing, partly reminiscence, and writing memoirs for future generations.
Apple Café St Swithun's Church Hall. Open Thursday and Saturday mornings 10:30 to 12:30. Visit us on Facebook [email protected] www.applecafe.co.uk Apple Café is a non-profit, volunteer-led community café providing a relaxed central meeting place in the heart of Kennington where everyone is welcome.
Page 23 Miscellaneous Contacts
Police 101 Samaritans 01865 722122 Oxford Life Group 01865 202435 Parent Line 0808 8002222 Alcoholics Anonymous 01865 242373 Oxford Aunts 01865 791017 St John’s College for Permits for Bagley Wood 01865 735371 Redbridge Recycling Centre 01865 721464 Open 7 days a week 8 am to 5 pm Late opening on Thursday until 8 pm, 1st June to 30th September
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