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OXLADE FAMILY HISTORY GROUP HISTORY CHINNOR |
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Chinnor and its surrounding hamlets form part of the ancient chain of villages following the spring line at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment. All along its summit there are village and fort remains dating from before the Romans came, and there is archaeological evidence of permanent occupation on Chinnor Hill by the 4th century B.C. The Anglo-Saxons had settled at the foot of Chinnor Hill by the 6th century A.D. and called their village the 'Siope(ora) of Ceonna'. This became 'Ceonnore' and by stages through 'Chynor' to Chinnor. The Icknield Way, itself of pre-Roman origin, became known in the Middle Ages as 'Acklin Street' and for centuries enjoyed a reputation for robbery, rape and murder along its length. A manor and four other estates existed in 1086 and many documents describe the property takeovers in and around Chinnor in the centuries after Domesday. The English Civil War did not leave Chinnor undisturbed. In 1642, five hundred musketeers and some cavalry troops, part of the Parliamentary force under Sir Samuel Luke, were stationed here. In 1643 these troops were surprised and defeated by Prince Rupert's Royalists, who had advanced along the Chiltern Ridge, sweeping down into the village. In the ensuing battle part of the village was badly damaged by fire. The village was further damaged by fire in 1685. However, in spite of this, a few 16th and 17th Century houses still remain, including 'Chairmakers' (formerly the Chairmakers' Arms) in the High Street, although this was re-fronted in the 18th Century. A map dated 1797 shows the presence of Hill Farm at the south end of Chinnor, together with the Royal Oak, a smithy, Lower Farm and a school in Lower Road, and a second smithy in the Thame Road together with the Methodist Chapel and the Black Boy. Further building followed the Napoleonic Wars in the mid-nineteenth Century and again after the establishment of Mr. W. Benton's Cement and Lime Works in 1908. Between the Great Wars, Oakley became joined with Chinnor. The communities along the Chiltern escarpment have always used the good chalky loam soil for arable farming with some grazing on the hillsides. Cattle rearing and milk production were encouraged and grew during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, but by then several home industries already existed. Lace making was one and there were four schools where this was taught in the village. By 1851 there were 268 home lace-makers here, including children, and a "lace feast" was held fortnightly. The Beech woods all along the Chilterns provided raw materials for chair leg turning and by 1851, 43 men in the village were employed in this trade. There were also itinerant chair leg makers called "bodgers" who camped in the woods on the hill during the summer months. Cherry and Pear orchards and growing straw for the hat makers of Luton were other thriving small industries of the village. The Industrial Revolution came to Chinnor in 1887 with an iron and brass foundry, but this has long since disappeared. The population of Chinnor grew from 800 in 1801 to 1300 in 1941, continuing to increase to 1950 in 1961 and 4417 in 1971. The population today is approaching 7000. Chinnor is now one of the largest villages in Oxfordshire.
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Source: Article extracted in it's entirety from The Chinnor Net webmaster@chinnor.net |
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