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This page is intended to cover the history (and other things) of Chinnor. Some text is now in place (see below) but there is still more to come. HistoryChinnor 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. Thanks to CPRRA for permission to print this
Chinnor Cement WorksIn 1908, the late Mr. W.E. Benton founded a small business to manufacture lime. The works was situated on the southeast edge of Chinnor at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment and consisted of 5 Beehive Lime Kilns producing lump lime for use both in construction and agriculture. During 1919, a small cement plant was developed adjacent to the beehive kilns, producing up to 240 tons per week using flare kilns, which had to be loaded by hand. By 1928, the first rotary kiln had been commissioned with an output of 500 tons per week. Following steady progress and development, the Chinnor Cement and Lime Company Limited was formed in 1936 and registered as a public company. Further investment continued with kiln No. 2 being installed in 1938. After 1938 the beehive kilns gradually disappeared until finally only one remained which was in a very poor and overgrown state. Prior to the recent closure, this remaining beehive kiln had been restored and was part of the tour for people visiting the quarries and factory. Another kiln, No. 3, followed in 1958, raising capacity to almost 4,500 tons per week. The Company too had grown into Chinnor Industries Ltd. and by 1962 the original rotary kiln had been replaced by the new No. 1 kiln and the site extended to some 200 acres of which the works occupied 20 acres. Following further development and modifications, the output of the Works was eventually raised to some 5600 tons per week. On 1st January 1963, the ordinary shares of the Chinnor Industries Group were acquired by the rugby Portland Cement Co. Ltd. and from that time Chinnor Works had the benefit of Rugby's greater financial and technical support. Chinnor Works became one of six cement factories operated around the UK by the Cement Division of the Rugby Group plc. The Works had come a long way since Mr. Benton first opened his beehive kilns in 1908. Until the closure of the Works in January 1999, the Cement Works had been the largest local employer. With its demise, the dormitory status of the village seems set to continue unless wisdom and foresight are applied to the use of the land. Thanks to CPRRA for permission to print this
Did You Know..?From the Domesday Book, "In LEWKNOR Hundred Next to the Windmill near Mill Lane School there is an old Barn that was used by the Canadians as an Aircraft Hangar in World War II. You can see a picture of the Windmill with the Barn on it's left on the Gallery page. One visitor asks the question, "I am trying to
find out about the anchor on If you know something about the anchor, e-mail us your reply and we will post it here for all to see. Contributions by our readers will be welcomed. |
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