Charlbury in 1813

Fri 31 Jan 2020, 08:17 (last edited on Fri 31 Jan 2020, 09:31)

Here’s a bit of history to celebrate the return of the forum, from a book called ‘The Beauties of England and Wales’, 1813, which I came across last summer: 

 The town of CHARLBURY, though in Banbury hundred, is distant only seven miles from Woodstock. This place obtained the grant of a weekly market in the reign of Stephen; but it has now little of the privilege, except the name. The glove manufactory has lately been introduced, and appears likely to produce considerable benefit to the inhabitants. 

In the register of the parish occurs the notice of “a plague, which began here on the 10th of June, 1583, and ended on the 25th of November in the same year.” In the church are buried several of the Jenkinson family, who long resided at Walcot in this neighbourhood. 

In the vicinity of Charlbury is BLANDFORD PARK. This estate was formerly termed Cornbury, and was the seat of Henry Danvers, Earl of Danby, who died here. It was afterwards possessed and occupied by Edward, Earl of Clarendon, who took his title of Viscount from this place. The property was purchased, some years back, by the Duke of Marlborough, and is now the occasional residence of the Duke of Beaufort. The seat is placed nearly in the centre of a spacious park; and many pleasing views are obtained from different parts of the grounds. 

Among rare Plants found in this hundred may be mentioned: Anemone Pulsatilla. Pasque flower; in several parts of Blandford Park. Arenaria tenuifolia. Fine-leaved chickweed; in a quarry near Charlbury. Berberis vulgaris. Barbery, or pepperidge bush; in hedges about Charlbury. Near the same place are, likewise, found Chara Tomentosa. Brittle chara. Spergula nodosa. Knotted spurry, or English marsh saxifrage. In the hedges is frequently seen valantia cruciata. Cross wort, or mugweed. 

[I wonder if anyone knows of these plants still growing in the area?]