Nottinghamshire Contents

Oxton

Oxton is a pleasant village and parish, 5 miles west by south of Southwell, under the hills, on the eastern side of the Dover Beck. It has within its parish 850 inhabitants and 3,584 acres of land. All the waste land was enclosed in 1851. The tithes were commuted in 1844 for £582 4s 3d.

The Beecher family and Henry Sherbrooke Esq. are the lay rectors, the latter of whom is lord of the manor and principal owner, and resides at the Hall, and large handsome mansion, with a projecting centre and a handsome pediment. The worthy owner came to this estate in 1847, since when he has made great improvements in the mansion, gardens and pleasure grounds. Thomas Redgate Esq., John Richardson, William Harvey and Mrs Lamb also have estates here, besides several smaller freeholders.

The church is an ancient fabric, with a low tower and four bells, and is in the patronage of the Prebendary of Oxton, which forms part of the Chapter of Southwell. The vicarage is valued in the King's books at £24 10s, and has the vicarage of Blidworth annexed to it. The joint livings are now enjoyed by the Rev. Collingwood E. Fenwick L.L.B. The church was repewed in 1840, since when the south gallery has been removed, also the vestry at the north side of the chancel has been taken away and the lower lart of the tower converted into a vestry. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists each have a chapel in the village.

The school was endowed by Margaret Sherbrook, in 1783, with land at Alstonfield, now let for about £20 per annum, for which the master teaches 30 free scholars. The poor have the following yearly sums, viz. £5 from a field left in 1690 by Mr Godfrey; £3 left in 1714 by Henry Sherbrooke; 4s left by Richard Chapman in 1725; 5s bequesthed by John Little in 1756, and the interest of £40 left by James Harvey in 1835. The 6 ancient poor houses were taken down and rebuilt by the lord of the manor in 1852. A fair is held on the second Tuesday in September for sheep, pigs &c. The feast is held on the first Sunday after the 10th of July.

In a garden occupied by Mr Duffield, landlord of the Royal Oak Inn, is at present to be seen, a gigantic two year old broccoli plant. It is eight feet in height, and the circumference of the stalk near the ground is upwards of eleven inches. As if to complete the curiosity, a pair of wrens have selected it as their nursery, their nest being built between two of the upper branches of this cabbage monarch, and have brought forth four young. Numerous parties from Nottingham and the surrounding neighbourhood have visited this great curiosity.

White's Directory of Nottinghamshire 1853

[Last updated: Wednesday 3rd September 1997 - Clive Henly]

© Copyright C.R.G. Henly 1997