Oakley

75. OAKLEY.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xxxi. N.E. ^(b)xxxii. N.W.)

Roman

^b(1). Coins, Pottery, Flue-tiles, etc., found on Ixhill Farm, 1 mile S.E. of the church, seem to denote the existence of a dwelling house, probably of small size, but the site has not yet been identified.

Ecclesiastical

^a(2). Parish Church of St. Mary, at the N.E. corner of the village, is built of limestone rubble with limestone dressings. The roofs are covered with lead and with tiles. The original church was built in the 12th century, and the Nave of that date remains; a N. aisle of three bays, narrower and shorter than the present aisle, was added at the end of the 12th century. In the first half of the 14th century the South Transept was added, the Chancel was re-built, and enlarged to its present size, the North Aisle and arcade were reconstructed, the aisle being widened, and a small bell-turret or vestry, narrower than the aisle, was added at the W. end. In the second half of the 14th century the West Tower was built, the bell-turret was destroyed and the aisle extended towards the W. In the 15th century the walls of the nave were heightened and the clearstorey was added. A general restoration was carried out in the 19th century.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (26 ft. by 13 ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are two windows, the eastern is modern, except a few 15th-century stones in the jambs; the second window is of two lights under a square head; it is of the 16th century, but has been much restored and some 14th-century material re-used in the jambs. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern is modern; the western is of the 15th century, and of two trefoiled lights under a square head with an external label; at the W. end of the wall is a squint from the S. transept (see Miscellanea). The two-centred chancel arch is of early 14th-century date, and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous, the inner dying into the chamfered responds; in the wall above the arch, visible externally, are traces of the original steep-pitched roof, and at the apex of the gable is a small stone bell-cot, probably of the 14th century, much weathered. The Nave (45½ ft. by 14½ ft.) has a N. arcade of five irregular bays: the four eastern bays probably replace the three bays of the 12th-century arcade; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders, and are all of the 14th century, but partly made up of older material; the voussoirs vary in size; the two eastern arches are narrower and more acutely pointed than the others: the E. respond is irregularly quarteroctagonal, with an ill-fitting crudely moulded capital of the 14th century, and a chamfered base; the first column is of the 14th century, octagonal and slender, with a capital and base similar to those of the E. respond: the third and fourth arches are supported by circular columns of c. 1200, with re-set capitals, partly re-cut, and with square abaci re-cut to a roughly octagonal shape; the moulded bases are of an unusual type, that of the third column is much defaced: the fifth arch, which opens into the W. end of the aisle, is lower and narrower than the rest, and the fourth column is square, with chamfered corners and a crudely moulded capital, unworked on the N. side, where it was originally covered by the W. wall of the aisle: the W. respond is half-octagonal, with a crudely moulded capital, similar to that of the fourth column. Above the arcade are the three 15th-century windows of the clearstorey, each a single cinque-foiled light. At the E. end of the S. wall, opening into the transept, is a two-centred arch of early 14th-century date, and of two chamfered orders dying into flat responds; above it, on the E. side, is the doorway of the former rood-loft; W. of the arch is a 16th-century window of three uncusped lights and uncusped tracery in a four-centred head with a moulded external label; set high in the wall, at the W. end, is a 15th-century window, of three trefoiled lights, with modern tracery; between the windows is the early 14th-century S. doorway, with moulded jambs and two-centred head of two orders, and an external label; in the wall E. of the doorway are traces of the E. jamb of a 12th-century doorway. The two windows of the clearstorey are similar to those on the N. side. The N.E. and S.E. angles of the original aisleless nave are visible externally. The North Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has, in the E. wall, a 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head. In the N. wall are three windows; the easternmost window is of the 15th century, and of two trefoiled lights under a square head with a moulded wooden lintel; the second window is similar in date and design to the window in the E. wall; the third window is small, of late 14th-century date, and of two trefoiled lights under a square head; the two-centred N. doorway, between the second and third windows, is also of the 14th century, and of one continuously moulded order, with an external label. The early 14th-century window in the W. wall is a single trefoiled ogee light, set S. of the centre of the wall. The South Transept (21½ ft. by 13 ft.) has, in the E. wall, an early 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head. In the S. wall is a 14th-century window of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head, apparently inserted after the transept was built. In the W. wall is a window similar to that in the E. wall, but only the jambs are original. The West Tower (10 ft. by 9½ ft.) is of two stages, with diagonal buttresses, a projecting stair-turret in the S.E. angle, and a plain parapet. The 14th-century tower arch is of three chamfered orders, the outer order continuous, the two inner orders dying into plain responds; in the wall above the arch are traces of the weather-course of the original roof of the nave. In the S. wall is the small doorway of the stair-turret with chamfered jambs and head. The W. window is of two trefoiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head; the lower part is cut away by a modern doorway; high up in the N., S. and W. walls of the ground stage are small trefoiled ogee lights. The W. window of the bell-chamber is of two trefoiled lights, with trefoils and quatrefoils in the spandrels, under a square head; the N. and S. windows are similar, but are each a single light with sunk spandrels under a square head. The stair-turret is lighted by three small windows with trefoiled heads and sunk trefoils in the spandrels; all the windows of the tower are of late 14th-century date. The Roof of the nave is modern, but incorporates some 15th-century timbers; there are also some of the original corbels, moulded, or carved as grotesque heads. In the S. transept is part of an original tie-beam, which retains traces of colour decoration.

Fittings—Communion Table: plain, with turned legs, c. 1625. Door: in S. doorway, with plain original hinges, probably mediæval. Font: circular bowl, quite plain, probably early 13th-century. Glass: in E. window of S. transept, shield with arms—quarterly or and gules a bend sable: in W. window, shield with arms—or a cross engrailed sable. Locker: in N. wall of tower, rectangular, without rebate. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In N. aisle—on N. wall, (1) stone tablet, to Ann, wife of John Clarke, daughter of John Farrington, 1693. In S. transept—in S. wall, outside, (2) niche for tomb, with cinque-foiled chamfered head, large stone slab in niche, 14th-century; in S. wall, inside, (3) alabaster mural tablet, to Margaret, daughter of Sir Timothy Tyrrell of Shotover, 1686; inscription and lozenge with arms—two cheverons in a border engrailed. In N. aisle— in round-headed chamfered niches in N. wall, (4–5) stone coffin-lids, one with plain incised cross, the other with an elaborate cross in relief, 14th-century. Floor-slabs: In transept—(1) to John, son of Sir Timothy Tyrrel, 1692, inscription and arms; (2) to Mary, wife of James Tyrrell, 1687, inscription and arms; (3) to Elizabeth, wife of Sir Timothy Tyrrell, and daughter of the Right Reverend James Usher, late Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, 1693, inscription and arms; (4) to Sir Timothy Tyrrell, Master of the Buckhounds to Charles I., and Governor of Cardiff Castle, 1701, inscription and arms. Painting: on remains of tie-beam in S. transept, traces of shield with arms—party cheveronwise gules and argent three unicorns heads razed and counter-coloured. Piscinæ: in N.E. corner of nave, with trefoiled head, 14th-century, basin modern: in E. respond of transept arch, plain, with projecting basin, cut away, 14th-century. Plate: includes standing paten, inscribed I^HC, date-letter not clear, apparently of 1700; secular tasting dish, with pierced handle inscribed E^WE, of 1686. Miscellanea: In E. respond of transept arch, small rectangular opening from nave to transept, opens on S. into squint from transept to chancel, rebated for a door on S. side, purpose uncertain: in S. transept, small table with twisted legs, late 17th-century; board, moulded and carved with guilloche pattern, 17th-century; worked stone, possibly apex of gable or bell-cot, with socket for square shaft, possibly of cross: on W. jamb of S. doorway, small cross, incised, possibly consecration cross.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^a(3). Cottage, now three tenements, about 200 yards W. of the church, is of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof, built probably early in the 17th century, of timber and plaster; the roof is thatched. The windows and one of the chimney stacks are original. One room has an open fireplace.

Condition—Poor.

^a(4–5). Cottages, two, the first, now two tenements, opposite (3), the second, W. of (4), are each of one storey and an attic, built in the 17th century; the roofs are thatched. The walls of the second cottage have been partly re-faced, and in one room is a wide open fireplace.

Condition—Of (4), fairly good; of (5), ruinous.

Worminghall Road, E. side

^a(6). Farmhouse, now three tenements, about 600 yards S. of (5), is of two storeys, built in the 17th century, of brick and timber. The roof is tiled. On the W. side is a gable. The chimney stack is of original thin bricks. Inside the house is a large open fireplace, now partly blocked.

Condition—Good, much altered and restored.

^a(7). Farmhouse, about 150 yards S. of (6), is a 17th-century rectangular building of two storeys. The walls are of brick on a moulded stone plinth; the roof is tiled and slopes down to within a few feet of the ground at the back. The W. front has a gable, with a tablet on which is inscribed the date 1660; under the gable are two-square-headed bay windows, each of four lights with stone mullions. In the N. wall are three square-headed windows, with moulded stone jambs and labels; two of the windows are blocked. The large central chimney stack is of original bricks. Inside the house is an open fireplace, partly filled in.

Condition—Good.

W. side, from S. to N.

^a(8). House, almost opposite (7), is of two storeys, built late in the 17th century, partly of red and blue bricks in Flemish bond, and partly of narrower red bricks. The roof is tiled. The plan is T-shaped, and the central chimney stack is of old thin bricks.

Condition—Good.

^a(9–10). Cottages, two, each of two storeys, built in the 17th century, the first of brick, the second timber-framed with brick filling, partly re-faced with modern brick; the roof of the first cottage is tiled, of the second, thatched; both have chimneys of old thin bricks.

Condition—Of (9), poor; of (10), fairly good.

^a(11). Cottage, now several tenements, is a long, two-storeyed building of early 17th-century date. The walls are timber-framed, with filling of thin bricks; the roof is tiled. Inside the building are two open fireplaces and some chamfered ceiling-beams.

Condition—Bad, now being restored.

Road to Oakley Common, N. side

^a(12). The Sun Inn, 400 yards S.W. of the church, is a two-storeyed building of late 17th-century date; the walls are of red and blue bricks in Flemish bond. The roof is tiled. The plan is rectangular, with a modern extension on the N.W. side. The central chimney stack is of original thin bricks.

Condition—Good.

^a(13). Cottage, W. of the Sun Inn, is of one storey and an attic, built in the 17th century. The walls are partly of brick and partly covered with plaster; the roof is thatched.

Condition—Bad.

^a(14). House, W. of (13), is of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof, built of brick in the 17th century; the roof is tiled. The S.E. elevation has two gables; some of the windows and the two chimney stacks are original. Inside the house are two open fireplaces, one partly blocked, and some original ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.

Bicester road, N. side

^a(15). House, now the village school, N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, built of brick and timber in the 17th century, now much restored and altered; the roof is tiled.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a(16). House, W. of the school, is a two-storeyed 17th-century building of brick and timber; the roof is tiled. The massive central chimney stack is of old thin bricks with two sunk panels in each side. The principal doorway has a moulded frame. Inside the house is an open fireplace.

Condition—Good.

^a(17). Common Farm, ¾ mile W.S.W. of the church, is a rectangular brick house with a wing at the back, built in the second half of the 17th century, and now much restored. The roofs are tiled. The gable and upper storey at the E. end of the main block, the walls of the wing and the two chimney stacks are all that remain of the original exterior. Inside the house some of the ceilings have stop-chamfered beams.

Condition—Good.

^a(18). Oakleywood Farm, now two cottages, about 1 mile W. by S. of the church, is a small L-shaped building of two storeys; one wing is of 17th-century timber and brick; the roof is thatched. The other wing, of brick, was added or re-built in the 18th century; the roof is tiled. The central chimney stack of the 17th-century wing is original, and has square shafts. Inside the house are two open fireplaces, one partly filled in, and the ceilings have old beams.

Condition—Poor.

^a(19). Cottage, now used as a shed, about 1 mile S.W. of the church, is of two storeys, built of brick and timber in the 17th century. The roof is partly tiled and partly thatched. The central chimney stack is of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Ruinous.

^a(20). Catsbrain Farm, 1½ miles S. of the church, is of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof, built of brick and timber probably late in the 17th century; the roof is tiled. The chimney stack is of original thin bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.