DIDCOT
Dudecote (xiii–xv cent.); Doudecote (xiii cent.);
Dudcote (xiii–xix cent.); Dodecote (xiv–xvii cent.);
Dudcott (xvi–xviii cent.); Didcott (xvii–xix cent.).
Didcot lies chiefly on a ridge running east and
west between the Thames Valley on the north and
the Hagbourne Marshes on the south. The village
is situated a little to the north of the main road from
Wantage to Wallingford. Between the church of
All Saints and the Manor Farm, occupied by
Mr. Dennis Napper, are clustered a few dwellinghouses and ancient cottages, the village smithy, and
the elementary school opened in 1896. The Glebe
Farm House or Old Rectory is an ancient halftimber building near the church, now used as a parish
room West of the village 'Didcot Field' stretches
to the parish boundary, where stands 'Marshland
Barn.' The land north and east of the village is
subdivided and inclosed to a far greater extent.
During the 16th century the tenants complained
bitterly of attempts to inclose the common land and
convert the arable into pasture, stating that it was
the lord's intent to 'pull down the whole town and
convert it into pasture.' (fn. 1) A dispute as to the commonable nature of the 'Frith' near 'the Marsh'
even led to an assault by the lord's servants upon his
farmer. (fn. 2) Of the 1,120 acres contained within the
parish 444 are now arable and 572 acres pasture land. (fn. 3)
The soil is chiefly chalk-drift upon a subsoil of Gault
Clay and Upper Greensand on rubble.
Didcot Village
The station of the Great Western railway to
the north of the village was opened in 1840, and a
branch line to Oxford was laid down in 1844. The
development of this junction and the establishment of
provender stores for the railway within this parish
have recently led to a considerable increase in population. The new houses extend into North Hagbourne. A corn market is held on Tuesdays outside
the station in a place formerly called Foxhall ground,
and a wool fair is held yearly on the first Tuesday in
July. There is a village feast on the Sunday after
Old Michaelmas (11 October).
Copse Lane is a bridle-path leading to Sutton
Courtney. Lydall Lane is evidently connected with
the Lydall family resident in Didcot during the 17th
century. (fn. 4) Eleven acres in the west of the parish are
known as Parsonage Pen and other place-names of
interest which occur in the manorial records are
Tubbeney Cottage, (fn. 5) a messuage called Bowyers, (fn. 6) and
the house called Wights in the 18th century, (fn. 7) doubtless
after the Wight family, lords of the manor at the close
of the 17th century. (fn. 8)
Village tradition says that human sacrifices were
offered on a barrow planted with trees on the high
ground to the west of the parish. A silver coin of
Plautilla Augusta wife of Caracalla was found in a
garden near the railway station about 1880.
MANOR
There is no reference to DIDCOT by
name in the Domesday Survey. It is possible that a part at least of it was included
in the 4 hides and a virgate at Wibalditone held of
Henry de Ferrers by Niel (Daubeny) in 1086. (fn. 9) Before
the Conquest Wibalditone had been held of the king
by Turchil, a freeman. Niel Daubeny with his wife
Amice gave the church, which is mentioned in the
Domesday Survey, with 2 virgates to Tutbury Priory. (fn. 10)
The name Wibalditone possibly survives in 'Willington's Farm' and 'Willington's Down Farm' in the
neighbouring parish of Long Wittenham. Its proximity
to Didcot is proved by the boundaries of a charter of
King Alfred. (fn. 11) It seems probable that the remainder
of Niel's holding is represented by Didcot, which was
in the tenure of Robert Daubeny in the 11th century,
and the supposition is strengthened by a subsequent
claim to Didcot Church put forward by the Prior of
Tutbury. (fn. 12) It is said that Robert Daubeny threw a
stone and hit King Henry II. (fn. 13) The event probably
took place before Bedford Castle, (fn. 14) possibly when
Henry invaded England in 1153. (fn. 15) In lieu of the
heavy penalty due for the hurt done to his liege lord,
Daubeny surrendered Didcot Manor to the king in his
court at Westminster (fn. 16) in 1155. (fn. 17) Henry gave it, in
recognition of services done to the Empress Maud, to
Hugh de Mare to hold of the honour of Wallingford
by service of half a knight's fee. (fn. 18) The manor continued to be held of the honour of Wallingford. (fn. 19) To
Hugh de Mare succeeded Geoffrey de Mare, (fn. 20) possibly
his son. This Geoffrey fell into debt to Bonechose the
Jew and pledged Didcot to him for a term of years. (fn. 21)
The manor thus came to King John in 1204, when he
seized all the lands of the Jews, and in the same year
he gave it to Robert Aguillon, who was to pay £17
yearly to the king and 60s. to Geoffrey de Mare. (fn. 22)
Geoffrey recovered it in 1208 by paying 100 marks
and a palfrey to the king. (fn. 23) He was evidently
succeeded by his son Hugh de Mare, (fn. 24) who died
about the year 1237. (fn. 25) His heir was his daughter
Ellen wife of Andrew Blunt (le Blund). (fn. 26) In 1240
Andrew and his wife sued Emma de Mare concerning lands in Berkshire. (fn. 27) Evidently these included
Didcot. (fn. 28) Andrew's widow paid 200 marks to have
the custody of his land and heir in 1259, (fn. 29) and about
1261 she married David de Ossington. (fn. 30) Andrew
Blunt's heir was his son Robert, who forfeited his
lands, possibly including Didcot, as a supporter of
Simon de Montfort. (fn. 31) They were granted to Queen
Eleanor, (fn. 32) but were probably recovered by Robert or
his heir under the Dictum of Kenilworth. (fn. 33) Robert's
successor was Sir Hugh Blunt, (fn. 34) who had grant of free
warren in Didcot in 1305. (fn. 35) He settled the manor
upon himself and his wife Nicholaa in 1315, (fn. 36) and in
1317 they sold the remainder contingent upon their
deaths to John Stonor, afterwards Sir John Stonor, kt.,
and to his wife Maud. (fn. 37) Sir Hugh Blunt was dead
before 1350, but his wife survived him and married
John de Alveton, with whom she held the manor
jointly during her life. (fn. 38) Sir John Stonor, son of the
John mentioned above, died seised of Didcot on 10 July
1361, leaving a son and heir Edmund. (fn. 39) The latter
pledged an annuity of £50 from Didcot to William
of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, as security for the
undisturbed possession of Ashe Manor (co. Hants), (fn. 40)
which he had recently sold to the bishop. (fn. 41) Edmund
Stonor died 25 April 1382, when his eldest son John
was aged thirteen. (fn. 42) This John died while still a
minor in the king's custody, (fn. 43) and was succeeded by
his brother Ralph, afterwards Sir Ralph, Stonor. (fn. 44) In
1394 Sir Ralph died seised of Didcot Manor, leaving
an infant son Gilbert Stonor, (fn. 45) who died while still a
minor. (fn. 46) His brother and heir Thomas conveyed
the manor to Thomas Chaucer and other feoffees
in 1417 (fn. 47) and died in 1430. (fn. 48) To him succeeded
Thomas his son, (fn. 49) whose widow Joan held Didcot for
life. (fn. 50) She survived William son and heir of Thomas
Stonor, whose only son John died in infancy. (fn. 51)
Didcot had been settled in tail-male and passed to
Sir Walter Stonor, kt., son of Thomas, brother of
William Stonor. (fn. 52) Under Sir Walter, and probably
in the time of his predecessors, the demesne lands
were let to farm, (fn. 53) and about 1539 considerable illfeeling was roused between the lord and his farmer
on account of the former's attempts to inclose pasture
and convert arable into meadow land, to which
reference has already been made. (fn. 54) Sir Walter Stonor
died 8 January 1550–1, having bequeathed Didcot
to his younger brother John Stonor of North Stoke. (fn. 55)
The latter's son Sir Francis Stonor inherited under
this will (fn. 56) and sold the manor in 1563 to Edward
Griffin. (fn. 57) In 1599 Edward Griffin conveyed to
Rice Griffin (fn. 58) of Burnells Broome (co. Warw.), who
in 1602 resold the manor to Sir Francis Stonor of
Stonor. (fn. 59) In 1600 Rice Griffin had enfeoffed Robert
Winter and others of this manor, (fn. 60) probably for the
purposes of the sale to Stonor. Robert Winter was
implicated in the Gunpowder Plot with his brother
Thomas, one of its chief movers. (fn. 61) After his execution in 1606 Didcot was seized by the king, (fn. 62) but
was evidently recovered by Sir Francis Stonor, who
was dealing with it in 1616 (fn. 63) and in 1621–2 settled
it on his third son William Stonor upon the occasion
of his marriage with Elizabeth daughter of Sir
Thomas Lake. (fn. 64) William Stonor was convicted of
recusancy in 1627, and in February 1635–6 it was
agreed that he should have a forty-one years' lease of
the two-thirds of Didcot and other lands forfeited to
the Crown, and should be pardoned upon payment
of a yearly rent to the Crown. (fn. 65) Thomas Stonor, his
son and heir, alienated the manor in 1653 to John
Crisp of London. (fn. 66) The latter petitioned for its
restoration in 1654, as it had again been sequestered
for the recusancy of William Stonor. (fn. 67) The sequestration was discharged, (fn. 68) but Thomas Stonor evidently
recovered the manor from Crisp. In 1671 he conveyed it to Dr. John Cawley, (fn. 69) who sold it to Thomas
Wight and Robert Jenings in 1678. (fn. 70) It evidently
descended to Samuel Wight, living in 1699, (fn. 71) and
was afterwards purchased by Richard Blake, who lived
at Didcot and dealt with the manor between 1731
and 1756. (fn. 72) His son and heir Henry Blake the
elder sold it in 1778 to John Baker of Little Berkhampstead (co. Herts.). (fn. 73) William Robert Baker,
great-nephew of the purchaser, sold the manor in
1857 to Lewis Loyd, (fn. 74) father
of Samuel-Jones Loyd, first
Lord Overstone, to whom the
estate descended. His daughter Lady Wantage is the present lady of the manor.
Blunt. Quarterly argent and gules a bend sable with three eagles or thereon.
Stonor. Azure two bars dancetty or and a chief argent.
Loyd, Lord Overstone. Party bend sinisterwise ermine and argent an eagle sable with two heads and a border sable bezanty.
A capital messuage existed
in 1362 (fn. 75) and probably earlier.
The present Manor Farm presumably occupies the site of
the farm let with the demesne
lands in the time of Sir Walter
Stonor. (fn. 76) The windmill
attached to the manor was
reserved by Sir John Stonor
in 1350 in his lease to John de Alveton and his
wife Nicholaa. (fn. 77)
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS consists of a chancel 18 ft. 2 in. by
16 ft. 10 in., nave 42 ft. 6 in. by 17 ft.,
south aisle 8 ft. 9 in. wide, and a modern vestry,
north aisle, south porch, and timber-framed belfry
and broach spire covered with oak shingles rising
from the west end of the south aisle. All these
measurements are internal.
The nave walls are probably of the 12th century, a
capital of c. 1160 having been found at a recent repair.
The chancel was rebuilt and widened about 1340,
and the south aisle was added about the same time.
The responds of the chancel arch, the rood-stairs
and doorways, and the west window of the nave
are of the 15th century. The chancel arch, the
north arcade of the nave, the north aisle and vestry,
the south porch, and the timber steeple are modern,
though an old sketch, made previous to the restoration of the church in 1865, shows the lower stage
of a somewhat similar bell-tower. The roof of the
chancel is modern and high-pitched, probably following the lines of the original 14th-century roof; the
sketch just referred to shows a chancel roof of similar
pitch. The low-pitched roof of the nave dates from
the 15th century, but the south aisle roof is coeval
with the aisle, having moulded principals and ridge.
In the east wall of the chancel is a modern three-light window, and in the north wall are two 14th-century windows. The eastern is of two trefoiled
ogee lights with quatrefoiled tracery in a two-centred
head. On the west jamb is a grotesque head with
an iron ring in its mouth, perhaps for the lenten
veil. The western window is of two cinquefoiled
lights with a multifoiled spandrel in a two-centred
head. The internal labels of these windows are
mitred on to a moulded string-course of a slightly
different section, which continues to the eastward and
joins a modern string-course running along the east
wall. The chancel is lighted from the south by two
modern windows. Beneath the easternmost of these
windows is a square unmoulded piscina niche with
a plain basin, apparently of original date. Between
these windows is a modern doorway. The chancel
arch is modern and of a single two-centred chamfered
order, but the responds are of 15th-century type.
The base of the north respond is partly cut away to
receive one of the uprights of the rood screen, which
has long disappeared.
At the eastern end of the north wall of the nave
are the stairs to the rood-loft. The entrance is about
2 ft. above the floor of the nave, the original steps
to which have probably disappeared. The stair
chamber projects beyond the face of the north wall
of the nave, and is roofed with stone flags. Above
the rood-stairs is a 14th-century pointed window of
two trefoiled lights under tracery, moved from the
west gable of the chancel. The north arcade is
modern and of three bays with two-centred arches,
the eastern bay being occupied by the organ. The
west window, of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical
tracery within a two-centred head, is of c. 1400.
The 14th-century south arcade of the nave is of
three bays, with two-centred arches of two chamfered
orders, the pillars being so short that the springing is
not 5 ft. from the floor. The east respond has a
slender round shaft and very plain capital and base,
simply recessed in a number of rectangular members,
and the west respond has a similar capital; both are
doubtless late repairs. The eastern pier of the arcade
is composed of four filleted rolls placed diagonally,
with a circular moulded capital and unmoulded circular base. The western pier is octagonal, with a
moulded capital and plain chamfered base following
the same plan. Over the eastern column is a small
square-headed blocked clearstory window.
Didcot Church from the South-east
The modern north aisle is lighted by three windows.
The present vestry at the north-east is a recent addition. In the east wall of the south aisle is a 14th-century window of three trefoiled lights with ogee
heads and flowing tracery within a flat segmental
head. In the south wall is a three-light window of
similar type and date. In the south-east angle of
the aisle is a semi-octagonal corbel, possibly an image
bracket, of original date. Below the eastern window
in the south wall is a piscina with a two-centred trefoiled head. The south doorway has moulded jambs
and a moulded two-centred head of typical 14th-century section. The western window in the south
wall is of two semicircular-headed trefoiled lights with
flowing tracery within a flat segmental head. The
timber south porch is modern. The belfry, which is
also modern, is of framed timber, covered with oak
shingles, and is surmounted by a broach spire of the
same materials. It is placed at the west end of the
south aisle, the framing rising from the floor and
being left uninclosed below the roof of the aisle.
Built against the west face of the western pier of
the south arcade of the nave is a tub font, perhaps
of late 12th-century date, standing on an octagonal
step with chamfered nosing. In the west window of
the nave are some fragments of 15th-century glass.
In the churchyard, immediately to the south of the
south porch, standing on two modern steps, are the
base and stem of a cross, probably of late 14th-century
date, and near to it is a very fine yew tree.
In the south aisle, in a position far too humble for
its value, is a very fine Purbeck marble life-size effigy
of a bishop or mitred abbot in mass vestments under
a trefoiled canopy, c. 1290. It was found in 1775
reversed in the pavement of the causeway near the
church, and is a good deal damaged. Outside on
the east wall of the south aisle is a memorial tablet
to Mervall, daughter of Francis Bichopton, and wife
of Edward Sawyer, who died on 22 April 1641.
The date of the death of her husband, who died in
1640, is also recorded. Over the inscription are two
shields, the dexter, a fesse between three birds, and
the sinister, a cheveron between three horses' heads
cut off. In the floor of the nave is a slab to Robert
Lydall of Didcot (d. 1677), and another to Robert
Jennings (d. 1685).
There are three bells: the first and second, which
have no inscription, are of the late 14th century and
bear the earlier lion's head stamp of the Wokingham
foundry, (fn. 78) while the third, probably by Samuel
Knight of Reading, is inscribed 'Robert Jenninns,
John Tayler, C.W.'
The plate consists of a chalice, paten, flagon, and
almsdish, all silver and stamped with the date letter
of 1862.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms 1562 to 1678, marriages 1571 to 1674,
burials 1568 to 1681; (ii) baptisms 1681 to 1735,
marriages 1685 to 1735, burials 1678 to 1735; (iii)
baptisms and burials 1736 to 1812, marriages 1736
to 1748; (iv) marriages 1755 to 1812. There is
also a volume of churchwardens' accounts dating from
1754 to 1879.
ADVOWSON
The 12th-century church at Didcot was probably built by the lord to
replace Wibalditone Church which
had been granted to Tutbury Priory. (fn. 79) The Prior
of Tutbury afterwards laid claim to present, but
the right of the lord of the manor was successfully
defended by Hugh son of Geoffrey de Mare in 1220, (fn. 80)
and in 1250 was recovered by Andrew Blunt and
his wife Ellen, daughter of Hugh, against Emma
de Mare. (fn. 81) The advowson continued in the successive lords of the manor until the 17th century, (fn. 82)
and was included in the Stonors' conveyance of the
manor to John Crisp in 1653, (fn. 83) but seems to have
been alienated from it soon afterwards. John Pollard
presented to the living in 1664, (fn. 84) and the patronage
was afterwards acquired by Robert Lydall and his wife
Ann and Richard Matthew and his wife Elizabeth,
who in 1689 sold it to Brasenose Collage, Oxford, after
the death of John Cawley, D.D., the incumbent. (fn. 85)
The patronage is still vested in Brasenose Collage.
CHARITIES
The tables of benefaction in the
church mention that an unknown
donor gave £14, that Mr. Robert
Sayer by will gave £6, and that in 1776 the Rev.
Ralph Nicholson, rector, gave £2 for the use of the
poor. These sums, with accumulations, are now
represented by £41 3s. 7d. consols with the official
trustees, producing £1 0s. 4d. a year, which is distributed in coal with the income of the nextmentioned charity.
The Coal Charity—The poor are entitled to the
dividends on a sum of £405 6s. 8d. Metropolitan
Water Board 3 per cent. stock, standing in the names
of the Principal and Fellows of Brasenose College,
Oxford, representing a sum of stock, which is understood to have been set aside on the inclosure of the
common fields, in extinguishment of the right of the
poor to take fuel from a portion of the common fields
known as the Hadden.
The income, amounting to £11 11s. a year, is
applied, with the sum of £1 0s. 4d. above mentioned,
in the distribution of coal at Christmas equally
among twenty-five to thirty-five persons.