King's Sutton#Astrop House

{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England}}

{{Infobox UK place

|official_name= King's Sutton

|static_image_name= Kings Sutton 1 (8).png

|static_image_caption= King's Sutton's central crossroads and village green in 2009

|coordinates = {{coord|52.023|-1.276|display=inline,title}}

|os_grid_reference= SP4936

|civil_parish= King's Sutton

|population= 2069

|population_ref= (2001 census){{cite web |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797359&c=Kings+Sutton&d=16&e=15&g=473839&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1269900185046&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 |title=Area: Kings Sutton CP (Parish): Parish Headcounts |work=Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=29 March 2010 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629070238/http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797359&c=Kings+Sutton&d=16&e=15&g=473839&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1269900185046&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 |url-status=dead }}
2,112 (2011 Census){{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11125217&c=Kings+Sutton&d=16&e=62&g=6452378&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1467727104934&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=5 July 2016|publisher= Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}{{Better source needed|date=September 2024 |reason=Page won't load and Wayback's saved page is an error message}}

|unitary_england= West Northamptonshire

|lieutenancy_england= Northamptonshire

|region= East Midlands

|country= England

|post_town= BANBURY

|postcode_district= OX17

|postcode_area= OX

|london_distance= {{convert|62|mi|km|0}}

|dial_code= 01295

|constituency_westminster= South Northamptonshire

|website= {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110725134052/http://www.kingssutton.org/ King’s Sutton Parish Council website]}}

}}

King's Sutton is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire, England, in the valley of the River Cherwell. It is sited about {{convert|4.1|mi|km|abbr=}} south-east of Banbury, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Astrop, contiguous with eastern end of King's Sutton, and Upper Astrop, about {{convert|1|mi|km}} north-east, in the same area as the shrunken villages of Great and Little Purston.

History

=Early history=

The village toponym means the King's south estate.{{cite web |url=http://www.kingssutton.net/ |title=King′s Sutton Online |date=21 February 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221233647/http://www.kingssutton.net/ |archive-date=21 February 2013}}

Blacklands, {{convert|0.5|mi|m}} north of the village, is the site of a Roman town.{{sfn|Deegan|Foard|2008|p=118-119}}{{cite web |url=https://www.archaeologyuk.org/discover/groups-and-societies/cba-south-midlands.html |url-status=live |title=South Midlands Region: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire & Oxfordshire |work=Council for British Archaeology |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911230145/http://www.cba-southmidlands.org.uk/SMAindex/k.html |archive-date=11 September 2011}} Coins from the 4th century AD have been recovered from the site.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}}

The infant Saint Rumwold (or Rumwald, Rumbold or Rumbald) is said to have lived and died at King's Sutton in 662. Rumwold is said to have lived for only three days, but professed his faith throughout.

=The English Civil War=

The English Civil War helped develop Banbury’s then arms industry. The Royalist garrison was constantly at work early in 1645 digging saltpetre in King's Sutton and making gunpowder out of it in a house specially built near Banbury. Just over ten years earlier, a government saltpetreman had operated at Banbury for a year, having moved there from the then small market town of Coventry, before moving on to Hook Norton a short while afterwards. King's Sutton was a local centre for saltpetre excavation and digging at the time.{{sfn|Colvin|Cooper|Cooper|Harvey|1972|pp=49-71}}

Notable buildings

The Court House was built in about 1500, partly of stone and partly timber-framed.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}} It was altered in the 16th and 18th centuries.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}}

The manor house was built in the middle of the 17th century.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}}

=Parish church=

File:King's Sutton 360 Panorama.jpg

The oldest parts of the Church of England parish church of Saints Peter and Paul are the Norman font{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}} and largely Norman chancel. The north aisle was added in the 13th century and the south aisle early in the 14th century.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=279}} The bell tower and most of the windows are Decorated Gothic. The spire was added to the tower, probably late in the 14th century, raising the steeple to a height of {{convert|198|ft|m}}.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=278}} Sir Nikolaus Pevsner considered it "one of the finest, if not the finest, spire in this county of spires".{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=278}} The south porch, north aisle, west window and very fine east window of the chancel are Perpendicular Gothic.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=278}}

Ss. Peter & Paul parish is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the adjacent parish of Newbottle and Charlton.{{cite web |url=http://www.achurchnearyou.com/king-sutton-st-peter-st-paul/ |title=St Peter & St Paul, King's Sutton |author=Archbishops' Council |year=2010 |work=A Church Near You |publisher=Church of England |access-date=25 March 2011}}

=Astrop House=

File:Astrop Park, Kings Sutton (geograph 3398065).jpg

Astrop house is a Grade II* listed country manor about {{convert|1|mi|km}} north-east of the village. It is constructed of limestone ashlar in two storeys, with a 7-bay frontage {{cite web |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101226127-astrop-house-kings-sutton |title=Astrop House, King's Sutton|publisher= British Listed Buildings|access-date=12 April 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/tupperware_pilot/2774539736/ |title=Picture of Astrop House |via=Flickr |date=17 August 2008}}

It was built c.1740 for Sir John Willes, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=95}} Sir John Soane added wings for the Revd. William Shippen Willes, which were extended in the 19th century and demolished in 1961.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=96}} William Wilkinson added the Keeper's lodge, pheasantry and a cottage in 1868.{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=529}} Lancelot "Capability" Brown laid out the grounds.{{cite book|last=Stroud|first=Dorothy|title=Capability Brown|url=https://archive.org/details/capabilitybrown0000stro|url-access=registration |year=1975 |publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571102679|page=[https://archive.org/details/capabilitybrown0000stro/page/216 216]}}

Astrop was the site of a famous Spa{{sfn|Pevsner|Cherry|1973|p=96}} discovered in the 17th century. All that now remains is a small well, known as St. Rumbald's Well, south of the house in a valley.

Governance

The village has a parish council with 15 members.{{cite web |url=http://www.kingssutton.org/about-kings-sutton/parish-council/about-parish-council |url-status=usurped |title=About King’s Sutton Parish Council |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415051550/http://www.kingssutton.org/about-kings-sutton/parish-council/about-parish-council/%23.UWuM_n3LfK4 |archive-date=15 April 2013}}

Transport

File:King's sutton station Mk2 (5).png

King's Sutton railway station is served by two train operating companies:

Chiltern Railways operates regular services between {{stnlnk|London Marylebone}} and {{stnlnk|Birmingham Snow Hill}}, via {{rws|Warwick}}{{Cite web |title=Download our timetable |work=Chiltern Railways |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=18 October 2024 |url= https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/before-you-travel/download-our-timetable |quote=}}
Great Western Railway runs services to {{rws|Oxford}} and {{stnlnk|Didcot Parkway}}.{{Cite web |title=Train Times |work=Great Western Railway |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=18 October 2024 |url= https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/train-times |quote=}}

Amenities

File:Kings Sutton 1 (5).png outside the village]]

Kings Sutton Primary School is in Richmond Street.{{cite web |url=http://www.kingssuttonschool.ik.org/home.ikml |title=King's Sutton Primary School Homepage |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726172645/http://www.kingssuttonschool.ik.org/home.ikml |archive-date=2011-07-26}} It celebrated its centenary in 2008. Its last Ofsted report was in 2010 and gave the school grade 2, stating: "This is a good school. The new headteacher provides focused leadership so that all the staff are supporting the good quality of education for the pupils."{{cite web |url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/121841 |date=2010 |title=Kings Sutton Primary School |website=OFSTED report |access-date=20 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508182358/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/121841 |archive-date=8 May 2009}} The school used to be in Astrop Road and those premises are now a private house. Kings Sutton also has a pre-school.

King's Sutton has two public houses: the Butchers Arms (Hook Norton Brewery) and the White Horse.

There is also a lawn tennis club.{{cite web |title=King's Sutton Lawn Tennis Club Homepage |url=https://www.kingssuttonltc.org.uk/}}

Heritage Trust

King's Sutton Heritage Trust Fund was formed in December 2005, with a mission statement that reads: "To promote, protect and enhance the history, facilities, structures and amenities of the village of King's Sutton and the surrounding area for the benefit of its inhabitants."{{cite web |url=http://www.kingssutton.net/Heritage_Trust_Fund.html |title=King's Sutton Heritage Trust |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002193720/http://www.kingssutton.net/Heritage_Trust_Fund.html |archive-date=2 October 2009}}

Notable residents

Olga Kevelos, motorcycle racer, was landlady of The Three Tuns in King's Sutton for a number of years.{{cite news |date=7 November 2009 |title=Wartime boatwoman, Olga Kevelos has died |newspaper=Northampton Chronicle & Echo |publisher=Johnston Press |url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Wartime-boatwoman-Olga-Kevelos-has.5803894.jp |access-date=8 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906071450/http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/wartime-boatwoman-olga-kevelos-has-died-1-894901 |archive-date=6 September 2012}}
Arthur Halestrap, one of the last surviving British soldiers of the First World War, lived and died in the village.

Gallery

File:Kings Sutton mk1.png|King's Sutton in 2000.

File:Kings Sutton 1 (4).png|King's Sutton in 2000.

File:Kings Sutton 1 (3).png|King's Sutton in 2000.

File:Kings Sutton 1 (7).png|King's Sutton in 2001.

File:Kings Sutton 1 (2).png|King's Sutton in 2009.

File:Kings Sutton 1 (6).png|King's Sutton in 2009.

References

=Citations=

=Sources=

{{cite book |last=Compton |first=Hugh J. |title=The Oxford Canal |year=1976 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-7238-6}}
{{cite book |editor-last1=Crossley |editor-first1=Alan |last1=Colvin |first1=Christina |last2=Cooper |first2=Janet |last3=Cooper |first3=N. H. |last4=Harvey |first4=P. D. A. |last5=Hollings |first5=Marjory |last6=Hook |first6=Judith |last7=Jessup |first7=Mary |last8=Lobel |first8=Mary D. |author-link8=Mary Lobel |last9=Mason |first9=J. F. A. |last10=Trinder |first10=B. S. |last11=Turner |first11=Hilary |series=Victoria County History |title=A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 10 |year=1972 |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63792}}
{{cite book |last1=Deegan |first1=Alison |last2=Foard |first2=Glenn |title=Mapping Ancient Landscapes in Northamptonshire |year=2008 |publisher=English Heritage |isbn=978-1-905624-42-3}}
{{Cite book |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |author1-link=Nikolaus Pevsner |last2=Cherry |first2=Bridget |edition=revised |series=The Buildings of England |title=Northamptonshire |orig-year=1961 |year=1973 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=Harmondsworth |isbn=0-14-071022-1}}