Chipping Norton Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Oxfordshire, and around 20 miles northwest of Oxford, is the town of Chipping Norton.

Geographically the town is situated at the northeastern end of the Cotswold Hills. Its name is derived from Old English 'norð' 'tūn', meaning 'north farm/settlement', whilst the 'Chipping' prefix means 'market'. The settlement grew adjacent to a motte and bailey castle which once stood from around the 12th century. Only the earthworks of the castle remain today.

During the medieval era, Chipping Norton, alongside other settlements in the Cotswolds, thrived on the wool trade. One of the products of its wealth is the Church of St Mary. Although the earliest parts of the church are believed to date from the 12th century, the nave was largely rebuilt circa 1485 with funds from wool merchant John Ashfield. The almshouses just up the road from the church were built in 1640, also with funds from the wool trade.

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, Chipping Norton's wool industry began to decline as it struggled to compete with the factories in the north and midlands. Other industries emerged in the town, including brewing, tanning and glove-making.

In 1855 two railway stations opened concurrently, serving the town. One was known as Chipping Norton Junction, while the other was known as, simply, Chipping Norton. The latter connected to the former, which in turn formed part of the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton main line. Chipping Norton station closed in 1962. Chipping Norton Junction was renamed in 1909 to Kingham due to its proximity to the village of the same name. This is presently the closest railway station to Chipping Norton itself, albeit five miles away. Public transport to the town consists of direct buses from Oxford, Banbury and various local towns and villages.

In 1971 Chipping Norton Recording Studios opened. A number of notable musical artists recorded here including Status Quo, the Bay City Rollers, Duran Duran and Radiohead among others. The studio closed in 1999. Another musical connection to the town comes in the form of the Crown & Cushion Hotel on the High Street. This was owned by none other than Keith Moon of The Who during the '60s and '70s.

Famous people from Chipping Norton include actor Wentworth Miller of Prison Break fame. Miller moved to America at the age of one.

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Filmed: 3rd June 2023

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/UL7D2dzQESJyVhVk6

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Church of St Mary
0:38 Church Street
3:14 Spring Street
4:58 Market Street
8:04 West Street
11:58 Cattle Market
12:22 High Street
15:37 Horse Fair