Скачать или смотреть FINSTOCK: West Oxfordshire Parish #2 of 83

FINSTOCK – Place of the Woodpecker

Today on TVI we’re in Finstock, located just south of Charlbury and framed by the gentle curves of the River Evenlode and the ancient line of Akeman Street. Its a thriving village of around 800 residents, with roots that stretch deep into the past

The name Finstock itself is a delight for lovers of place‑name lore. It derives from Old English and means “the place of the woodpecker”. That lovely bird based image still suits the wooded edges of the modern parish today.

The earliest written form, Fynstoke, first appears in 1135, but the settlement is almost certainly older, with archaeological finds showing there was a human presence long before the Norman period. Finstock especially intriguing actually

A remarkable Palaeolithic biface—a type of hand tool potentially more than 200,000 years old—was discovered here in 1983. Though found in isolation, its one of the more unusual prehistoric finds ever discovered in Oxfordshire.

The Romans also left their mark. Scattered Roman coins and Romano‑British pottery have been unearthed here but most extraordinary of all is a unique gold coin of the Emperor Vespasian, struck in Judaea in AD 70 and found at Finstock in around 1850.

After the Romans withdrew, the Anglo‑Saxons and the Vikings shaped the wider region, but Finstock’s specific early medieval story is less documented. Its position does suggest though, it would have been a small agricultural clearing
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Throughout the medieval period, Finstock’s economy revolved around arable and sheep farming. Many villagers were involved in the wool trade, with men and boys carding wool and women spinning. It was an industry that connected Finstock to the booming Cotswold wool economy.

In the early 16th century, the manor of Charlbury, which included Finstock, was held by Sir Thomas White, the London tailor who founded St John’s College, Oxford. The college retained ownership for centuries, leasing land to prominent families such as the Lees of Ditchley Park

One of the village’s architectural jewels now, is Finstock Manor House, a Grade II* listed building dating from 1660. Another is Holy Trinity Church close by, which was built in 1841 and features an ornate chancel added in 1905

Finstock has also welcomed its share of notable figures. The poet T. S. Eliot was baptised here in 1927, and you can also find the grave of novelist Barbara Pym here too, who lived in the village after her retirement. Lets see if we can find her!

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#Finstock, #Fawler, #WestOxfordshire, #Oxfordshire, #Railways, #Stations, #Churches, #BarbaraPym, #Cotswolds, #Schools, #Pubs, #Manors,

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Some of the following music tracks may appear in this video:
Brendan Perkins - “Foxsnow” (B. Perkins)
   • Foxsnow  
Brendan Perkins - “Mickey's House” (B. Perkins)
   • Mickey's House  
The Keyhouse - "Voices" (H. Flunder)
   • Voices  
The Keyhouse - "Circles" (H. Flunder)
   • The Keyhouse - Circles (official audio)  
Helen Flunder - "Sun" (H. Flunder)
   • Helen Flunder - 'Sun' (Official Audio)  
Helen Flunder - “Angels” (H. Flunder)
   • Helen Flunder - Angels (Official Audio)  
Helen Flunder - “C Song” (H. Flunder)
   • Caistor and the Lincolnshire Wolds  

Ending Song made by Suno AI

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