Brighthampton

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Brighthampton is a hamlet which is contiguous with the village of Standlake, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Witney, in West Oxfordshire, in the county of Oxfordshire, England.

Archaeology

A large pagan burial ground from the 5th and 6th centuries has been found south of Malthouse Farm in Brighthampton.^[1] It was revealed when ploughing disturbed human bones in 1820. Excavation in 1857–58 found 54 burials, 10 cremation burials and a wide range grave goods, which are now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.^[2] Notable artefacts found include an iron sword with a gilt scabbard and an ornate gilt brooch.^[3] Since then set of six burials was found at Malthouse Farm in 1892,^[3] and the burial of a child was found in 1949.^[4]

History

Brighthampton's toponym means Beorhthelm's tūn.^[1] In the 10th century it was part of the royal manor of Bampton, and in 984 Æthelred II gave land at Brighthampton to one of his ministers.^[5] The Domesday Book records that in 1086 William the Conqueror's half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux was Brighthampton's feudal overlord.^[5] However, William I imprisoned Odo from 1082 until 1087 and confiscated his lands. In 1131 Henry I granted land at Brighthampton to Sées Priory in Normandy.^[5] This is likely to have been the same land that William I had confiscated from Odo.^[5] At the same time Henry granted land at Hardwick to the same priory, and these together became a single manor of Hardwick and Brighthampton.^[5] There is a record from early in the 17th century of Brighthampton having a stone cross, and in 1857 it was recorded that there was still the base of an "ancient" stone cross (presumably medieval) at the hamlet's central crossroads.^[1]

In 1931 the civil parish had a population of 33.^[6] On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Standlake.^[7]

Historic buildings

Forge Cottage is a 16th-century timber-framed building supported by a central cruck.^[1] By 1776 it was trading as a public house, the Red Lion.^[1] Another pub in Brighthampton, the Golden Balls, had been licensed by 1753.^[1] It was rebuilt early in the 20th century, ceased trading in 1992 and was demolished in 1994.^[1] The farmhouse of Manor Farm (also called Florey's Farm) is of Cotswold stone and was built early in the 17th century.^[1] It was extended in the middle of the 17th century and again in the 19th century.^[1]

Baptist chapel

A few families of nonconformists were recorded in the parish in the latter part of the 17th century, and in the 18th century several local families were Anabaptists who attended a chapel in Cote.^[8] A Baptist chapel was built between Brighthampton and Standlake in 1832, flourished in the 1840s and 50's and a gallery was added to increase capacity in 1865.^[8] In the 20th century falling attendances led to services being discontinued in 1937, but they were resumed in 1951.^[8] The chapel finally closed in 1978 and in 1994 it was serving as the offices of a missionary society.^[8] It is now a private house.^[9]

References

Sources and further reading

• Atkinson, R.J.C.; Kirk, J.R. (1949). "Archaeological Notes 1949" (PDF). Oxoniensia. XIV. Oxford Architectural and Historical Society: 75. ISSN 0308-5562.
• Baggs, A.P.; Chance, Eleanor; Colvin, Christina; Day, C.J.; Selwyn, Nesta; Townley, Simon C. (1996). "Standlake". In Crossley, Alan; Currie, C.R.J. (eds.). A History of the County of Oxford. Victoria County History. Vol. 13: Bampton Hundred (Part One). pp. 171–180. ISBN 978-0-19722-790-9.
• Ford, Steve; Preston, Steve (2002). "Medieval Occupation at The Orchard, Brighthampton" (PDF). Oxoniensia. LXVII. Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society: 287–312. ISSN 0308-5562.