Cropredy on the River Cherwell, has its roots in Anglo-Saxon times and its name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "croppe" - meaning hill and "ridig" - small stream. The village and its manor were mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) and before the Reformation it was part of the estate held by the Bishop of Lincoln. In 1524 Brasenose College, Oxford, owned a manor and four other farms in the village. The Public House in the centre bears the name "Brasenose Arms". The Church of St. Mary the Virgin dominates and dates from the 13th Century with additions in the 14th and 15th centuries. There is however evidence of an earlier Church on the same site. The South Chapel is dedicated to St. Fremund who according to legend was the son of Offa of Mercia.

Originally the village was mainly a farming community. Following the enclosures act in 1775 separate farm units replaced the Open Field System and farmers built new houses outside the village. Their empty farmhouses were converted into cottages for local trades people. Red Lion Street contains some of the earliest remaining houses built originally of timber and thatch, with stone walls added later. In this street lived tailors, saddlers, coal merchants, masons, carpenters and cordwainers (shoemakers).

 

The picturesque Oxford Canal and the River Cherwell run in parallel on the south east border of the village, and the (former) Great Western Railway runs on the north western aspect. There was a passenger station with a goods siding many years ago in the age of steam. Farmers would collect their fertilisers and other merchandise from here and the one time Cropredy Mill was also a customer. In the 1930's the return fare to Banbury was sixpence! The station was closed in 1956. The Canal opened in 1790 and there is evidence of a former coal wharf, corn granary and brickworks, all of which used barges to transport their goods. The Toll Office still stands by the narrow section of the canal where an oak beam was lowered until the tonnage had been established and the tolls paid. There were stables behind the Red Lion public house where the barge horses were fed, watered and rested overnight. The village Post Office used to be a Methodist Chapel, which was replaced in 1881 by the adjacent Chapel and Schoolroom. The remains of the mediaeval cross can be seen near to the Village Green - this is now very much weathered and is known locally as the "Cup and Saucer" which it resembles.

Cropredy is rare among villages in that it still retains its Curfew. The following extract from 'The Town of Cropredy 1570-1640' by Pamela Keegan explains why the custom has continued. Time keeping was difficult when no-one had clocks. At first they relied on the scratch dial which was hopeless on cloudy days. When Roger Lupton was the priest (1487-1528) he lost his way returning from Chacombe in a fog and only the sound of the Cropredy Bell tolling helped him to reach home safely. In gratitude he made an Indenture on the 26th of August 1512 in which he placed £6-13s-4d in the care of the Cropredy and Bourton Churchwardens to be invested in land which was to pay one person to daily wind up the faceless clock. He was also to ring the bell daily both in winter and summer at four in the morning the "grettest or myddell bell by the space of a quarter of an houre and toll daily the Aves bell at six in the morning, at twelve noon and at four in the afternoon, and to toll in winter at seven in the night three tolls and immediately after the tolling to ring the curfew between eight and nine at night". Failure to get this seen to would mean the Churchwardens had to forfeit 6s-8d to the vicar every month the curfew was left unrung.  Nowadays we ring the curfew by tolling the Tenor Bell (the biggest) for five minutes after the clock has struck eight on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. We are sure that everyone, including the bellringers, is grateful that we don't have to do as much ringing as in the early 1500s, especially that 4.00am bell which was rung for fifteen minutes!

Cropredy is perhaps most well known for two outstanding events - one Ancient and one Modern. During the Civil War, on the 29th June 1644 the riverside site was the venue for what became known as 'The Battle of Cropredy Bridge'. Here the Royalists under King Charles put the Roundhead army, led by General Waller, to flight although general opinion has always held that the 'result' proved indecisive. In recent times there have been two re-enactments staged by the Sealed Knot Society and the residents - both highly successful events. The Battlefields Trust have recently provided and installed an 'interpretation panel' of high quality describing and showing the general features of the Battle. It may be found on the grass verge adjacent to the footpath by the river bridge, (see below).

In 1976 Fairport Convention were invited to play at the village fete which was being held that year at Prescote Manor, the home of the late Richard Crossman MP and Mrs Anne Crossman, a short distance from Cropredy Lock. 700 people attended and the Cropredy Music Festival as it has come to be known was born. Today some 20,000 plus rock fans flock annually in early August for the three day event, now held on a large site close to the Sports Field. The village naturally benefits financially and residents go out of their way to welcome those attending, whether camping and staying over or just present for the day. Many organisations provide al fresco breakfasts and the Scouts do a marvellous job preparing for and cleaning up after. Since 2005 the Festival has been under new management and renamed 'Fairport Cropredy Convention'.

Ancient Boundary Stone, Williamscote Road. This stone was found in October 2001 when the ditch which drains surface water into the River Cherwell, was being dug out to a much greater depth than normal. The excavator caught the top of a piece of very solid stone, and fortunately a local historian, Brian Cannon, noticed this and was confident enough to declare that it was of some importance. It was decided that the matter should be further investigated, and after more digging it was discovered to be similar to some other boundary stones found locally over the passage of time. When its position was carefully checked it was then deemed to be consistent with the old village boundary, prior to the time of the course of the river being altered to assist in feeding several mills downstream. As this was thought to be of some historical importance, the Parish Council decided to have it fully excavated and positioned as near as possible to the original site but at the present ground level and make it part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Commemoration. Its present position is within six feet sideways and five feet vertically, as far as it is possible to ascertain, of the original site in the twelfth or thirteenth Century. A new plaque attached to the stone briefly describes the history.

In August 2003 the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire (Hugo Brunner) unveiled the new and splendid pictorial Village Sign to commemorate the Millennium and the Golden Jubilee of her Majesty the Queen. The oval sign depicts a time theme of Cropredy through the ages with the Church at the top - the original being built in 1050. Behind this there is a hill - the "croppe" referred to earlier. In the centre are the crossed swords marking the Battle in 1644 and surmounted by a helmet of a Parliamentarian soldier. At the bottom is a narrowboat coming under the bridge near Cropredy Lock. Down the left of the sign is Cup and Saucer, and a plough in a field of corn - whilst on the right are two swans swimming on the Cherwell and finally a fiddle and bow are representing the Fairport Convention Musical Festival. The whole was designed by Iris Wickett under the co-ordination of David Cherry and is a fitting memento to the two great events, which reflect the patriotic and community spirit for which Cropredy is so well known.

Most people will have heard of Beechams Pills - what is probably unaware to many is that they were originally invented by a shepherd who worked at Cropredy Lawn Farm. Today this is an esteemed racehorse stabling and training centre.

On Sunday 26 June 2005 a ceremony took place on the River Cherwell bridge at which chosen children from Cropredy School unveiled a plaque depicting the history of The Battle of Cropredy Bridge. This is in the form of an interpretation panel fabricated and provided by the Battlefields Trust Society. Members of the Sealed Knot Society were in attendance and a guided tour of the battlefield followed. It is hoped that this will provide visitors with a permanent and interesting viewpoint into the historical details of the skirmish of 29 June 1644.

In 2005 Cropredy received the Marlboro Trophy for the Best Kept Village in Oxfordshire. See: Photos

Also worth a look - Cropredy Bridge, 1644. The Campaign & the Battle by Margaret Toynbee & Peter Young. Published by Kineton: The Roundwood Press 1970.

Those in the know have long been aware of the County Council's enormous photographic collection (400,000 plus images). There is now a new Heritage Search web site which makes for very interesting browsing - here can be found 44 black and white photographs of the village, the earliest dating from 1900. For full details go to: Heritage Search.

Also recommended: Walk Awhile by Nigel Schofield (A wander through the streets of Cropredy). This may be obtained from the Green Scene.

Memories of Cropredy by Ray Cherry. (A few recollections of a changing village landscape and memories of people who have lived and worked in Cropredy during Councillor Cherry's lifetime and before). Cost £8.00 or by post £10.00. Orders by telephone to 01295 750647 or email: raytcherry@aol.com. (All profits to M.S.Society). Ray has now written a second book "The life of a family of Country Builders and Funeral Directors" and it is on sale for £8.00 at The Green Scene, The Bridge Stores or ring 01295 750647. (Again all Profits to M.S. research). Both books are now available on CD from 01295 750647.