1852 Directory
History, Gazetteer & Directory of Oxfordshire, 1852
The following text is the Souldern entry in the Directory of Oxfordshire, 1852, pages 780–781.
The original PDF scan and text are available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License from The University of Leicester Special Collections Online site.
The text below has been corrected for character recognition errors and and marked up in HTML for this site, based on the plain text version obtained from the above archive.
SOULDERN PARISH.
The area of Souldern parish is 2,270 acres; its population in 1831 was 599 ; and in 1841, 604 souls. The rateable value is £3,023.; and the amount of assessed property £2,877. The principal landowners are R. S. Cox, Esq.; the trustees under the will of the late Richard Gough, Esq.; and Henry Westcow, Esq. The Cherwell flows through the parish, and there are quarries of plank stone in this and the adjoining parish.
The Village of Souldern is pleasantly situated on the south side of Aynho park, about 3½ miles E. by S. from Deddington.
The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a curious old structure, and consists of nave, south aisle, chancel, and west tower containing four bells. In the chancel is a slab to the memory of the Rev. Jeffrey Shaw, who died suddenly whilst reading the second lesson of the service, on the 17th of November, 1776; it is said, he was previously forewarned by a deceased college friend, that his end was near. The tower is early Norman, having walls of considerable thickness, but inclines from the perpendicular. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £8. 14s. 2d.; gross income, £480. It is in the patronage of St. John's college, Cambridge; and incumbency of the Rev. Lawrence Stephenson, D.D., late fellow of that college, and lecturer on algebra. The tithes were commuted in 1839 for a rent charge of £418. 3s., and there are 122 acres of land in Fritwell, also in lieu of tithes belonging to this living.
The Rectory House at the side of the church, is a very interesting specimen of the parsonage houses of the English clergy of days gone by.
The School is endowed with £7. per annum out of Mrs. Westcar's charity. The school house, a neat building, was erected in 1816, at the expense of William and James Mynn, Esquires. In addition, Mr. James Mynn has recently given a piece of land and two cottages adjoining the school, for residences for the teachers.
Charities. The poor's allotment yields an annual rental of about £5. Thomas Dodwell gave in 1794, a yearly rent charge of 30s. for clothing two poor persons. He also left four 3d. loaves per week, to be given to four widows. The sum of £2. 3s. 4d. is received every year for the poor, from the proprietor of the Aynho estate. This is part of a rent charge mentioned in the marriage settlement of W. R. Cartwright, Esq., dated 8th of April, 1784. Elizabeth Westcar, of Hill house, in this parish, by will dated June, 1820, left to the poor certain legacies, which were laid out in the purchase of stock, since converted into £544. 8s. 6d., four per cents.
Stephenson Rev. Dr. Lawrence
Crook Mr. Henry
Gough the Misses Emma, Sarah, and Louisa
Hill Mrs. Elizabeth
Hughes Mr. Seth
Kilby Mr. Spencer
Southam Mr. ThomasFarmers.
East William
Hurlston John and JamesJones Thomas
Lewis William
Mayo Joseph
Rodnight EdwardMiscellany.
Bates Thomas carrier
Bates William, carpenter
Bignal Elizabeth, stationer
Blizzard John, shoemaker
Bliss William, miller
Boddington Ann, sub-pstmrs.
Boddington J., nurserymanBonner John wharfinger
Clifford John confectioner
Cottrell John, carpenter
Fathers George, mason
Fathers William, mason
Gibbard George, vict., Fox
Merry Thos., miller & baker
Neale Samuel, vict., Crown
Parker Michael, farrier
Plumb John, blacksmith
Scott Henry, wheelwright
Tanner Thomas, shopkeeper
Wormington G., drill makerLetters are received through the Brackley Post Office.