Chipping Norton is a classic medieval ‘new town’, laid out in the mid 12th century close to a pre-existing rural settlement with a church and Norman castle. In the middle ages it thrived on the back of the international wool trade, and it remained a significant local market centre, widely known from the late 19th century as the home of Bliss’s tweed mill, whose iconic dome and chimney still dominate the local landscape.
Recent years have seen much new interest in the town’s history, buildings and topography, both by professional historians and archaeologists, as well as voluntary organisations and local people. This event reports on some of the new discoveries to have emerged from this work, focusing in particular on:
- the archaeology of Chipping Norton, including the recent identification of a major and nationally important Roman settlement, and new work on the Norman castle site;
- the town’s medieval origins and early development;
- the town’s standing buildings and their recent investigation by the Chipping Norton Buildings Record in partnership with Historic England; and
- the town’s social, economic and religious history from the middle ages to the twentieth century, encompassing medieval church and society, 17th-century conflicts around the acquisition of a town charter, and the impact of 19th-century industrialisation.
This day school marks the publication of a major new study of the town by the Victoria County History (VCH) of Oxfordshire. Several of the speakers have been directly involved in this study, and the day is organised in association with the VCH.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT (UTC) on 13 November 2024.