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Clifton
Clifton maps
Historic maps of Clifton and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Clifton maps
Clifton photos
We have no photos of Clifton, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Deddington| Aynho| Souldern| Adderbury| Barford St John| Barford St Michael| Steeple Aston| Lower Heyford| Bloxham| Great Tew| Broughton| Banbury| Brackley| Bicester
Clifton area books
Displaying 1 of 7 books about Clifton and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Clifton
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Oxfordshire memories
Eerie Sighting
I have no connection with Deddington, it was just a place I passed through while driving from Swindon where I used to live to Towcester where I worked and have since relocated to. I remember it was early morning dark and foggy, I was driving from the direction of Chipping Norton towards the traffic lights at the crossroads which I think is called the Horse Fair or something like that. Somewhere between the fish and chip shop and the lights I looked to the right and saw what I can only describe as a large very old Tudor house, the kind that has light coloured walls and old wooden beams. I remember thinking how lovely it looked but so out of place. This memory is to this day very clear in my mind. I must have driven this route many, many times since then and although I know this house is not there I still cannot pass this spot without looking for this old house, all I see is fairly... Read more
Visiting Grandad & Uncles at Noth Aston
My Father's name was Cato and he was born at North Aston. He was one of a family of eleven and although they were poor they seemed to have a very happy childhood. It was a yearly event for me when I was a child to go and visit my Grandad and Uncles who still lived in the village. There was a big old tree on the green and it could be climbed from the inside. Dad said it was like that when he was a child and my children also climbed the tree. Sadly I don't think it is there any longer. My children like to go to the church and see where one of my Uncles carved his initials behind the organ(very naughty). Some of my cousins have considered meeting on the green and having a pic-nic but I expect the locals would have a fit because most of the families Dad knew no longer live there.
Evacuee
Aged 9, evacuated to Souldern, on leaving the train I was taken to the village hall where we were all told to sit down and await to be collected, over a period of time I was selected and taken to the Hermitage, the lady of the house being Mrs Slessor. To my young mind it was like going into a palace, being waited on and even a cook and gardener, the happiest time of my life. I also remember the post office, the Fox Inn, the well at the top of the village and the women getting the water from it and going back to the cottages. My one sister lived at the post office and my other two sisters were living in the cottage, I believe the lady's name was Mrs Westbury. The lady at the post office was I believe was Mrs Bates who had a daughter.
School Days
I lived in Souldern and remember Callows shop very well. I remember Jack and Sam (who sadly was fataly injured on a tractor). I went to school with Jack's son, John, to Steeple Aston School with heyfordian coaches but most of all I remember Nancy Bowls. Used to look forward to riding in the cart up to Nancy's Wood pulled by the donkey. I even remember Nancy's mother; when she was too weary to travel, she stayed up at the wood over night, which was well equiped with cooking facilities. I think she only had one cow, bless her. We lived in two caravans in a paddock opposite the allotments, which I believe has now been built on. I would love to meet John Callows again, he was my school mate - we used to scrump apples together.
The Lodge Adderbury House
My family lived in The Lodge (house on far right of picture) for about 47 years.
The Lodge is the gatehouse to the mansion called Adderbury House which became a home for elderly after the 2nd World War. The two pubs you can see are The Red Lion (still exists) and The Wheatsheaf which is now a house.
My Short Time Spent Living With A Family
My brother, was in the army and was wounded and sent to a hospital near Banbury, where he met and married a nurse, who was living with her parents in Kings Sutton. I went to live with her parents, and attended the local school. Her father had a farm, and each day he would walk from the farm, with milk in buckets hanging from a yoke on his shoulders, to sell in their tiny shop. I don't think I was allowed in the shop, but I saw the village people bring their jugs for the milk. My bedroom was opposite a pub which was used by service men, I can't recall the name of the pub. The house was very basic, no bathroom just an outside toilet down the end of the garden. The farmer had two spinster sisters, their house seemed to me to be at the end of our garden, that's where they always seemed to appear from.!! We would walk to church for the morning and evening service... Read more
Childhood in Upper Heyford
I lived in Upper Heyford from 1946 until 1965 when I was married in a double ceremony with my twin sister at St Mary's Church. I moved to Bicester. My sister who married an American from the base moved to the U.S.A. a year later.
My family, Walton, lived at 18 High Street, the thatched cottages. Later we moved to 1 Rising Hill. The cottages were nicknamed Bunny Row as everyone kept popping in and out, or so we were told. I remember the old Three Horseshoes with Dennis Chard as landlord. We used to sit in the passageway on a settle with a lemonade and packet of crisps while dad had a drink. When we were older the new Three Horseshoes was where we had our first proper drink. The other pub in the village was The Barley Mow. The Post Office was run by Mrs Reeves and was at the top of High Street on corner with Somerton Road. The Co-op was opposite the pub and later on... Read more
