Plans for our community archive to go public
Steeple Aston's village archive is developing proposals to enlarge its base in the Village Hall. At a meeting in early May 2012 the Parish Council (leaseholders of the Hall) agreed to support SAVA's plans, in principle. The next step is to apply for planning permission and, of course, to seek funds for the development.
SAVA's aim is to replace the environmentally-unsuitable and cramped area in a small lean-to structure (see photo on the left) it has occupied since 2001 with a purpose-built extension to the Village Hall, which would complement the existing single-storey committee room extension built some years ago. The new facility will greatly enhance SAVA's ability to involve the local community by providing space for project work, as well as improved storage for the contents of the archive. For more details click here.
SAVA's aim is to replace the environmentally-unsuitable and cramped area in a small lean-to structure (see photo on the left) it has occupied since 2001 with a purpose-built extension to the Village Hall, which would complement the existing single-storey committee room extension built some years ago. The new facility will greatly enhance SAVA's ability to involve the local community by providing space for project work, as well as improved storage for the contents of the archive. For more details click here.
The gardens of Steeple Aston
SAVA's theme for 2012 is "The gardens of Steeple Aston". We want to explore how our gardens have changed in their function and appearance over time, drawing on the history of gardening evident in many archived documents. Our local geology and other environmental factors have influenced what grows successfully and what does not, and we also aim to show changing fashions in approaches to gardening in the village. Our exhibition on this theme will be on the weekend of November 10th and 11th 2012 in the Village Hall.
SAVA will be contacting many residents over the next few months to ask for assistance with collecting information, photographs, plans, anecdotes and other material for the exhibition. Your help would be much appreciated.
SAVA will be contacting many residents over the next few months to ask for assistance with collecting information, photographs, plans, anecdotes and other material for the exhibition. Your help would be much appreciated.
A bell is born
On Thursday, 26th January 2012 Steeple Aston’s Jubilee bell was cast at Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, and a group of bellringers went to witness this notable event. The art of bell founding has changed little over the centuries. In all parts of the world the alloy is, and always has been, the same. It is the shape of the bell which determines the preferred sound. Before it was possible to transport such a heavy load, the founders went to the site, dug a pit for the mould, cast the bell and often built the tower around it so that all they needed to do was heave the bell aloft.
Of Steeple Aston’s eight bells, the 3rd and 4th are the oldest, having been cast in 1674. The date of the 3rd is actually an estimate as the inscriptions on it have been chipped off, so it probably started its career elsewhere. Close on their heels comes the 7th cast in 1675. The 5th bell dates from 1700 and the little Sanctus bell (tolled for services) 1701. Then there’s a gap of over 125 years until the 6th which was cast in 1827, and the 8th (tenor) in 1879, weighing in at just over 11cwt. This latter bell, completing a ring of 6 is the one which was poorly made, perhaps with too much tin in the alloy, it is too thin and basically not as heavy as it should be for our base bell. It rings with little resonance and in 2011 the bellringers decided it should be replaced to mark the Queen’s Jubilee year.
The task of raising the many thousands of pounds did not daunt the ringers as they had raised more, over £20,000, in the 1980s. This is when the oak frame needed replacing as it had rotted away from the tower wall in one corner and diagonally opposite it was as hard as steel, sparks flew when the chain saw was applied to it. In 1986 the 1st (treble) and 2nd bells were cast at Whitechapel. When watching our new tenor being cast on 26th January 2012 it was a “winding the clocks back 26 years scenario” for some. The birth of our Steeple Aston Jubilee bell is likely to be the start of a very long life.
For more on the casting, arrival and hanging of the Jubilee bell look at the Steeple Aston website: www.steepleaston.org.uk
Of Steeple Aston’s eight bells, the 3rd and 4th are the oldest, having been cast in 1674. The date of the 3rd is actually an estimate as the inscriptions on it have been chipped off, so it probably started its career elsewhere. Close on their heels comes the 7th cast in 1675. The 5th bell dates from 1700 and the little Sanctus bell (tolled for services) 1701. Then there’s a gap of over 125 years until the 6th which was cast in 1827, and the 8th (tenor) in 1879, weighing in at just over 11cwt. This latter bell, completing a ring of 6 is the one which was poorly made, perhaps with too much tin in the alloy, it is too thin and basically not as heavy as it should be for our base bell. It rings with little resonance and in 2011 the bellringers decided it should be replaced to mark the Queen’s Jubilee year.
The task of raising the many thousands of pounds did not daunt the ringers as they had raised more, over £20,000, in the 1980s. This is when the oak frame needed replacing as it had rotted away from the tower wall in one corner and diagonally opposite it was as hard as steel, sparks flew when the chain saw was applied to it. In 1986 the 1st (treble) and 2nd bells were cast at Whitechapel. When watching our new tenor being cast on 26th January 2012 it was a “winding the clocks back 26 years scenario” for some. The birth of our Steeple Aston Jubilee bell is likely to be the start of a very long life.
For more on the casting, arrival and hanging of the Jubilee bell look at the Steeple Aston website: www.steepleaston.org.uk
New booklet and CD on the development of the villages
A full listing of every building in Steeple and Middle Aston has been compiled, with photographs and notes, and dates of origin. Shortly to be published on CD, the Gazetteer accompanies a new publication in booklet form of SAVA's exhibition of 2010 entitled "The Development of Steeple and Middle Aston". The booklet tells the story of houses in the villages from the earliest known to the latest developments, explaining the architectural styles and construction techniques that characterise our homes. The booklet covers C20th estates and individual private houses as well as the more historic ones, the earliest of which dates to the C15th.
Available together or separately: OUT NOW! to place your order click here. |
House detectives in Steeple Aston
Observant villagers may have noticed over the last few months a few possibly familiar-looking people entering houses in the village and coming out an hour later excitedly talking about loose tenons, parapets and chamfered beams. SAVA has been fortunate in having Paul Clark, a historic buildings expert from the Oxfordshire Buildings Record, join a small group that has been researching house history in Steeple Aston.
So far, we have inspected and produced short reports on about ten houses, kindly made available for an hour or two by owners keen to understand more about their homes.
Things are not always what they seem: some houses show clear evidence that their origins go back perhaps 100 years prior to the date their owners had assumed. For example, it was common in the C18th for houses to be refronted in order to match current fashions for symmetry, larger windows and often additional bedrooms. Concealed behind the Georgian front elevation though can be a C17th dwelling with construction timber jointed and arranged in a way that had died out 100 years later. Several houses we have seen in the village were originally thatched and had steeper pitches than they now have, but close inspection reveals the story. It can sometimes be linked to changes of ownership in the written records associated with the dwelling.
If you would like us to arrange a visit, please contact SAVA (see the "Contact Us" tab)
So far, we have inspected and produced short reports on about ten houses, kindly made available for an hour or two by owners keen to understand more about their homes.
Things are not always what they seem: some houses show clear evidence that their origins go back perhaps 100 years prior to the date their owners had assumed. For example, it was common in the C18th for houses to be refronted in order to match current fashions for symmetry, larger windows and often additional bedrooms. Concealed behind the Georgian front elevation though can be a C17th dwelling with construction timber jointed and arranged in a way that had died out 100 years later. Several houses we have seen in the village were originally thatched and had steeper pitches than they now have, but close inspection reveals the story. It can sometimes be linked to changes of ownership in the written records associated with the dwelling.
If you would like us to arrange a visit, please contact SAVA (see the "Contact Us" tab)
