News
Lateral Flow Test Kits at Charlbury Library & Community Centre
From today, all of Oxfordshire’s Libraries are able to give out Lateral Flow Test Kits to anyone wanting a pack. Each pack contains 7 test kits and we are aiming to give no more than 2 packs (of 7 kits) per household at a time. All the instructions are inside the packs and they are free of charge.
As the Community Centre is open to the public far more hours than Charlbury Library at the moment, the Community Centre is also offering the Test Kits. Please see any volunteer/staff member to request your kit(s) so that we can note how many are being taken. We do not need to take any names or personal information.
Julie Ward ·
Mon 2 Aug, 12:44 · Link
Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council
The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.
- Bell Cottage 2 Church Street Charlbury
Internal alterations to include changes to floor layouts to create a downstairs WC (along with the insertion of an extraction fan to side elevation) and to enlarge the existing family bathroom along with alterations to existing chimney breast in kitchen.
WODC reference: 21/02616/LBC - Thu 29 Jul 2021 - Under consideration
- 23 Ticknell Piece Road Charlbury
Erection of single storey garden room with attached shed
WODC reference: 21/01946/HHD - Fri 09 Jul 2021 - Under consideration
Mon 2 Aug, 06:15 · Link
The History of Charlbury through ...an old painting
Barbara Allison for Charlbury Museum
We have used this old painting to illustrate several of our weekly posts. This small watercolour hangs above the entrance to our gloving exhibition room. Dated about 1800 to 1805, it is a painting of Charlbury, made 200 or so years ago, and so may well show what the town looked like then.
But there are several unanswered questions. Firstly who painted it and why? Apparently, it was common in the early 19th century for jobbing artists to travel around the country painting local scenes and selling them to whoever would buy. There is a very similar painting of Witney High Street, said to be by S Jones and painted in 1828. It even has a man with wheelbarrow in it! A number of similar paintings of Chipping Norton High Street also survive, but without wheelbarrows.
Secondly when was it painted? The museum has recently acquired a postcard of this painting from the late Margaret King. Caroline Pumphrey wrote on the back of the card on behalf of herself and John Marshall Albright (JMA): “Church St, Charlbury, 100 years ago & as JMA first remembers it. With all good wishes for Christmas 1908”. Both then signed the card. John Albright’s signature is clear but shaky –not very surprising as he was 92 years old then, and died the following year.
So was it painted in 1808? Clearly JMA recognised it as a good picture of the town in his childhood. But he was born in 1816, and so it is far more likely that the painting tied in with his memories in the 1820s when he was a child. It doesn’t get us much further with an accurate date, but it ties in with the date of the painting in Witney
Thirdly, is it an accurate picture of the town all those years ago? A contemporary opinion, like that of JMA, is invaluable. Another bit of contemporary evidence comes from the 1761 map of the town. On the map, half way down Church Street, in the middle of the street, is a small building. The painting also shows a small building, some way down Church Street on the right hand side. Zooming in on the picture shows it is a market shelter very like the one at the top of the Street. But this building does not appear on later maps. More on this painting in a future posting
1 A copy is in the Oxfordshire History Centre
2 Caroline Pumphrey was a Quaker who lived in Charlbury during the 19th century. She wrote her Reminiscences - ‘Charlbury of our Childhood’. JMA was her uncle.
Judy Dod ·
Fri 30 Jul, 21:28 · Link
Temporary Emergency Road Closure at Fishers Lane
Oxfordshire County Council has been informed of a temporary emergency road closure on Fishers Lane whilst a leaking water main investigation is carried out for public safety reasons.
More Info
Gary Harrison ·
Fri 30 Jul, 17:46 · Link
Town traffic survey
Roll up for the town traffic survey!
Traffic crops up far more than any other topic in requests and complaints to the Council. To address issues such as speeding, dangerous junctions, lack of amenity in the town centre, and parking and commuter traffic, the Council needs to have a clear picture of traffic movements within and through the town, including vehicles parking to access shops. To do this, we’re conducting a traffic survey and we're asking for volunteers to help us!
How can I help?
We can use the last three digits of number plates to tag cars and track their movements across the town. You’ll stand at the roadside and make a note of numbers and directions. Then we’ll use a program to input and assess the data.
When is it?
We’re doing two surveys (term time and not): Tuesday 31 August and Tuesday 14 September, probably 07:00–09:00; 12:00–14:00; and 16:30–18:30.
Where would I be standing?
At any of six locations:
• Five Ways
• Enstone Crossroads
• Nine Acres/Thames St corner
• Station roundabout
• Spendlove entrance
• Browns Lane/Church St junction
So if you can spare a couple of hours on either day – or if you can manage all of the slots on both days – message us via the site, or text or call James on 07792 375423.
Thanks!
Organisers: Tony Merry and James Styring (Town Councillors), and Richard Fairhurst
James Styring ·
Thu 29 Jul, 13:10 · Link
Cornerstone – children’s books
Apart from being a community hub for sharing surplus foods, the Cornerstone also sells books, games and puzzles at 50p each – do come down for a browse!
We would now really like to expand on the children’s books section – our vision is to have several big book cases full of books for children and young people (0-18) and for people to be able to easily and cheaply pick up a fresh supply, whilst perhaps dropping off those no longer needed.
Do you have children’s books you no longer need and could donate to us? We would much appreciate your help. The Cornerstone is open 10am to 1pm, Monday to Saturday.
Helene
cornerstone@charlburychurch.uk
Cornerstone ·
Thu 29 Jul, 10:34 · Link
Football and Sports Club to re-open
Good news! The Football and Sports Club will open again on Friday 30th July at 4pm.
We look forward to welcoming back all our members and their families. We are conscious of the need to stay Covid safe so please sanitize hands on entry, sign in or use the Q app and wear a mask when ordering at the bar or walking about.
We would like to remind everyone that, as we are a club and not a pub, you should be a paid-up member if you wish to use the clubhouse regularly. Members can of course sign in visitors in the usual way.
Phil Morgan ·
Wed 28 Jul, 11:35 · Link
West Oxfordshire Leisure Facility Strategy
West Oxfordshire District Council is currently in the process of developing an Indoor Sports Built Facility Strategy. One of the stages in this process is gaining an understanding of the community and place. As part of this stage we are currently undertaking a district wide residents survey, which aims to identify barriers to accessing opportunities, determine who is accessing services and also establishing potential leisure facility improvements.
Please complete the Survey here: https://tinyurl.com/WODCleisuresurvey
Gary Harrison ·
Mon 26 Jul, 11:18 · Link
Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council
The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.
- Churchill House Wychwood Close Charlbury
Loft conversion to create additional living space to include insertion of dormer windows and rooflights.
WODC reference: 21/02540/HHD - Wed 21 Jul 2021 - Under consideration
Mon 26 Jul, 06:15 · Link
The Codfather, Sunday 25th July
An update from The Codfather team that they won't be on site tomorrow, Sunday 25th, so get down tonight for your weekend fish & chips.
Jim Holah ·
Sat 24 Jul, 16:38 · Link
