News

'Charlbury & St. John's' - A talk by Professor William Whyte. October 1st 7pm

The relationship between the Charlbury and St. John's College, Oxford, dates back to the age of Elizabeth 1. This talk will explore the fascinating history of links between town and college over 450 years.

William Whyte is a Professor of Social and Architectural History at the University of Oxford, Vice-President of St. John's College. In August 2026 he was appointed general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Charlbury Museum is delighted to be co-hosting this special event with St. Mary's Church. We look forward to welcoming you. Enjoy drinks & canapes before the talk.

Online bookings: parishoffice@charlburychurch.uk . Cash bookings at Museum at Street Fair, Sept. 19th. Tickets can be purchased on the door, October 1st. See poster for details.

Sue Rangeley · Mon 14 Sep, 13:42 · Link

A Warm Welcome to the New School Year - Charlbury Primary School

It is a great pleasure, on behalf of the Governing Body, to welcome all our pupils, families and staff back to Charlbury Primary School for the new academic year.

September is always a special time in a school. It brings a sense of fresh beginnings, new opportunities and renewed enthusiasm. For some children, it marks the start of an exciting new chapter as they join the school for the first time; for others, it is a chance to return to familiar surroundings, reconnect with friends and teachers, and take the next steps in their learning and development.

I would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to our new families. We hope that you will quickly feel part of our school community and discover the many strengths that make Charlbury Primary such a special place to learn and grow.

As Governors, we are proud to support the school and its dedicated staff as they provide our children with a rich and rewarding education. We know that successful schools are built on strong relationships between children, staff, parents, governors and the wider community. The partnership between home and school is especially important, and we are grateful for the continued support, encouragement and involvement of our families.

The year ahead will bring its own opportunities and challenges, and we look forward to working with our Headteacher, staff and school community to ensure that every child is supported to achieve their best. Just as importantly, we want every child to feel happy, valued, confident and proud to be part of Charlbury Primary.

A new school year is also a good opportunity to reflect on our shared values. Kindness, respect, curiosity, resilience and a willingness to learn are qualities that help children not only during their time at primary school, but throughout their lives. We hope to see these qualities continue to flourish across our school community.

On behalf of the Governing Body, thank you to all our staff for the care, commitment and energy they bring to their work each day. We would also like to thank parents and carers for the support you give your children and the school.

We wish every member of the Charlbury Primary community a happy, successful and fulfilling new school year. We look forward to all that the year ahead will bring and to celebrating the many achievements of our children along the way.

With very best wishes for the new term,

Kim Harrison

Chair of Governors

Charlbury Primary School

Kim Harrison · Mon 14 Sep, 10:16 · 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.

• 55 Ticknell Piece Road Charlbury
  Certificate of Lawfulness (formation of habitable room in roofspace with front and rear rooflights)
  WODC reference: 26/02074/CLP · Received - -

Mon 14 Sep, 06:15 · Link

A Weekend of Art, Music and Poetry

Charlbury Arts invite you to a weekend of Art, Music and Poetry on 17th and 18th October

Charlbury Arts Autumn Exhibition will show a colourful collection of paintings and prints in the Memorial Hall on Saturday and Sunday with a special display of artist's books.

On Saturday evening we have Sounds: Sweet and Savoury, an evening of poetry and music at The Old Farmhouse.

On Sunday evening we will take you on an 18th Century Musical Journey with a flute and harpsichord recital in the Memorial Hall.

See Events for all the details

Tickets are on sale now in Charlbury Deli and Cafe.

Tony Lloyd · Sat 12 Sep, 10:17 · Link

Charlbury Beer Festival 2026 Grants Window Open

Following a successful festival, we are pleased to announce that our grants application process for 2026 is now open. The application window runs until 31st October, with decisions made in November. We welcome applications from local organisations and initiatives that align with our funding goals. For more details and to apply, please visit our dedicated grants website at grants.charlburybeerfestival.org

Gill Begnor · Sat 12 Sep, 09:16 · Link

Send in your questions for Poets’ Question Time!

Broadcaster and Gardeners’ Question Time presenter Kathy Clugston is returning to Charlbury in October, to swap the thyme for rhyme, as The Four Wordsmen of the Apostrophe attempt to answer your questions about life with their poems and wordplay in a new show: Poets’ Question Time. Email your questions for the panel – philosophical, pragmatic or preposterous – to robstepney@outlook.com by Friday 25 September. Please note we may not be able to answer everyone on the night! See the Events section for full details.

Four Wordsmen have also launched their brand new website which you can visit here

Edward Fenton · Thu 10 Sep, 13:28 · Link

Would you like to join Charlbury Town Council?

We currently have a vacancy for a Town Councillor following the resignation of Tom Greenwood, and we are inviting expressions of interest from anyone who would like to be considered for co-option.

Being a councillor is a great opportunity to get involved in your community, have a say in local issues and help shape the work of the Town Council.

If you are interested, or would simply like to find out a little more about what being a councillor involves, please contact Lisa Wilkinson, Town Clerk, at clerk@charlbury-tc.gov.uk.

If we receive expressions of interest, co-option will take place at the next Town Council meeting on Wednesday 23 September 2026.

The formal Notice of Vacancy is attached.

• notice_of_vacancy_tom_greenwood_topublish_1_.pdf

Lisa Wilkinson · Thu 10 Sep, 13:06 · Link

Road closure application

Charlbury Branch Royal British Legion

The Branch has made a road closure application for Sunday 8 November 2026 affecting Browns Lane and Church Street Charlbury between 2.15 and 4.15pm to facilitate the Remembrance Day Parade and Service.

Jane parsons · Thu 10 Sep, 12:15 · Link

Jenny's Kickstarter

Hello everyone! Many of you will know me as the person who runs Songbirds in Charlbury and runs the children's choir with the other Jennie and Monday night choir (amongst other things!). I am now posting with a slightly different hat on, because I am excited to share that I have just launched an important Kickstarter campaign!

With your help, I want to compose, record, and launch a series of five original choral works that raise awareness of climate change and inspire a deeper connection with nature.

To bring this project to life, I need to cover the costs of professional music editors, recording studios, singers, pianists, sound engineers, printing, and promotion. These talented people are essential to transforming my ideas into music that can be performed, recorded, and shared with audiences.

Can you help me achieve my goal?

I would like to invite you to make a pledge towards my Kickstarter campaign.

With your support, I can use the music I am writing as a powerful vehicle to help inspire meaningful action for our planet.

You can pledge any amount - even a couple of pounds makes a difference!  Sharing the campaign with people you think might be interested also helps.  There are also some exciting rewards available for project backers.

Head over to my Kickstarter campaign page to make a pledge and become part of this journey with me.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/807496499/music-to-inspire-a-deeper-connection-with-nature?ref=user_menu

Jenny Larsen · Tue 8 Sep, 20:13 · Link

ADRIAN LANCINI: AS YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD HIM BEFORE

We all know about the entertainment side of Adrian's life but this Wednesday night (see Events) we will learn about the other side of his professional life.  Not to be missed.

Tony Lloyd · Mon 7 Sep, 19:24 · Link