Chalgrove Local History Group

Formed in 1973 Chalgrove Local History Group has grown over the years from a few members meeting at first at the Community Centre, and later in one of the local pubs, into a flourishing group with a membership of around forty, now having, except in December, meetings at the John Hampden Hall throughout autumn, winter, and spring, and special visits to places of local interest during the summer. For some years now many members and Friends have also enjoyed an annual longer trip to somewhere much further afield.

Our aim is to promote and encourage interest in the local history and archaeology of the Parish of Chalgrove, which inevitably includes our surrounding parishes.  We do this by engaging speakers, mainly on topics of local interest, and by carrying out research and gathering and recording information that we disseminate in the form of leaflets, books, and exhibitions.

The group meets for a talk on a topic of interest on the 1st Monday of the month at 7.30pm in The John Hampden Hall, visitors are very welcome (there is a small fee).  They also meet on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7.30pm in The John Hampden Hall to discuss the various projects members are working on.

For further information and up to date news please see their web-site: https://chalgrovelocalhistorygroup.org.uk/

For 2017 / 18 they have the following talks planned:

       6 Nov 2017-  Oxford's military college - Laszlo Graf
       8 Jan 2018- Victoria County History Benson - Simon Townley
       5 Feb 2018- AGM - Followed by social event.         
       5 Mar 2018- Coaching horns (talk and demonstration) - A Road Coach Guard
       16 April 2018- Brass rubbing - Dave Maycock
       21  May 2018- Stoner house - David Clark
       4 June 2018- Allotments and the strange people that serve them - Colin Oakes

Publications available through Chalgrove Local History include:

• The following publications are available through Chalgrove Local H
• istory Group, and can be purchased from the Parish Office & Post Office.
  
      A Pictorial History of The Royal Air Force Chalgrove Oxfordshire, compiled by John Godfrey
  
      Barentin's Manor, by Philip Page, Kate Atherton, and Alan Hardy
  
      Chalgrove Scene Through The Lens, compiled by Chalgrove Local History Group
  
      Chalgrove in Focus, compiled by Chalgrove Local History Group
  
      Characters of Chalgrove, by Ken Batley, published by Chalgrove Local History Group
  
      Footsteps Through Chalgrove, compiled by Chalgrove Local History Group
  
      The Manor, Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, by Paul and Rachel Jacques
  
      Chalgrove before the Magna Carta, published by Chalgrove Local History Group

'Barentin's Manor' is a report on the discovery, excavations and finds, which it describes as outstanding, of the moated manor at Hardings Field.  Members of Chalgrove Local History Group played and important role in assisting with the excavations, which took place between 1976 and 1979.  The site remains to this day the most fully excavated medieval manor in the country.