The Hamlet of Frilford - A Brief History

Topography.

Frilford is a hamlet, four miles west of Abingdon, nestling into a depression in the flat and open landscape of the upper Corallian ridge. This ridge runs, east to west, along the northern side of the Vale of the White Horse, before sloping steeply down into the Thames Valley.

The light sandy loam soil overlies Coral Rag limestone, which comes close to the surface in some areas making deep cultivations difficult. However, these characteristics provide a free-draining, light, easy-working soil that has suited farming since the Bronze Age. The land has largely remained in farming to the present day. The advent of the widespread use of crop irrigation in the mid 20th century transformed this “hungry” soil into much more productive land as can be witnessed by the presence of the Millets Farm P.Y.O. fruit and vegetable enterprise, to the south of the A.415 road and the production of valuable horticultural crops, on the opposite side of the road, at Collins Farm. The well-known Frilford Heath Golf Club, originally established on the dry, sandy, heath-land has also benefited from the ability to water it’s expanded number of courses, providing the best playing surfaces in the area.

Origins.

The name for the hamlet of Frilford is likely to have derived from its association with the Ock river crossing or “ford”. The first part of the name – “Fril”….was recorded in the Domesday Book as “Frieliford”, which could refer to the Gothic name “Frithila”, indicating a continuity of identity with its known Bronze Age and Roman past.

Early history and land use.

Archaeological evidence indicates that people first arrived into this area in the early Neolithic era (circa 4000 BC) as hunter/gatherers, whose flint tools and weapons have been found on the dry gravel terraces of the nearby river Thames. A beautiful late Neolithic flint arrowhead (circa 2000 BC), found on Collins Farm, indicates that settlements spread away from the river Thames. In the fields on the parish’s western boundary Bronze Age hut circles and enclosure ditches have been identified by aerial photography.

In 1884, the archaeologist Arthur Evans excavated a Roman villa site in open farmland a quarter of a mile south of the Bronze Age site, close to Ham Field barn. The villa comprised thirteen rooms, one of which had hypocaust under-floor heating. Some way from the villa stood a small bath-house, draining into a little pond. Aerial surveys show us that a large area in the south-west part of the present parish had been cleared of woodland cover and was cultivated during the Roman occupation.

It is a realistic assumption that when the Romans first arrived into the area they would have chosen to set up their farms and villas on land that had already been cleared and was easy to cultivate. The light and free-draining land is ideal for grazing livestock outdoors throughout the winter months without causing damage to the soil. During the dry summer months these same animals would have been moved down onto nearby pasture-land beside the small Piling Brook to the north or the larger river Ock to the south. Both these water courses are within easy reach of the level central plateau, which made Frilford an ideal site for early settlement.

The suitability of the area for early settlement is further proven by the presence of a substantial Roman temple complex half a mile to the south of the present hamlet, adjacent to the River Ock and beside the A338. The temple site also contains a large circular, amphitheatre-like structure, which adds significantly to it’s importance. The Roman complex was build on top of an earlier Iron Age site.

The evidence of metal-working at the temple site would have further contributed to the clearance of the original mixed oak, birch and thorn woodland; remnants of which still remain in the northern part of the parish.

Ritual burials of both cattle and sheep found within the Roman temple site indicate the presence and value of livestock to the local community.

On the opposite side of the road to the temple complex is situated a burial ground that was excavated by Bradford and Goodchild in 1939 following earlier excavations in the late 19th century. They revealed that the cemetery was used in the late Roman era and went on being used by the Anglo-Saxons who settled into the area from the 6th century onwards.

The Anglo-Saxons and the development of Open Field farming.

It is the Anglo-Saxons who are credited with the establishment of the “open fields” system of farming, which was to remain the basis of agricultural land use in the parish until a formal parliamentary enclosure agreement in 1846, which finally brought all Frilford’s farmland into individual, privately owned farms.

During the Anglo-Saxon period, approximately 500- 1000 AD, Frilford was established as a three field, open farming, system; whereby all the cultivated land in the parish was split into three large fields that were cropped in rotation; with wheat in the first year, followed by beans or peas in the second year and the land was left fallow (uncropped) in the third and final year of the rotation. The fallow field was where the villagers could graze their livestock under the supervision of a shepherd.

Each villager was allocated a large number of small strips of land in each of the fields; the good and poor ground being equally apportioned to ensure that everyone had a fair share of the good and bad ground in each of the fields. The attached map shows the position of the three fields, which take up all of the southern half of the parish. Most of the land to the north of Piling Brook was too poor and sandy to be worth cropping. It remained as acid heath and woodland, which had its uses as a source of firewood and timber; as well as rough grazing and the provision of young gorse and bracken for animal feed and bedding.

The three fields were named West Field – Ham Field and South Field.

West Field was close to the western edge of the village; Ham Field lay on the western parish boundary, running down to the river Ock, and was the furthest distance from the village. South Field was situated due south of the village and also extended down to the river Ock.

It was important that the fields were as accessible as possible to those who worked the land because each person had to walk their horse, or oxen, with a plough or simple cultivator to their scattered strips of ground in each field before they could do any work. It would have been a long walk to and from the southern part of Ham Field. Ham field derived its name from the early English word “hamm” which referred to meadow or pasture surrounded by a ditch or water. In Frilford’s case this was true because the field has the parish boundary ditch and small stream on its western side. The river Ock runs along it’s southern edge and there is still an area of wet land and the odd spring on its eastern side adjacent to “Dry Leys” house and the back of Millets Garden Centre.

The Enclosure map shows that the three fields were divided up into an unusually large number of small strips, each of which was numbered. The overall number of strips running into thousands. An eleven acre field on Collins farm today was originally thirty individual strips, each measuring approximately two hundred yards long and only eleven or twenty two yards wide. These would have been an adequate size for the simple, slow-moving ox drawn plough of the Saxon farmer.

Over the following centuries holders of parish strips would exchange strips with a neighbour to be able to amalgamate several into one larger piece of land that would be easier to manage with the better design of ploughs and the increasing use of horses for field work; but the basic farming system and rotation remained in place until the Parliamentary Enclosure Acts of the 18th and early 19th century allowed the larger established farmers to exchange their numerous, scattered, strips for the complete fields that we know today. In most cases the Enclosure required the new owner to plant Hawthorn hedges around each newly created field. An excellent example of such a hedge remains on Collins Farm, on the opposite side of the road to the entrance into Millets Farm Shop.

Collins Farm also retains a historic landscape feature, associated with the early Open Field farming, in the form of a low ridged bank running east / west across the farm. This bank marks the headland between two groups of the original cultivated strips, where the ox or horse-drawn plough would turn at the end of the strip; as they did so, earth dropped off the plough to slowly accumulate over centuries of similar repeated action to form a wide low ridge that can be seen to this day.

Parish boundaries.

We do not know precisely how or when our present day system of community boundaries evolved, but the present layout did evolve in the post Roman revival of rural England under a succession of Anglo-Saxon kings. The changes resulted from the continuing evolution of land use and related to the period. Expanding communities would have needed to formalise, and even secure, agreed boundaries within which they could grow their crops, feed their livestock and obtain local, vital supplies of water, timber and firewood.

The boundaries of Frilford and its adjacent parishes show that considerable care and consideration had been taken in their layout. The parish of Kingston Bagpuize, to the immediate west, is an example of a perfect layout. The long, thin parish borders the river Thames in the north and stretches southwards to the river Ock; with the community placed on the dry high ground in the middle of the parish. The villagers could drive their livestock equal distances, be it to the north or south, to reach water and summer grazing meadows. In the winter animals could be kept on grass or old crop stubbles close to the village. Woodland is still to be found between the village and the respective water sources. The community was thus self-sufficient for its primary food and fuel needs.

The parishes of Frilford and Marcham, its larger neighbour to the east, both share the river Ock to the south as their major water source with its adjacent areas of low-lying summer pasture. Through the centre of both parishes runs the smaller Piling brook, which provided water for household needs. In the northern part of both parishes lies a large expanse of acid heath and woodland, from which timber for building needs and gorse and bracken could be cut to provide supplementary livestock winter feed and bedding. Thus the original layout of all these parishes took account of the requirements of the respective communities for the basic needs to sustain themselves and their livestock.

Village origins.

We do not know where the original village was situated, as there are no written records or remains of buildings any earlier than the 17th century. We are left to assume that the early wooden-framed, wattle and daub, buildings perished long ago as successive buildings were erected on approximately the same sites as the present village. The oldest remaining building in the parish is a beautiful 17th century cruck-framed barn in the grounds of The Old Grange.

Many of the older houses and numerous barns, some now converted in into homes, date from the late 18th to the mid 19th century. The later buildings probably reflect the expansion and prosperity of the village’s farmers following the Enclosure Act in 1846.
A further expansion of house building either side of the A338 in what is now termed Frilford Heath took place between the first and second world wars, as a ribbon development adjacent to the new Golf course.

Further history.

The earliest written evidence records that Frieleford was part of the grant of Marcham made by King Edgar, in 965AD, to Abingdon Abbey.

At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086AD, Frilford was still part of extensive Abingdon Abbey estates. It was assessed at 10 Hides (1200 acres), which is about the same size of the parish today.

Research by C.J.Bond into the Abingdon Abbey estates suggests that, following the Black Death in1349, much estate land was rented out because the plague had caused labour costs to rise to the point that it was better to receive rent from a tenant than to be faced with the high costs of employing labour to run the abbey farms.

The Manor of Marcham, with Frilford and Garford, remained in the hands of the Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in 1536AD.

Richard Aldworth was granted the manor of Garford before 1577. The Aldworth family eventually became large landowners in the parish of Frilford as well. The last Aldworth to own land in the parish died in the early 1970’s.

The earliest reference to farms in Frilford appears in an extract from a “terrier”, a historical book recording land boundaries and holdings, dated 1677, which records the tithes payable to the Vicar of Marcham by a Mr. Pusey and Messrs.Thomas and William Collins, for several pieces of land in the parish. The Collins family gave their name to the farm which still exists. Collins Farm is the last commercial and privately owned farm remaining in the parish. Most of the farmland in the parish is now owned by farmers from three adjoining parishes.

The ownership of land and property in the parish is much easier to trace from Victorian times following the first national census in 1844? and from information to be found in the Kelly’s Directories which date back to the late19th century. Kelly’s
Directories were published for each county approximately every five to eight years.
This substantial cloth bound book contained detailed information on businesses, trades-people, local gentry, land-owners, charities and full information of facilities located in any particular village or town. The counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire comprised one large volume and offered valuable information on “who was who” in the parish. Listed in order of priority, the principle land owners in Frilford, in 1895, were St John’s College, and Messrs W. Hayward, Philip Aldworth, and Thomas Floyd.
By 1903 the list remained the same except for the substitution of Gerald Phillips replacing Thomas Floyd as owner of Collins farm and living at Frilford Lodge ( now Josca’s School).

The 1915 entry shows St.John’s College, Gerald Phillips and Frank Aldworth as the principle land-owners. These entries remain the same for the directories of 1924 and 1931. The 1939 entry, at the beginning of the second world war, show changes in land ownership within the parish. St John’s College and a Miss Brereton of Beverley House are the only major land-owners listed. But “farmers” are now mentioned separately; with William Sprackman and John Sturgess at Collins farm and Tony Slade, pig breeder, at Peads & Barnetts farm. Mr Slade recounted that he also took over land where Millets Farm shop now stands to grow carrots and vegetables. He had to spend a lot of time and effort clearing the land of hawthorn scrub before it could be brought back into cultivation; indicating that there was a considerable of farmland in the parish that had been abandoned during the years of depression following the first world war.

The Second World War.

At the beginning of the war substantial defence works were established across many parts of southern England to resist a possible German invasion. These defences were all part of a master plan drawn up by General Ironside and collectively called the General Headquarters Line (G.H.Q. Line ). A number of deep anti-tank ditches were dug across the countryside to add to local natural defences such as hills and rivers. These ditches were fortified at strategic points, where they crossed roads or changed direction, by substantial concrete anti-tank gun pillboxes, moveable road blocks and smaller pillboxes to be manned by troops with rifles and small arms.

One such defensive line ran from the Thames at Abingdon, westwards, to block the A34 road onwards,crossing Abingdon Common, bypassing the villages of Marcham and Frilford. The trench line crossed the A338 opposite the Shell garage, procceded across Josca’s school playing fields, before heading north crossing the A415 adjacent to Cradle Barn. It crossed Collins farm before turning west to head toward Fyfield. It then proceeded north to cross Appleton common and on down to rejoin the Thames at Newbridge.

To this day there are visible reminders of this substantial defence line as it progressed through Frilford. In the field to the north of the Shell garage is a low, round, concrete 6 pounder gun emplacement. In the garden of Town Furlong stands a small octaganol pillbox. Where the anti tank ditch crossed the A415 outside Cradle Barn the concrete base for part of the road block remains in the grass verge. Half way along a tall Hawthorn hedge on the west boundary of Collins farm stand a pair of the large anti-tank concrete pillboxes. They were situated close to one another and almost facing each other, because at this point the deep anti-tank trench changed direction; thus one gun crew would have manned the appropriate pillbox according to the direction of the enemy’s advance.

Murray Maclean, owner of Collins farm, uncovered a short section of the original anti-tank trench, adjacent to one of these two pillboxes, to show the scale of the defence line. An excellent aerial photograph, taken by the U.S. 7th Photographic Unit in March 1944 shows the line of the anti tank trench and its associated defences as it weaves its way around the village. Over the past 40 years Murray Maclean has come across a range of military “debris” relating to the Home Guard’s presence, guarding the line during the war. On one occasion, whilst harvesting potatoes, a rusty object, rather like a grease gun, came up the harvester. It was put to one side and upon later examination the police were called to confirm that it was a mortar shell. The Army Bomb Disposal team were called and detonated the device on site with a small charge! Other items such as spent, and live, .303 rifle cartridges and various badges and buttons testify to the presence of both the local Home Guard and other troops, who were temporarily housed in barns and in specially erected huts in the grounds of Beverley House prior to D- Day. Frilford witnessed the presence of many U.S. and Polish troops in the village. Peter Benson, now of Wain House, has a wooden door that he rescued from one of the old barns that was used as a mess hall for the troops. The barn has been recently converted into a private residence. The door still bears the faint paint outline of the Polish word for “cookhouse”.

William Sprackman’s son, who lived at Collins farm recounts that, in the weeks prior to D-day, U.S. servicemen camped in tents in the shade of big elm trees that lined the side of a small paddock below the farm buildings. Wooden huts were also erected in adjacent fields. An oval brass tag, inscribed “Hut 3” on one side and with “Perry –W^D – P” on the other was found in this paddock; along with a Pioneer Corps cap badge. Mr Bolton, who, as a boy at the time, lived in one of the farm cottages confirms the presence of the Corps camping in this field, whilst building quarters for the servicemen in the village.

Changes in the past 50 years.

Frilford remained a largely rural parish after the 2nd world war with its farmers being locally based in or near to the village; however the majority of the inhabitants worked away from the village in a wide range of occupations, travelling to and from work by bike, bus and increasingly by car as the latter became affordable to all.

The lack of any church, shop or other focal meeting point has always meant that most people who chose to live in the parish did so for the privacy it afforded. This sense of isolation has increased as the pace of life over the past 50 years has left most people with less time to socialise as a community.

Today the parish can boast a number of businesses that are well known beyond the parish boundries – Frilford Heath Golf Club – Budgens Shop & Shell Fuel Station - Josca’s School – Millets Farm Shop & Garden Centre – Murray Maclean, Tree grower. The development of each will be outlined:-

Frilford Heath Golf Club.

In the late 1890’s Abingdon families had been “putting” on their own lawns and enough interest was aroused to form a club and rent some land beside Wootton road ( on the site of the College of Further Education).

A small 9 hole course was constructed. A few years later the club, named the North Berks Golf Club, moved to land at Shippon (now part of the site of Abingdon Airfield). With the possibility of eviction looming, a syndicate of members acquired the leases on about 150 acres of common land at Frilford Heath, belonging to Magdalen College and other owners including Thomas Floyd, late of Collins farm.

An 18 hole course was laid out in 1909, to the south and west of the Tubney and Wantage cross-roads, retaining much of the natural gorse and heather present to establish a very skilfully arranged set of holes.

The small thatched clubroom was brought from Shippon, enlarged and erected in the north west corner of the crossroads of the Wantage (A415) and Tubney roads.  It served the members well until, unfortunately, on Sunday June 21st 1921 the picturesque little clubhouse was burnt to the ground.

The directors acted swiftly to make local arrangements for temporary accommodation. A new clubhouse was swiftly planned and erected on the same site, to be formally opened six months later on 16th December 1921. It was a much bigger, single-storey building, timber framed and clad with a boarded exterior and incorporated large, lead-lighted windows facing south, built up on a brick base. There was an open veranda, running along most of the front.

In 1928 an additional 9 hole course was established to the north of the Tubney road.
The club continued to prosper. The Second World war and its after-effects reduced the need to expand until the 1960’s witnessed a steady rise in membership. It was thus very fortunate that Frilford Heath House and its adjoining 44 acres, on the south side of the original course, came on the market. In early 1964 the directors accepted the asking price to obtain a much-needed extension to allow for two 18 hole courses.
There was considerable debate as to whether the club should extend the existing clubhouse, build a new clubhouse on the site of the purchased house or adapt the existing house. Finances excluded the option of a new clubhouse. Eventually plans to modify the existing house were approved and the new clubhouse was opened in November 1969. Three years later the site of the old clubhouse was sold to the (then) Berkshire County Council allowing them to stagger the dangerous crossroads.
The club’s popularity for the quality of its courses and the overall standard of maintenance, married to good clubhouse facilities, ensured a healthy waiting list for membership to the club.

The directors of the club took another bold decision in 1993 to expand the courses yet again with the purchase of Tubney Farm, which lay to the west of the existing original grounds. The 170 acre farm was mostly the same sandy limestone soil and was soon converted into the new Blue course as well as allowing modifications to the existing Red course. As well as the considerable construction work involved in creating the new course, the opportunity was taken to build a 10 million gallon, winter-filled, reservoir to provide adequate water for a sophisticated automatic sprinkler system for the greens. The work was completed and the new course opened for play in 1997.

The 100th anniversary of the original club’s opening was celebrated in 2008 by an impressive extension to the existing clubhouse.

So Frilford Heath golf club continues to keep pace with the times, providing its members with the very best facilities in the area. The whole infrastructure is maintained to an excellent standard and the club continues to do its best to retain the original heath-land landscape.

Millets Farm Shop and Garden Centre.

John Carter, a progressive and forward-thinking farmer, based at Garford, decided to open a “Pick your Own” fruit centre to the south of the A415 road in Frilford early in 1976. Originally six acres were planted to Strawberries, with nothing more than a wooden hut to act as a sales point for the short summer season.

The wooden shed was soon expanded to sell a wider range of vegetables grown on the farm, including potatoes, which were then a major crop for them.

Planning permission for a simple garden centre was approved. This soon became so popular that it was felt the farm shop needed improving to provide a better sales outlet for a wider range of fruit and vegetables, all the year round.

John was soon joined by his older son, Nigel, and later by his younger son Tony. This family business began to expand rapidly to the point where it is today recognised as one of the best all-round farm shop venues in the region.

Over the years they have added other attractions for visitors to enjoy whilst visiting the two shops. A small animal “zoo” with farm animals and small pets has long been a popular call for young children.

A large lake was dug, primarily to provide water for the irrigation of crops, but it also serves as an attractive fishing spot for both club and casual visitors.

In recent years they have sown a Maize Maze for the enjoyment of children of all ages throughout the summer months. Other sideline attractions have been added adjacent to the Maze experience to make a family outing to the farm shop, and its surroundings, at least a full afternoon’s visit. A walk down to see the recently planted Trafalgar wood, situated beside the river Ock could stretch this to nearly a day’s outing for the family.

The Budgens Shop and Shell fuel station at Frilford.

In the 1950’s the Blue Star Garage company built an Esso fuel station and small retail outlet on the corner site, where the A415 and A338 main roads cross in the parish.

Over the years the fuel station developed slowly, providing an easily accessible fuel stop with the ability to buy a few extra requirements such as sweets, soft drinks and newspapers.

The fuel station was later sold on to Gibb’s Garages, who transferred to selling the cheaper Jet fuel. They also tried to build up a small used car sales outlet adjoining the forecourt. Such a development was an eyesore in such a rural setting; consequently planning restrictions curtailed any further development.

With the arrival of Karim and Maggie Rashid in 1995, the B.P. “garage” began to expand its range of sales, which soon led to their bold decision, in 2000, to completely redevelop the site to its present position as a greatly enhanced outlet, now selling Shell fuel and providing a car wash as the basis of the business.
In 2004 they gained planning permission to demolish the old shop premises and built a new and excellent all-round shop selling a very wide range of quality food and drinks at a fair price for the passing customers. The convenience of the Budgen’s outlet allied to the Rashid family’s friendliness, combined with their attention to detail and cleanliness has seen their business expand greatly in recent years.

Collins Farm – Kingston road.

Murray Maclean came to Frilford in the early 1960’s to run a small apple and pear orchard on part of the present farm. In 1976 the orchards were grubbed out and Murray initially concentrated on growing potatoes and a range of vegetable crops for sale to The Apple Centre (the family farm shop at Kingston Bagpuize) and other local outlets.

By the early 1980’s the contract production of small trees and shrubs for a large wholesale nursery at Faringdon eventually became the mainstay of the business, which it remains to this day, with vegetables now taking a much smaller part.
Murray has recently discontinued contact plant production but continues to specialise in growing and selling the full range of native trees and shrubs for hedgerow and woodland planting. Customers range from large estates, local farmers and land owners, to conservation groups and many smaller private and trade buyers.

Abingdon Preparatory School.

Josca’s school was started in 1956 with just 5 pupils, three of them brothers.
Evelyn Farrell started the school in an out building in her own garden with her three sons in attendance. The eldest, Julian, was nicknamed Josca – hence Josca’s Preparatory School – the apostrophe is important!

The school soon moved to a house in Latimer Road, Headington. A distinct ethos, which included a strong drama tradition, was established and the school grew quickly in numbers until a bombshell hit in 1969. The lease on the Latimer Road property was not to be renewed and it seemed that the life of Josca’s had run its course.

This did not take into account the ingenuity and passion for the school of the then Head, Tony Savin. Tony sought out fresh premises for the school and organised their purchase. There was strong parental involvement in the purchase, the move and the transformation of Frilford House, a former home for the elderly, into a working school. This self-help and close liaison with parents has been a lasting and positive influence in the running of the school. To this day, the strong bond between pupils, parents and staff remains a real strength of Josca’s.

60 pupils moved to Frilford in 1970 and so began another phase of real growth; buildings extended, games fields purchased and mini-bus services started. Features such as the Camps, which singled out Josca’s from other schools, were reinforced.
New impetus came to Josca’s in 1998 in the form of a merger with Abingdon School. Developments included Science and I.C.T. suites, new classrooms, music practice rooms, a pavilion, extension of the playing fields and complete refurbishment of all existing facilities.

In July 2006, building work started on a new sports hall, two new sets of changing facilities, three classrooms and considerable internal relocation of facilities.
In September 2007, with the opening of the new developments and expansion of the school, it was an appropriate time to change our name to Abingdon Preparatory School. The renamed school provides excellent educational facilities for 255 pupils aged 4 to 13. In many ways, from its beginnings in 1956 the school will have undergone a significant transformation, in others, the core values established in its foundation, development and history have once again been cemented into its new buildings and all those who teach and learn in them.

The recent purchase of the neighbouring property, Beverley House, has provided the school with a large period house and extensive grounds for future development. An exciting future is in store.