Witney
| Witney | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
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| Basic data | |||
| region | South East England | ||
| Administration County | Oxfordshire | ||
| local government district | West Oxfordshire | ||
| surface | 45.59 km² | ||
| geogr. width | 51.78 | ||
| geogr. length | −1.49 | ||
| population | 25,000 | ||
| Website | Witney Town Council | ||
Witney is a town on the River Windrush on the edge of the Cotswolds , 19 km west of Oxford in Oxfordshire , England .
history
Witney was first mentioned in a document in 969 AD , but settlement remains from the Iron Age and Roman Age have been found.
In 1044 Queen Emma granted the bishops of Winchester land lordship in Witney, which was confirmed in the Domesday Book . A manor house was established next to the church, the foundations of which were excavated in 1984. In the fief register, 2 flour mills are listed in Witney. In 1277 at least one textile processing facility is mentioned in the area. At the time of the English Civil War Witney had 1,800 inhabitants.
Witney grew to be a bustling market town with a developing industry around 1800. Witney was known for producing woolen blankets and gloves for centuries.
In 1861 Charles Early, a member of the Early industrialist family, opened a railway line from Yarnton to Witney. This later became part of the Great Western Railway . It was closed to passenger and freight traffic in 1970.
The wool industry survived the Great Depression of the 1930s but took a downturn after World War II .
In recent years the city has expanded rapidly with new development areas like Madley Park.
Personalities
- David Cameron MP (* 1966), Prime Minister and Party Chairman of the Conservative Party , Witney MP in the House of Commons
- Alan Dapre (born 1965), author of children's television programs
- Darrell Griffin (born 1981), rugby player for England's national team
- Douglas Hurd (* 1930), former MP for Witney of the Conservative Party
- Martin Jones (* 1940), concert pianist
- Simon King (* 1983), Gillingham football player, born in Witney
- Graham Leonard (1921–2010), 130th Bishop of London, later appointed papal honorary chaplain with the title of Monsignor
- Robert Llewellyn (born 1956), Red Dwarf actor and author
- Andrew Logan (* 1945), artist, born in Witney
Town twinning
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Le Touquet ( France ) -
Unterhaching ( Germany )
Individual evidence
- ^ Witney Town Council Official Guide ( Memento of May 30, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
