In the latest edition of the Banbury Historical Society's magazine Cake and Cockhorse (Vol 18 No 1), there is an interesting account of the town's outlying areas circa 1895.
This comprises the memories of the late Dorothy M Bromley who is best known for her school in the North Bar area of the town.
Inevitably this description of Banbury's fringes is limited by the extent of her personal knowledge and understanding. Sh
e does not venture into Grimsbury.
Given the merits of other published material it is best considered alongside the town maps of 1800 and 1882, significant information in Audrey Taylor's book about the banking Gilletts as well as the Thomas Ward Boss 1903 lecture delivered at the Municipal Schools of which he was librarian and titled Reminiscences of Old Banbury.
Between 1800 and 1895 the outskirts of Banbury were expanded as a result of industrialisation on the Cherwell Meadows and also individual enterprises that created new and mainly residential developments.
Dorothy Bromley's walk begins at the northernmost extremity that earlier had been marked by Back Lane but by 1895 was defined by the Castle Streets – West, East and North. She recalled some cottages and Hayden's shoeing forge within a short distance of where the North Bar had stood and also a line of houses in Castle Street East, the backs of which overlooked the fields known as the Marshes.
In common with similar terrace properties in the Cherwell area these were erected quite quickly by a prominent Banbury area builder William Wilkins.
Dorothy's route then follows the line of Factory Street that ran close by Hoods the Ironmongers and terminated in a bridge across the Oxford Canal that gave access to an area known as the Land of Nod.
South of here was a mill owned in her time by Edmunds and Kench. One arm of Mill Lane was opposite and provided a way of reaching Bridge Street off which was Lower Cherwell Street, part of a boom area of post 1850 industry especially engineering. In his book Victorian Banbury, Barrie Trinder demonstrated that this prompted the mass construction of working class housing. Typical developers/speculators included Robert Gillett (licensee of the Crown in Bridge Street 1830-1842) while builders included the likes of William Hobley.
The people who rented these houses were not all industrial workers some were tradesmen, others worked in shops. Leaving the Cherwell area Dorothy traces her steps along Hightown Road. In her childhood the only houses were gentlemen's villas, the location of which owed much to the enterprise of Thomas Draper, owner of Calthorpe Manor from 1852 to 1869. During the 1860s he bought the 'High Town Estate' and 'designed and laid out a road across it' that led to the Oxford Road.
Towards this end his preference for good quality mansions was guided by there being a fine view. He was also instrumental in getting bridges built over the Oxford Canal and River Cherwell. These then formed part of a road that led towards the station and which was to provide a route for Bernhard Samuelson's tramway.
The same emphasis on villas holds good for the next stage of her walk along the Oxford Road towards town. The Elms was fashioned out of land that included part of Perry's Nurseries and adjoined an extensive flat area where in the early 19th century cricket had been played, circuses held and races run.
The house was built in 1864 at the behest of Jonathon Gillett, eldest partner in the Banbury Branch of Gillett's Bank. In her book about the family Audrey Taylor makes the interesting observation that the location on high ground above the town centre was inspired by a desire to enhance the image of the Bank locally. Audrey goes on to suggest that Charles Gillett developed Wood Green at the top of the Broughton Road for exactly the same reasons.
Below the Elms and along Bloxham Road from the Case is Altered inn the development was characterised by scattered cottages. Dorothy's focus is more on landscape features such as the bear baiting amphitheatre close to Beargarden Road and a path at the front of steep slopes that led ultimately to Crouch Hill and a rifle range.
She is clearly interested in the sharp socio-economic contrasts between the Broughton and Warwick Road areas. The speculative development of Constitution Hill contrasts with the grand design concepts represented by the Golden Villa with its associated farm.
Her route takes in parts of Neithrop with its poor quality Boxhedge Square housing and engineering concentration linked to Foundry Lane. Many other observers have also remarked on the uneven distribution of middle class villas especially Neithrop House whose adjoining land was to become the People's Park, a one time residence of Captain Beynon, son-in-law to Lord North of Wroxton Abbey. Her knowledge of Neithrop generally may not have been good enough to discuss issues of poverty and poor quality building standards.
Dorothy returns to Castle Street where she began her walk. Overall the story of Banbury's outer fringes is a collection of childhood memories. In themselves these offer interesting lines of investigation. The insights into the Elms and Wood Green illustrate this especially well.
