Claydon News

     Current News 

    • Local Elections took place on Thursday 5 May 2011 in the Church Room for the post of district councillor. A new parish council met for the first time on Tuesday 10 May. As the number of candidates was the same as the number of vacancies, all candidates were elected unopposed. For more info see Parish Groups.

    • A Bingo Night took place on Friday 28 January 2011 in the Church Room at 7.30pm. Snacks and soft drinks were included.

    • The village's unique Christmas Tree Lighting and Remembrance Event was back by popular demand from 4pm on Sunday 5 December in the Churchyard. Thanks to all who ordered gold stars and made a donation for these. The stars will remain on the tree throughout the festive season. The treelighting included festive music from the local children, the Mill Town Singers and Cropredy Handbell Ringers and an opportunity for all to sing carols. Delicious festive refreshments were served in the Church Room. Entry was FREE and everyone was welcome. All proceeds were split between this year's designated charities: Banbury Animal Rescue (BARKS) and St James the Great Church.

    • Claydon's annual Bonfire Night Event took place on the Playing Field on Saturday 13 November from 6pm. As usual the marquee was open with a licensed bar, including mulled wine, and there was a raffle and delicious BBQ food, including hot soup available. Kids' games were provided from 6.30pm and children of all ages brought completed guys with them to be judged, before they were placed on the bonfire. There was a firework display at 7pm and the raffle was drawn at around 7.20pm, with the bar and BBQ remaining open until late. Entry was FREE, but thanks to all who generously donated at the gate. All proceeds went to village causes: the Playing Field and St James the Great Church.

      A Harvest Supper was held in the Church Room on Friday 1 October. Organised by the Parochial Church Council the room was beautifully laid out for the 25 villagers who attended. After a delicious supper of shepherd's pie and apple crumble, a fun quiz and raffle were held, followed by the screening of a vintage TV comedy programme. A total of £207 was raised for St James the Great Church.

    • A Blue Plaque Unveiling Ceremony took place in the village in the Churchyard on Saturday 25 September. Commemorating the Knibb clockmakers who were born and baptised in the village. The village's first blue plaque has been placed on the exterior of the Church Room. It was unveiled by clock expert Gerald Marsh in the presence of Cllr John Goddard, Lord Mayor of Oxford and Sir Hugo Brunner, founder of the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board and around 60 other dignitaries and villagers. Mr Marsh gave a fascinating talk on Knibb timepieces in the Church after the unveiling, presenting four Knibb pieces. Superb refreshments were then provided in the Church Room by Sue Upton, Jo Hill and Clare Adams. Special thanks to parish councillor Robert Adams for pursuing the plaque application for an extended period of time!

    A full colour leaflet summarising the history of the Knibbs can be downloaded here.

    • There was a Road Closure of the Mollington Road for two weeks from 20 September to allow Oxfordshire County Council to carry out drainage and curb works. Traffic was diverted via Cropredy..

    • The annual Claydon Art Group Art Exhibition was held on Sunday 29 August and Bank Holiday Monday 30 August in St James the Great Church. Wonderful flower arrangements were provided by Hilary Law, with thanks to Marjorie Fox for donating beautiful blooms. There were also cream teas, a tombola and bric-a-brac stall in the Church Room. A donation of £100 from the proceeds was made to the church.

    • A St James' Festival brought a colourful display of embroidery and needlework to the Church and Church Room over the weekend of 24 and 25 July. Organised by Dorothy Beckett, with the help of the Zero Five embroidery group and others, all proceeds went to the church. The event was held ot celebrate the annual Patronal Festival of Saint James.

    • A Family Summer Fun Day Event took place in the village on the Playing Field on Saturday 17 July. For the first time three village groups - the Parochial Church Council, the Playing Field Management Committee and the Courier Team - joined forces to provide a day of fun for people of all ages. The fun kicked off at lunchtime when a licensed bar and BBQ was available from 12.30pm. A Fun Dog Show (see below) started at 1.30pm and over 20 dogs took part. More details and pictures may be posted here shortly. A raffle and kids' activities were also available. In the evening a licensed bar and supper opened in the village marquees at 6.30pm and from 7.30pm there was a Barn Dance with professional dance caller Steve Pascoe - fun for people of all ages and abilities.  The total amount raised was £1,367, a terrific amount, which will be split between the three organising groups.

    Fun Dog Show: A full list of entry classes (£1 per class per dog) is available here.

    • The gig in St James the Great Church by local Band Dirty Voice scheduled for Saturday 26 June has been postponed until the Autumn - further details nearer the time. 

      • A Courier Late Lounge took place on Friday 14 May in the Church Room from 10pm till late. It was another opportunity for villagers to enjoy a few drinks and catch up with friends and neighbours without having to get in the car and leave the village. 

      • A Wine Tasting Evening took place on Friday 14 May in the Church Room from 8pm-10pm. Hosted by Banbury wine merchant SH Jones this was an opportunity for villagers to sample and learn more about wines from across the world. £10 entry included wine samples, cheese and nibbles. Organised by the Courier Team, £173 was raised to fund future issues of the Courier.

      • The Annual Parish Meeting took place on Tuesday 9 March in the Church Room at 7.30pm. This was an opportunity to find out what has been happening in the village over the past year and all residents were welcome. A regular Parish Council Meeting followed. An agenda is available here. Reports from the Annual Parish Meeting, if available, may be posted in the Parish Council section of the website (see Claydon Groups) in due course. A summary of the report was published in the April Courier (see Claydon & Clattercote Courier).

      • A Birds of Prey Night took place on Friday 26 February in the Church Room at 7pm. Village resident Keith Jones from Fir Tree Falconry brought a  selection of his birds and gave a fascinating talk on falconry. There was a chance to hold and photograph the birds and also a ferret. A delicious Ploughman's was included. Nearly £250 was raised with proceeds going to St. James the Great Church. 

      • Don Siviter has kindly made his detailed publication A History of Clattercote available for download as a PDF file This is an excellent and recommended read. It can be downloaded here [file size = 2.2MB]

      • A Village Bingo Evening took place on Friday 29 January in the Church Room at 7.30pm. Snacks were provided and there was also a raffle. The proceeds totalling £220 will be split between the Playing Field and St James the Great Church. Thanks to all those who supported the event.

      Archive News

      • The Gig in the Church with local band Dirty Voice planned for Saturday 16 January has been postponed to March/April. More details will be posted here when available. In the meantime Dirty Voice are playing at the Dog & Gun in Banbury on Saturday 30 January.

      • Two events took place on Saturday 21 November in the Church Room. Firstly, from 7-9pm there was a Curry Night with delicious authentic Indian food (veggie options also served) provided by the Purple Mango Restaurant, Hanwell Fields. Drinks were available from a licensed bar. And, from 9pm onwards, the Courier Late Lounge was open with a licensed bar selling drinks until late. The Curry Night cost £10 per person and entry to the late lounge was FREE!

      The evening was organised by the Courier team as a social event for the village. Proceeds from the night went towards the publication costs of future issues of the Courier.

      • The annual Claydon Bonfire Night took place on Saturday 31 October from 6pm on the Playing Field. As this evening was also Halloween there was a Halloween theme with a competition for children to bring the best Halloween guy and also for the best Halloween costume. There was a licensed bar and BBQ as usual and the bonfire was lit at 6.30pm with fireworks following at 7.15pm. There was no entry fee, but donations were welcomed on the night and a net profit of £119 was raised. This goes directly to the Playing Field, a registered charity.

      • The Friends of St James Church hosted a Harvest Supper & Auction  on Saturday 3 October in the Church Room. The evening included cold meats, vegetarian option and cheese board, and drinks were available to buy. Entry of £6.50 (adult) and £5 (child/OAP) included free entry to a prize draw of a patio furniture set. Congratulations to Hannah who pulled out the winning ticket for parents Louise and John Bryer. Harvest and produce donations, as well as auction donations, were generously left in the Church porch and auctioneer Tim Cozze-Young entertained diners with his unique auction style. A fantastic £683.50 was raised for the Church of St James the Great. Thank you to everyone who participated.

      • The latest 100 Club lottery was drawn in the Church Room at the Harvest Supper (see above) on Saturday 3 October. A total of £300 was raised for the Playing Field. The three lucky winners this time round are:
        •           1st (£100): Graham Reeves, Walnut Gardens
        •           2nd (£50):  Julie Cozze-Young, Crossing Lane
        •           3rd (£25):  Sam Hoggins, Mollington Road

      • The annual Claydon Fun Dog Show and BBQ took place on Saturday 25 July from 12.30pm-3.30pm on the Playing Field and was a roaring success. Over 120 people came out on a beautiful summer's day and 32 dogs were entered into the Dog Show, which started at 1.30pm. Over £200 was raised for the Playing Field, a registered charity.

        A licensed bar was provided in the Village Marquee, as well as traditional food from the BBQ and there were also raffles. A list of the Dog Show winners in each class was published in August's Courier and can be downloaded here shortly. Pictures from the day will be available here shortly.

        • There was a village meeting on Thursday 9 July at 7.30pm in the Church Room to discuss a one-off opportunity. Up to £400,000 is available from the BBC/Big Lottery Fund for a project that will strengthen our community. This is a chance for everyone in the village to have their say and explore whether we as a village can take advantage of a unique opportunity. The outcome of the meeting was that a potential application should be progressed, subject to consultation with the village. Those at the meeting undertook to make doorstep visits to each household in the village and an amazing 109 responses were collected. A decision of what to do next was made at the end of July and more details will be published in September.

        • A live gig by local rock band Dirty Voice took place on Friday 26 June from 8pm-11pm in St James the Great Church. This was another first for the Church, following the successful Ghost performance in May (see below).

        A licensed bar was provided in the Church Room. The band waived its fee, so all proceeds went to the Church. More info about the band on their Myspace website - they are competing in acompetition and need your vote now!

        • Claydon's bus service was dramatically cut-back from June 1, following a retendering of subsidised services by Oxfordshire County Council. Route 510 operated by Geoff Amos, which ran three return services from Banbury-Claydon has been replaced by route 277 operated by Stagecoach, which operates just one return journey. A link to the new reduced timetable can be found on the Overview page.

        This is a severe blow for Claydon with Clattercote Parish Council which claimed that it was representing the village during the negotiations. Bus users who were hoping for an improvement or at least maintenance of the previous service now face a significantly worse service. This situation is unlikely to change in the short term as the contracts are valid for four years (ie until 2013). The Parish Council is reported as saying it will complain to the County, but there appears little that can be done now the decision has been made.

            • A professional dramatic performance on Saturday 16 May at 7.30pm in St James the Great Church was a sell-out success. It was the first time the Church has been used in this way and all 66 seats were taken to see expert storyteller Cat Weatherill will perform Ghost, a selection of summertime spinetinglers for grown-ups and young people.

            Refreshments were provided in the Church Room before the show, during the interval and late into the night and the evening benefited from good weather. Organised by the Claydon & Clattercote Courier team, in association with Live & Local, as a non-profit-making community event, a suprlus of £120 was raised which will be split between funding future production of the Courier and the Church.

            Thanks to all those who supported the event and helped out in any way. It was a good example of how the Church building can be used in different ways and will hopefully encourage more use in the future.

            • A Family Bingo Night took place in the Church Room on Friday 27 March from 7.30pm and was well attended by 26 villagers. Entry was £6 (adults), £4 (children up to 16) and it was good to see a mix of all ages. Delicious light snacks were provided by Christina Kennedy and players enjoyed their own choice of tipple with Bring Your Own drinks. Nine sets were played and the evening concluded with a raffle. Thanks to Anne Hoggins for organising. A total of £181 was raised, to be split between the Playing Field and St James the Great Church.

            • The latest 100 Club lottery was drawn in the Church Room at the Village Quiz (see below) on Thursday 5 March. A total of £285 was raised for the Playing Field. The four lucky winners this time round are:
              •           1st (£100):  Veronica Purdey, Boddington Road
              •           2nd (£60):  Wes Clarkson, Bignolds Close
              •           3rd (£40):  Simon Millward, Boddington Road
              •           4th (£20): Sam Hoggins, Mollington Road

            • There was a Village Quiz in the Church Room on Thursday 5 March from 7.30pm. Over 20 villagers attended, in teams of up to 4. Entry was £3 per person. Coffee and cakes were available for sale. There was a prize of a bottle of wine each for the winning team - The Walnuts. Nearly £100 was raised for the Playing Field. There was also a draw for the 100 Club (see above).

            • The most recent annual accounts of the Parochial Church Council and the Playing Field Management Committee are now available to download. Go to the Claydon Groups page and click on the relevant link.

            • North Banbury Scout Group is looking for new recruits. Boys and girls are welcome at the weekly sessions which take place in Mollington Village Hall. Beavers (age 6-8) meet Mondays 5pm-6.30pm, Cubs (age 8-10.5) meet Tuesdays 6pm-7.30pm and Scouts (age 10.5-14) meet Mondays 7pm-9pm. For more information visit their website here or contact Group Scout Leader Philip Tree on (01295) 253194 or email him here.

            • The latest edition of Claydon Contacts, an A4 sheet listing useful local contact information, was distributed with the January issue of the Courier. Additional copies may be downloaded here.

              • There was a Valentine's Eve Supper in the Church Room on Friday 13 February 2009 from 7.30pm. Around 30 villagers attended, and enjoyed a delicious meal cooked by Revd Pat Freeth and Christina Kennedy. Entertainment was provided by Janice Hamilton and her family. All proceeds from the evening were for the St James the Great Church. Also, on Saturday 28 February there was a Cheese & Wine Evening in the Church Room from 7.30pm. Villagers were invited to bring their own wine and glasses. All procceds were for the Senior Citizens' Christmas Lunch Fund.

              • There was a Village Get-Together on Sat 31 January 2009 from 1pm-4pm in the Church Room. Hot drinks and cake were served and it was an ideal time to come and chat with neighbours and meet new villagers. There was a well-attended Village History Question & Answer Session at 3pm. Various stalls, including books, cakes, antiques and cards were in the Church. There was also be a raffle. The event raised £338 for our monthly newsletter, the Courier, which is run solely by volunteers.

              • Remember, Remember, The Eighth of November! Claydon's annual Bonfire Evening took place on Sat 8 November 2008 from 6.30pm on the Playing Field. BBQ food and a licensed bar were available in the village marquee from 6.30pm. Children (and big kids) were invited to bring their Guys for a Judge the Guy Competition at 7pm, after which the Guys were placed on the bonfire. This was followed at 7.15pm by a firework display and then entertainment in the marquee. The raffle was drawn at 9pm. Entry was free, but donations were welcome, all proceeds to the Playing Field.

                • Ghosts, ghouls and other villagers were invited to the Village Halloween Bingo Evening in the Church Room on Fri 31 October at 7.30pm. Tickets were £6 adults, £4 children, payable on the door and included a light snack.Drinks were BYO. There was also a raffle. All proceeds went to the Playing Field and the Church. Halloween fancy dress was optional!

                • The October edition of Claydon Contacts, an A4 sheet listing useful local contact information, was distributed with the October issue of the Courier. Additional copies may be downloaded here.

                • There was an Antiques Roadshow-style Valuation Evening in the Church Room on Mon 13 October from 7.30pm. Tickets were £5 per head, including cheese & wine and the valuation of one item by Simon Davies from Bonhams. Additional items were valued for a small fee. There was also a raffle. All proceeds went to the Church Restoration Fund. For further information call Christina Kennedy on 690818.

                • Young people aged 8-18 were invited to audition for roles in a production of Bugsy Malone that will be staged at the Bridge House Theatre, Warwick in July 2009. Audtions were held at St Patricks School, Cashmore Avenue, Leamington Spa on Sat 4 October 9.30-10.30am (chorus), 10.30am-12.30pm (main parts) and Sat 11 October 9.30am-1pm (main parts).

                • The Jubilee Group held a Salmon Supper on Fri 3 October 2008 at 7.30pm in the Church Room. Tickets were £5 per head, including drinks. For more details call Thelma Tibbets on 690574.
                • A copy of the British Horse Society's leaflet (see page 7 of August Courier) giving advice to motorists on how to drive near horses can be downloaded here.

                • Claydon's annual Art & Flower Festival took place on Saturday 6 September and Sunday 7 September 2008.  Tea and cakes were served in the Church Room.

                • A Fun Dog Show, together will Family Lunchtime BBQ including licensed bar, was held on Saturday 28 June 2008 on the Playing Field from Midday to 3pm. Full details of the 10 entry classes and conditions of entry can be downloaded here. This was a fun afternoon for people of all ages and a summary of the event is in the July issue of the Claydon & Clattercote Courier. All proceeds went to development of facilities on the Playing Field (a registered charity). Pictures of the day are available to download as a 3-page PDF file as a small file(248Kb - to view on screen) or large file(2.87Mb - to print out).

                • The Parochial Church Council accounts for 2007 have been published and can be downloaded here. [This will open Adobe Acrobat and open a PDF file for you to read. You may then print it and/or save a copy to your computer.]

                • Local history: The Parish Council is considering erecting a plaque in the Church to commemorate the lives of clockmakers the Knibb brothers, who lived in the village in the 1600s. A short biography of Joseph Knibb, written by Clattercote's Don Siviter, appears in the April 2008 issue of the Courier (can be downloaded - click on button on right). Don has prepared a fuller history of the Knibb brothers and this can be downloaded here. [This will open Adobe Acrobat and open a PDF file for you to read. You may then print it and/or save a copy to your computer.]

                • The latest 100 Club lottery was drawn in the Church Room at the Quiz Night on Friday 4 April 2008. A total of £200 was raised for the Playing Field. The four lucky winners this time round are:
                  •          1st (£100):  Tracy Neal, Main Street
                  •          2nd (£60):  Rob Jones, Bignolds Close
                  •          3rd (£40):  Christina Kennedy, Walnut Gardens
                  •          4th (£20): Dick Blenkinsop, Church Lane

                • The village Quiz Night was held in the Church Room on the evening of Friday 4 April 2008. A regular fixture in the village calendar, held to raise funds for the Playing Field, the event was a fun night out. Five teams battled through 80 questions. Congratulations to winning team The Three Amigos, who won wine and chocolates. Commiserations to the Dixie Chicks, who won the customary wooden spoons. Thanks to all who took part - around £50 was raised.

                  • The Annual Parish Meeting  took place on Tuesday 11 March 2008 at 7.30pm in the Church Room. This was an opportunity to discover what people had been up to in the village in the past 12 months. Copies of reports made at the meeting (where available; not all groups submitted reports in writing) will  be available to download here shortly.

                  • Claydon's first ever Christmas Remembrance and Tree Lighting Event was held on Sunday 9 December 2007 in and around the Church Room and Churchyard. Gold Remembrance Stars with the names of loved ones who are away or no longer with us were hung on a Remembrance Tree in the centre of the village, with a contribution to charity made for each star. The tree was lit on 9 December and will remain lit in the evening through the festive season. The event also included a special performance by the Cropredy Bell Ringers and the Mill Town Singers, a visit from Father Xmas, carols by candlelight in front of the lit tree and mulled wine with home-made mince pies. The event was preceded by a Xmas Mini Market in the Church Room. The event raised over £250, which will be divided equally between this year's charities: Marie Curie Cancer Care and St James Church Restoration Fund. Pictures and details of the event were published in the December copy of the Claydon Courier, which can be download from the Courier page on this website.

                  • The village's Bonfire Night Event on Saturday 10 November 2007 raised a fantastic £500 towards the development of the Playing Field. Around 100 villagers turned out to warm themselves on the bonfire, watch the fireworks, enjoy BBQ food and mulled wine and enjoy meeting up with people in the village marquee. Congratulations to the winners of the Raffle - 1st prize was a meal for 2 at The Inn at Farnborough. Thanks to all who helped put on and run the event and to all of the villagers who supported by buying tickets and donating cash - all much appreciated.

                  • A book on local history has been published and is now available. Written by Clattercote resident Don Siviter, A History of Clattercote Priory is an absorbing review of Clattercote's existence through the ages, from a leper hospital in 1150, through use as Gilbertine Priory (including an explanation of the Gilbertine order and their way of life) to the modern farmstead it is today. The book gives an extremely detailed account of the recent restoration of the main Priory building and is accompanied by copious photographs, plans and illustrations. Of interest to local people and historians alike, the A4 ringbound publication is for sale, priced at £6.50. All profits will go to Katherine House Hospice and the Parkinson's Disease Society. Copies are available (POST FREE for non-Cherwell residents) now - email contact@claydonvillage.net or call (01295) 690155 to order a copy.

                  • Permanent storage for items used on the Playing Field was installed at the entrance to the Field in early November 2007, after volunteers had prepared the site by lopping adjacent trees, excavating top soil, filling, levelling and compacting hardcore. The ex-shipping container has been refurbished for its new use and painted to blend in with its surroundings. Thanks to all those who donated time, effort and services for this very useful facility. Thanks also to a generous villager for partly funding this purchase and to Cherwell District Council for a grant worth 50% of total costs.

                  • The village received an open letter in October 2007 from a lady whose ancestors used to live in Claydon. She now lives in Wales, but visited Claydon as part of her genealogical research, and is keen to collect more information about her forebears and the places they lived in and frequented. To download the letter please click here. [This will open Adobe Acrobat and open a PDF file for you to read. You may then print it and/or save a copy to your computer.]

                  • There was a bumper turn-out for a village Harvest Supper held in the Church Room on the evening of Friday 5 October 2007. The event had 1940's wartime theme, and after a delicious supper of freshly-made food, there was entertainment and sing-along tunes from the 40's. More than 40 villagers had an excellent time and those who were unable to attend on the night had joined in the fun by entering the Harvest Raffle. The lucky winners enjoyed fine food hampers and other culinary delights. Over £400 was raised, half of which goes directly to the restoration of the Church building. Claydon Art Group decorated the Church with a harvest theme for the weekend and a Harvest Service was held on the afternoon of Sunday 7 October.

                  Video

                  To view a short (1 minute) video of Harvest Supper highlights, please click here.   (Requires Real Player - will open in a new window, but may take a couple of minutes - please be patient!)

                    Alternatively (and if you do not have Real Player), to watch the video immediately, please click here. (Will open video in a separate window).

                    • Claydon Festival 2007 took place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July. For details click here.

                    • The 100 Club lottery was drawn in the Church Room at the Jubilee Group Coffee Morning on Wednesday 20 June 2007. A total of £175 was raised for the Playing Field. The three lucky winners this time round are:
                      •          1st (£100):  Rob Hillier, Clattercote
                      •          2nd (£60):  Phil Manger, Main Street
                      •          3rd (£40):  Rob Jones, Bignolds Close

                    • The village Quiz Night was held in the Church Room on the evening of Saturday 19 May 2007. A regular fixture in the village calendar, held to raise funds for the Playing Field, the event was a fun night out. Four teams battled through 100 questions, after a delicious supper was provided and a licensed bar kept the evening going with a swing. Congratulations to winning team No. 9, who chose their prize of a brandy glass set and bottle of wine. Thanks to all who took part - over £100 was raised.