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Coordinates: 51°32′02″N 1°04′19″W / 51.534°N 1.072°W
Woodcote is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Wallingford and about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Reading, Berkshire. It is in the Chiltern Hills, and the highest part of the village is 600 feet (180 m) above sea level. Woodcote lies between the Goring Road and the A4074. It is centred around the village green and Church Farm, with the village hall centred on the crossroads.
[edit] HistoryPrehistoric artefacts have been found in the area, including a polished hand-axe from about 3000 BC[citation needed] and a larger than life Celtic carved stone head from about 1500 BC.[citation needed] The toponym Woodcote means "cottage in the wood".[citation needed] It was first documented in 1109, in association with South Stoke.[citation needed] Woodcote has had a parish church since the 12th century. In 1846 it was rebuilt to the designs of the Gothic Revival architect H.J. Underwood.[1] Of the original building little survives except some flintwork in the chancel walls.[1] There is a Jacobean barn in the grounds of Woodcote House. Woodcote House itself is a Georgian country house built in 1733. It was remodelled by the architect Detmar Blow in 1910. Since 1942 it has been the premises of The Oratory School, a Roman Catholic public school.[1] Woodcote was a gypsy settlement for many years.[when?] There is a gypsy burial ground in the vicinity of the village which follows gypsy tradition whereby members of the community where buried on high ground.[citation needed] Woodcote won the Oxfordshire Village of the Year title for 2008.[2] [edit] ChurchesWoodcote has three churches:
St. Leonard's parish is now a member of The Langtree Team Ministry: a Church of England benefice that includes also the parishes of Checkendon, Ipsden, North Stoke, Stoke Row and Whitchurch-on-Thames.[3] [edit] SchoolsLangtree School,[4] The Oratory School and Woodcote Primary School[5] are all in the village. Langtree School is a comprehensive school and recently became a DfES Specialist Performing Arts College. There are two pre-schools. The Cabin, one of the pre-schools was founded by Mrs Rose Hunt in 1961. It had two previous homes until in 1986 when Mrs Bella Saunders, the Chairperson at the time, along with the Management Committee began raising funds for a new building. £10,000 was raised in just twelve months. The current building was installed in 1987 during the Christmas holidays within the grounds of Langtree School. In September 1996 the name was changed from The Cabin Playschool to The Cabin Pre-School.[6] [edit] AmenitiesWoodcote has a Post Office and two shops, Londis and Somerfield. There is a newly-built[when?] children's playground beside the main village green. A basketball net also available. Woodcote has a Women's Institute.[7] and a Goring and Woodcote Lions Club.[8] Woodcote is surrounded in many parts by woodland, suitable for walks. There are many country footpaths in the area and a bridlepath runs past the village. [edit] SportWoodcote / Stoke Row Football Club[9] currently has three teams. The First team plays in the Reading Football League Senior Division; the Reserve team plays in the Reading Football League Division Two, and the Youth team plays in the South Chiltern Minor League Division One. Woodcote Cricket Club[10] currently plays in the Berkshire Cricket League Premier Division. [edit] Woodcote RallyEvery year Woodcote hosts a steam, vintage and veteran transport[11] and real ale festival,[12] the proceeds of which are donated to local charities and organisations, and over the years has raised more than £300,000. The rally includes a funfair. [edit] Sources
[edit] References
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