Location and general description
Hampton Gay (aka Hampton Gaie or Hampton Gate) is now little more than a relic of its former self, its manor a decayed ruin and nothing left of a village. To the south lies the parish of Hampton Poyle and to the north and east the parish of Bletchingdon. On the west the meandering River Cherwell provides its bounds.
Buildings
The Church of St. Giles
In 1846 the church was described as 'modern, and a very bad specimen of the meeting-house style, which prevailed in the early part of the present century' (Parker 1846, Pg 56). It has obviously suffered from vandalism at some point as several granite crosses in the churchyard had been broken. It was locked at the time of our visit.
The manor
Now no more than a picturesque ruin set amidst rough pastureland. In 1846 the house was described as 'a good Elizabethan house, of the usual ground plan, two gables, and a recess, with a porch projecting in the centre : some handsome chimney-pieces remain, and several of the rooms appear to be nearly in their original state, though much dilapidated.' (Parker, 1846, Pg 56)
Hampton Gay Paper Mill
Although the mill has now been demolished, the history of Hampton Gay Papermill includes families such as ALLEN and HUTTON.People
The HUTTON Family
Michael HUTTON of Hampton Gay, instigated paper making at Deddington, Oxon in 1684. One Michael HUTTON became papermaker at Deddington. Michael HUTTON of Deddington's wife's name was Jaell and she died in 1700/01. Jaell is most frequent amongst protestants, including Huguenots and their descendants, however it not a common name in this area. As the mill at Hampton Gay was leased in 1681 by John ALLEN (LOBEL, 1959), it is therefore of interest that one James ALLEN christened a girl named Jaell ALLEN in Banbury on 28 FEB 1608 (source IGI). An ALLEN family also married into the LORD family of Fitwell, Oxon.
In 1737 the ANNERSLEY family of nearby Bletchington appointed one Jack HATTON of St James, Westminster to be tenant in a common recovery involving the mansion house (Oxford Local Studies, SL13/4/2L/1). This Jack HATTON is probably the lawyer Jack HATTON (1712-1786) of the Wexford HATTONs, who acted for Richard ANNERSLEY elsewhere.
Related links
A selection of links to other sites with information about this place
- West Gallery Churches has a page for Hampton Gay that gives a potted history
Bibliography
- LOBEL, Mary D. Editor, 'Parishes: Hampton Gay ', A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6 (1959), pp. 152-159. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63734. Date accessed: 05 May 2008.
- PARKER, John Henry, A Guide to the Architectural Antiquities in the Neighbourhood of Oxford, The Oxford Society for Promoting the Study of Gothic Architecture, Oxford, MDCCCXLVI (1846)
- WAKEMAN, Frances, The Deddington Paper Mill, The Newsletter of the Deddington & District History Society, issue no 1, October 1999, pg 4