STRATTON AUDLEY

Stratton Audley is a village of light honey-coloured stone cottages and some modern development close to the old Roman road from Alchester to Towcester, now the A4421 Bicester to Buckingham road.

In the village name 'Stratton' is from Stratone (street), whilst Audley was added in the 13th century, after the Audley family who held the manor.

The present manor house was originally 16th century and was altered in the latter half of the 17th century and partly rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the mid 1960s the manor house was divided into apartments, with further apartments built in the grounds.

The parish church is the Grade I listed Church of St. Mary and St. Edburga, and dates from the 12th century. It was largely rebuilt in the 13th and 14th centuries and the Decorated Gothic bell tower was added late in the 14th century. In the churchyard is a large tomb with memorials to John Blundell Leigh and his family. John Blundell Leigh lived in the manor house in the early part of the 20th century. Full information aboutthe Church of St. Mary and St. Edburga gan be found here.

South-east of the church, in a field, are some low earthworks which are the remains of the medieval castle of the Audley family. There are also further earthworks, south of the church, which are thought to be the site of a possible shrunken medieval village.

Stratton Audley is about 2.5 miles north-east of Bicester and about a quarter of a mile south of the A4421 Bicester to Buckingham road.