BECKLEY

Beckley is an attractive little village which overlooks Otmoor, which lies to the north of the village. Beckley is one of the ancient Seven Towns Of Otmoor, the other "towns" being Oddington, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Horton-cum-Studley, Noke, Murcott and Fencott. Before Enclosure in the early 1800s any cottager who lived in one of the ‘Seven Towns’ had right of grazing for their cattle, sheep and geese on the moor.

Like other nearby villages the older cottages of Beckley are built of a lovely light honey coloured stone which appears to glow in the sunlight.

The name 'Beckley' originally meant a woodland clearing of a man named Beck. The village is on a Roman road and nearby the remains of a Roman villa were found. Now the centre of the village exhibits many honey coloured stone cottages some of which date from the 16th century. On the edge of the village is a TV relay mast which provides television for Oxfordshire and surrounding areas.

The village church is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, partly Norman, partly 14th and 15th century. The church is fortunate to retain some wall paintings, including a rare painting of the Virgin Mary suckling the baby Jesus. For the history and full information about the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary click here.

Some scenes from the popular TV series Midsomer Murders have been filmed in the village of Beckley.
http://midsomermurders.org/beckleyloc.htm

Nearby is Beckley Park, a stately home built in 1540 by Lord Williams of Thame originally as a lodge for use when the lord and a party hunted the great park.

Beckley lies to the north-east of the city of Oxford, a short distance north of the B4027 Forest Hill to Islip road.