Published in 1844, Pigot's Directory entry for Oxfordshire
includes the following: "The soil of Oxfordshire may be considered, for the
most part, extremely fertile, yielding abundant crops of corn and grain; it is
naturally dry, and entirely exempt from fens, bogs and stagnant waters... In the
extensive bed of gravel on which Oxford stands, and which forms one of the
geological features of England, are found many extraordinary fossils. The
climate of this county is considered as healthful as that of any other in
England, and the quick and limpid streams render the air clear and wholesome...
The system of agriculture is in general good; that of Norfolk
is well understood, and is in prevalent practice. On the grass farms much cheese
is made, of a good quality, though chiefly the thin kind called 'toasting'
cheese. The cows are principally the old Gloucester kind, and the South Down
sheep have begun to exclude the long-woolled breed; many boars are fed for the
purpose of making brawn and sausages, which form a considerable article of trade
at Oxford and other parts of the county.
The manufactures are those of blankets, at Witney; paper, at
Burford and other places; plush, or shag, at Banbury, and likewise an article of
pastry, for which it has long been famous, called 'Banbury cakes'. The malting
trade is carried on extensively, in several towns; and at Woodstock are
manufactured gloves, and some articles of polished steel; the former branch
still flourishes, but the latter is almost lost, owing to the cheapness of the
Birmingham and Sheffield wares..."
Family History, Genealogy and
Local History Research Information for Oxfordshire
The
fifth series of
the BBC's acclaimed Family
History programme featured Patsy Kensit, Boris Johnson, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen,
Esther Rantzen, David Suchet, Ainsley Harriott, Jerry Springer and Jodie
Kidd. Further details are on our News page.
Are you descended
from a Viking Warrior, a Saxon farmer or a Norman invader?
Channel 4 television's
" The Face of Britain" showed a
pioneering project by Oxford University and the Wellcome Foundation to use
DNA testing to determine volunteers' ancient roots.
