BLEWBURY
Blewbury is
surely the Queen of the spring line villages along the foot of the Berkshire Downs and the pity is that motorists miss most of it as the
most attractive parts are off the main road!
Driving through Blewbury along the
former turnpike road, you
see a pleasant enough village with several fine old houses.
But the real charm of the village can only be discovered
by turning off the main road, and is best discovered on
foot. There is a network of footpaths centred on the church
which take you past a lake, across hidden grassed areas,
through the ancient churchyard. One path passes between
ancient thatched cob walls which used to be common in
many of the villages in this area.
The settlement was probably established here because a
number of springs arise at the foot of the downs. Some
springs feed a small lake where watercress used to be
cultivated. Tributaries feed the Mill Brook which leads
to the Thames at Wallingford. Blewbury Mill is said to
be where blotting paper was discovered.
The Grade I listed medieval St. Michael's Church was rebuilt towards the end of the
C11. Over time, a chancel, central tower, transepts, aisles,
a Lady Chapel, and a tower were added. Many interesting
remnants of earlier orderings can be found throughout
the church, such as the stairs and piscina belonging to
the altar that once stood on the rood loft. The churchyard
is kept as a "Living Churchyard" and is home to a variety
of flora and fauna, including some beautiful fritillaries. For the history and full information about St. Michael's Church Click here.
The village's facilities include a village hall, a village
shop and post office (run by volunteers), an antique shop,
a garden machinery shop, a car repair garage, a riding
centre, a wine warehouse, a Church of England primary
school and a Methodist chapel. At one time strings of
race horses were a common sight in the village but they
have moved nearer the gallops on the downs.
The village has two pubs: The Red Lion and The Blueberry.
Blewbury
is on the A417 about half way between Streatley and Harwell.
