BRIZE NORTON

The name of Brize Norton is known by many throughout the world as being the RAF's largest station and the home of the RAF's tanker and transport fleet. RAF Brize Norton is between the village and Carterton, with its main runway running east to west immediately south of the town and bisecting the road from Carterton to Black Bourton.

Brize Norton is a pleasant enough village with several stone cottages with Cotswold-style stone tiled roofs. The area around the church at the junction of Station Road with Carterton Road is particularly attractive.

Up to the first half of the 20th century the village was a self-sufficient agricultural community linked with Bampton. It had a post office, several shops, and a garage. In 1873 the East Gloucestershire Railway between Fairford and Witney was opened. The railway station was built on the road to Bampton (and originally named Bampton Station, before being renamed Brize Norton and Bampton just before the Second World War). The Great Western Railway took over the line in 1890 but it was closed by British Railways in 1962 under the Beeching axe.

The parish church is the Church of St. Britius, a one-time Bishop of Tours. The church is Norman, consisting of a chancel and a nave, and it was enlarged in the 13th century when a North aisle, Wenman Chapel and West tower were added. It is thought that there may have been a connection between the dedication of the church to St. Britius and the corruption of Brunes Norton, an early name of the village, to Brice Norton. For the history and full information about St. Britius' Church click here.

The village of Brize Norton lies immediately east of the town of Carterton, just over a mile south of the A40 Witney bypass near Minster Lovell.