KENCOT, BROADWELL AND LANGFORD

Kencot, Broadwell and Langford are three small villages. Kencot is the most northerly of the three villages and consists of just a few cottages, the parish church and the manor house.

The parish church of St. George's at Kencot was originally Norman. The west tower was added from c.1300 and the upper parts were added c.1500. Above the inner south doorway is an interesting carving of a centaur shooting an arrow into the gaping mouth of a monster, and this is reproduced on a (rather crooked) village name sign outside the church on the green. Here the monster is shown as a dragon. For the history and full information about St. George's Church click here.

The D'Arcy Dalton Way passes through Kencot. This long-distance footpath was created to mark the Oxford Footpath Society's Diamond Jubilee in 1986. It takes its name from Colonel W. P. d'Arcy, a founder member of the Oxfordshire Field Paths Society formed in 1926 and defender of Oxfordshire's rights of way.

About a mile north of Kencot an airfield (RAF Broadwell) was built in 1943, and used by RAF Transport Command. The airfield was in service until 1947.

A little further down the lane to the south of Kencot is the village of Broadwell which consists of a few stone-roofed cottages, an impressive medieval church with a 13th century spire, a large manorial farmhouse and a village school.

The church at Broadwell, the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, is Norman and its design was influenced by the Knights Templar. For the history and full information about the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul click here.

The manorial farmhouse is set back from the road and approached along a drive through impressive stone gate posts. In front of the church is the old rectory and its thatched roof is a comparative rarity in this part of the county.

The southernmost, and the largest, of the three villages is Langford. Langford has a large church, St. Matthew's, parts of which are Saxon. In about 1200 the Early English Gothic north and south aisles were added, and in the 13th century the chancel was rebuilt. In the porch are two important Saxon sculptures - a large headless figure of Christ and a crucifiction scene. For the history and full information about St. Matthew's Church click here.

Kencot, Broadwell and Langford are to the south-west of the town of Carterton. Kencot, the most northerly of the three villages, is just south of the B4477 and is about 2 miles from the town.