Hook Norton Local History Group
The Hook Norton Local History Group exists to research and preserve the history of this village and parish, and to spread knowledge and appreciation of it among the public at large. Its monthly lectures by local and visiting speakers from September to May are popular and well-attended. It is also responsible for creating and maintaining the Village’s History website and for publishing and circulating history pamphlets. The Village Museum and Archive, which is housed at the Hook Norton Brewery, works closely with the Group.
Speakers’ Programme 2023/24
Monthly meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month from September until May at the Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street at 7.30pm. Membership costs £10 per person. Non- members are more than welcome at just £2 per meeting.
5th September – Andrew Baxter – The Edgehill Railway
3rd October – John Blair – Hook Norton’s Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque church
7th November – Matthew Armitage – The History of Tooley’s Boatyard, Banbury
5th December – Sean Callery – Cotswold Christmas
2nd January – Tony Cooper – The Great Prize Fight at Whiteoak Green
6th February – Howard Robinson – The Monarch’s Way
5th March – Gareth Winrow – Elizabeth Wisdom(e), the Chipping Norton Murderess
2nd April – Alastair Lack – Travels with Auntie
7th May – AGM – followed by Sue Smith – Conscientious Objectors in WW1
Village History Website
This site offers the most up-to-date and comprehensive survey of Hook Norton’s history that is currently available: go to www.hook-norton.org.uk/history
Village Museum and Archive
The Village Museum and Archive is housed at the Brewery, upstairs in the Visitor Centre. The Village Museum is accessed through the Brewery Museum, and is open free of charge whenever the Visitor Centre is open. The Village Archive is open by arrangement, please contact Dave Shepherd email mailto:hook.norton.museum@gmail.com
Publications
In addition the group has several publications which are available for sale. These are:
Hook Norton at War 1939-1945 – Life in the village and its environs during WW2 – James Tobin, Alasdair Brown et al. – £10
The Story of Hook Norton – A highly illustrated book, for readers of all ages, about the village from earliest times to the present day – by Sean Callery – £9
Somewhere Along the Line – The Story of the Banbury to Cheltenham Railway – by Barbara Brown – £ 3.50
Hook Norton Village Trail – A walk round the village (2017 Revised Edition) – £3
A History of Hook Norton Baptist Church – compiled by Rev’d John Paul Taylor, with contributions by Dr Pauline Ashbridge, Rev’d Ralph Mann and Mrs Barbara Hicks – £3
Hook Norton Footpaths – Originally published in the 1980s and revised in 2003 this booklet was, in 2020, brought up to date. The four walks in the original booklet have been expanded and there are now eight walks to be discovered. Complete with colour OS maps as a centre spread – £4.
Hook Norton 2000AD – A hardback photographic record of the village over the Millennium – £2
Hook Norton, In Memoriam, 1914-1918
The War Memorial in St Peter’s Church commemorates those from the village who gave their lives in both World Wars. David McGill has researched and published this booklet, which gives details of all those who died in the First World War and had connections to Hook Norton – £3.
Tales of Hook Norton – From Civil War to Poor Law – a collection of articles written by the late Revd. Ralph Mann under the pen name “Canities”. These articles originally appeared in the village newsletter between 1987 and 1990. – £3
All of these publications can all be obtained from the Secretary of HNLHG, David McGill, at:
Sunnybank Farmhouse, Scotland End, Hook Norton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 5NR
Postage and packing is £2.50 per book, with the exception of the Story of Hook Norton and Hook Norton 2000AD which cost £3 per book.
Please make cheques payable to Hook Norton Local History Group (HNLHG) and send to the Secretary with your order. Payment can also be made using online banking which is our preferred payment method, please contact David for the bank details.
If ordering from outside the UK please contact David to ascertain postage and packing costs. His email address is scotlandend@btinternet.com and telephone number is (+44) 1608 737103.