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Universal British Directory, 1791

Witney

In the hundred of Bampton, is a long, straggling, uncouth, but populous and large, town, with a market on Thursday, and six annual fairs, viz. Ester-Thursday, Holy Thursday, July 10th, Thursday before 10th of October, Thursday after the 8th of September, and December the 4th, for horses, cows, pigs, and various sorts of commodities.

It is a borough town, governed by two bailiffs chosen annually on the first Tuesday after St. Michael. This town was of good repute before the conquest, and, in the fifth and eigth of Edward II. sent members to parliament, which it continued till the thirty-third of Edward III. and no longer.

The post-office is kept by Mr. Richard Ashfield, into which all letters must be put by seven o'clock in the evening, or subject to the payment of a penny each; the postage of letters from London to this place sixpence, and are delivered out about eight o'clock in the morning.

The town is situated in the turnpike road leading from London to Gloucester, Bath, Bristol, and Cheltenham; distance from London sixty-four miles, Gloucester thirty-six miles, Bath fifty-six miles, Bristol fifty-nine miles, Cheltenham twenty-seven miles. Here are at work one hundred and fifty looms continually, for which above three thousand people, from eight years old and upwards, are daily employed in carding, spinning, &c. and consume about eighty packs of wool weekly. The blankets are usually ten or twelve quarters wide, and very white, which some attribute to the abstersive nitrous waters of the river Windrush, wherewith they are scoured; but others believe it is owing to a peculiar way of loose spinning they use here; and others again are of the opinion, that it proceeds from both. In consequence of which, this town has engrossed the whole trade in that commodity. They likewise make here the Duffield stuffs, a yard and three quarters wide, which are carried to NEw England and Virginia, and much worn even here in winter. Here are likewise a great many fellmongers, who, having dressed and stained their sheep-skins, make them into jackets and breeches, and sell them at Bampton; from whence they are dispersed all over the neighbouring counties.

The company of blanket-weavers in Witney and its vicinity are by letters patent, granted in the tenth year of the reign of Queen Anne, incorporated by the name of "The master, assistants, wardens, and commonalty, of blanket-weavers, inhabiting in Witney, the county of Oxford, or within twenty miles thereof;" by virtue of which they enjoy the sole right of manufacturing blankets of every kind in the town of Witney, or within twenty miles of the same. This company consists of a master and two wardens, who are elected annually, and about twenty assistants, and fifty of the commonalty. They have a common hall in Witney, a very neat and elegant structure, where they transact all matters and things relative to the rules and orders of the company; and several men are there employed to examine, weigh, measure, and mark, all goods that are made by the company, and, if any be found deficient in weight or measure, a very heavy fine is imposed on, and paid by, the maker thereof; which regular and uniform mode of examing the goods, and enforcing the making them of the full weight and measure, together with their peculiar method of manufacturing them, have always rendered the goods of this manufactory superior in quality to any of the kind in the world. - This neighbourhood produces a sort of yellow ochre, and a coarse kind of gritty umber, which is of great use to leather-dressers.

The river Windrush runs through the town, over which there is an ancient stone bridge erected. - The church, pleasantly situated at the south end of the town, is a large and noble structure in the Gothic raste. The steeple is very justly admired for its exact symmetry and proportions, and allowed by all travellers who see it to be a curious specimen of just and correct architecture. The tower contains a peal of eight bells. The rectory is worth 800l. a-year.

Witney was one of the manors which Alwinus bishop of Winchester gave to the church of St. Swithin there, on Queen Emma's passing over the fire ordeal.

A bank is established here, under the firm of Messrs. Leake, Batt, Sanders, and Holton.

Here is a large free-school and fine library; the Rev. Mr. Seele, head master; salary 30l. per annum. The Rev. Mr. Powel, usher; salary 15l. per annum. A writing master attends one hour in the day; salary 10l. per annum, besides perquisites. - Here is an hospital also for six poor blanket-makers widows, and a school for twelve poor children, founded in 1723, to which has been made an addition for teaching thirty children. - Here is one very capital inn for the accommodation of the nobility, gentry, &c. Here are likewise several other good inns for the accommodation of travellers, besides a great number of public houses. - Two coaches pass through Witney every day: one of them leaves the Angel Inn, behind St. Clement's church, and the other the bolt and Tun, Fleet-street, every day at noon, and pass through Witney, about one o'clock the next morning, in their way to Gloucester, &c. and return every day, through Witney, in their way to London, the one about nine, and the other about eleven, o'clock in the evening. There are constantly two or more waggons leave Witney every Monday afternoon, which get into London on Wednesday; leave London on Thursday, and return to Witney on Saturday about noon. - The follwoing are the principal inhabitants:

Hailey is a hamlet in the parish of Witney, one mile distant. The principal traders are Deodatus Collins, (F.) and William Sellman, (F.) Blanket-weavers. - Ramsden is between Charlebury and Witney, on the Akerman-street. - Minster Lovel, three miles from Witney. Here are the remains of a priory. It is situated in a valley close to the northernmost bank of the rivulet Windrush, and about one hundred yards south of the parish church. It appears by its ruins to have been a large and elegant building. The conventual church and part of a gateway are the chief remains. Some other buildings, formerly offices to the monastery, are converted to out-houses for an adjoining farm. - Ensham Hall, the seat of James Duberly, Esq. distant from Witney three miles. - Cockthorpe, heretofore the residence of the late Earl of Harcourt, now the seat of Maximilian Western, Esq. distant from Witney three miles. - At Sstal, a village on the road between Burford and Witney, is a barrow which stands very high, and is supposed to be the sepulchre of some person of great note. - Yelford is also between Witney and Bampton.

Going on southward, you come to Bampton, which lies on the borders of the county next to Berkshire.