All of the following information has been taken from the King's Sutton book published in 1993 and information should be read in that context. It is hoped to expand on this detail with up to date insights into the changes which have taken place in the past 20 years.
Page is still under construction with many photos of the era to be published.
Roads - Canal - Railway
Roads
The original roads in and around King's Sutton consisted mainly of tracks, suitable for pedestrians or pony and trap. There would probably only have been one unsurfaced main track, capable of taking a horse and carriage, and this would be the link between major towns in the area.
After heavy rain, potholes would have to be filled in and the surface levelled. In an effort to improve the quality of the roads, turnpikes were set up. A toll was levied for the use of the road but this charge caused hardship to villagers of King's Sutton. A petition was sent to King George II, through Lord Chief Justice Willes, setting out their grievances.
The King granted a Charter on October 13th 1739 freeing the villagers from paying tolls on the turnpike roads.
With the increased movement of people and goods, the track network gradually developed into a road structure, but even in the early 1900s there was still only one major road through the village. It was not until the building of the new school in 1908, followed by houses along what is now the upper part of Richmond Street, that the roads we have now were developed.
Travel at the beginning of this century was leisurely, those who ventured long distances went by train or carriage. Most villagers walked, either to work, the pub or the nearest village to meet with friends. Goods were brought in by carriers such as the Barber family or, later, by Fred Dale. People would shop in Banbury, leave the shopping at the carrier's yard and it would be delivered to their doorstep by the carrier later the same day.
The arrival of the motor car put an end to the horse drawn carriages and carriers' carts, and we now use cars for shopping and social activities. Roads built for horses now bear the strain of modern day traffic.
The M40 motorway to Birmingham, which opened in January 1991, has a junction at Banbury and another at Ardley, which enable us to get to our destination more quickly but also brings extra traffic through the village.
In this country the road network stems to a very large extent from the Romans took to keep control of their conquered territories. These roads were so well built that they were still in use some 1,500 years after they were first laid down. A local road, the Portway, running through Aynho and Walton Grounds, was one of these roads. The Industrial Revolution brought about an urgent need to rebuild these roads and create other links, but the means to do this did not come until the early 1800s when John Macadam invented his road surfacing system. But by this time the need was so great and urgent that an additional system was adopted, the building of a canal network, the first of these being built in 1761.
Canal
Thus, in 1768 proposals were put forward by James Brindley (one of the country's foremost Canal Engineers) to build a canal between Birmingham and Oxford. It was opened in 1790 taking about 20 years to complete. When you consider that the price of coal dropped by 50% in Oxford due to cheaper transportation costs, you can appreciate the value of these waterways.
Around 1855 market boats went through twice a week on the canal stopping at any village on the way selling their wares. Another short lived service was a fast passenger boat which plied between Oxford and Birmingham pulled by two galloping horses. Unfortunately the service
had to be suspended because the horses were causing too much damage to the canal banks - fast of course was a relative term - an average of lO mph being the speed attained. The boats carrying the goods were Narrow Boats, some 70 feet long with a
payload of 30 tons. To give an idea of size the average large lorry on the roads today would be carrying about 15 to 20 tons. Specially designed boats were used to carry the by-products of the local gas-works, such as tar, ammonia, water and coke. Such boats were in regular use up to 1958 when Banbury Gas Works closed down. Of course in the depths of winter the canal would freeze over and special ice breakers were brought into use. These were small iron vessels pulled by teams of 6 or more horses and men on the boat would rock it from side to side to break up the ice.
Railway
"Pity the sorrows of the third class man,
Where trembling, limbs with snow are withered o'er,
Who for his fare, has paid you all he can,
Cover him in and let him freeze no more.
I'm going by the rail my dears
Where the engines puff and hiss,
And ten to one the chances are
That something goes amiss. " Anon
Railways were built to augment the canals and by 1845 every major English town was served by rail. The King's Sutton line was built in 1852 and the station in 1872 in anticipation of the opening of the proposed branch line to Kingham and Cheltenham, which opened in 1887. When the station was built it had no canopy or footbridge.
First and second class passengers were taxed by the government, third class passengers initially travelled in open trucks and later in horse-box type carriages.
Station staff at King's Sutton. Sam Berry, Frank Barnes, Jimmy Stone, and Harry Gardner, Station Master, seated.
Photo of the 6233 Duchess of Sutherland passing Kings Sutton.
( Curtesy of www.MartynBane.co.uk )
Because of the extra traffic generated during the Great War the platform. at King's Sutton had to be lengthened and other alterations took place. By 1922 there was a footbridge, waiting room, ticket office and engineers' sheds. The goods yard had a cattle dock and coal sidings, there were sidings at Sydenham for the ironstone works, a Pump House which pumped water from the canal to the troughs at Nell Bridge and the signal box was moved to the far side of Black Bridge.
Anything heavy would be brought by rail, livestock and coal particularly. Ironstone of course went out and was loaded at Astrop sidings, King's Sutton and Sydenham. The mines at Sydenham had been worked initially by a cable car system to the back of the station and later by a narrow gauge tramway to the sidings just south of the station and finally to the sidings at Sydenham itself.
The Royal Train has been parked in the vicinity on a number of occasions and a highlight would be when Lady Brown came down to the country. The London express would stop at the station, and all the luggage would be unloaded and conveyed to Astrop House by Lady Brown's own carriage. When the carriage passed through the village the villagers were expected to curtsy or remove their cap and touch their forelock, even if it was empty.
In later years the station was famous for its flower gardens and rockery tended by station master Harry Gardner and, later, by his son Arthur.
Edward Hermon, grandfather of Jack Hermon and his sister, May, was station master from 1885 to 1906.' The station, one of only two village stations in Northamptonshire, is still frequently used by those working in Banbury, Oxford and London. The station buildings, however, were taken down in the 1970s and are greatly missed by those who remember their cosiness and lovely gardens.
Station Masters: John Phillips, William Choules, Edward Hermon, Joseph Cripps, Harry Gardner, Mr Harris, Mr Almond, Arthur Gardner.
Many of the old trains which used to frequent the station can be seen on www.vintagetrains.co.uk
Bus Service
The bus service to Banbury, once widely used now has fewer passengers but is very necessary for those who do not have their own transport. A weekly bus runs to Moreton in Marsh to the open air market and the Parish Council subsidises a weekly bus forSenior Citizens to visit the market in Banbury on Thursdays.
