Ducklington

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Village in Oxfordshire, England

title: "Ducklington" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["civil-parishes-in-oxfordshire", "sites-of-special-scientific-interest-in-oxfordshire", "villages-in-oxfordshire", "west-oxfordshire-district"] description: "Village in Oxfordshire, England" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducklington" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Village in Oxfordshire, England ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]

Field	Value
official_name	Ducklington
static_image_name	Ducklington village.jpg
static_image_caption	Ducklington pond, parish church
and former school
coordinates
os_grid_reference	SP3507
label_position	bottom
civil_parish	Ducklington
shire_district	West Oxfordshire
shire_county	Oxfordshire
region	South East England
country	England
population	1581
population_ref	(2011 Census)
post_town	Witney
postcode_area	OX
postcode_district	OX29
dial_code	01993
constituency_westminster	Witney
website	Ducklington Parish Council
::

Ducklington is a village and civil parish on the River Windrush 1 mi south of Witney in West Oxfordshire. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,581.{{cite web |url= https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E04008282 |title=Ducklington Parish |work=nomis |publisher=Durham University |access-date=29 August 2020}}

History

Ducklington is one of the earliest Saxon parishes to be recorded in Oxfordshire. In a charter of 958 King Edgar the Peaceful granted at Duclingtun to his Minister, Eanulf. An Anglo-Saxon charter from 1036 also records the toponym as Duclingtun, and another Anglo-Saxon document from 1044 records it as Ducelingdun. The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as Dochelintone and a charter from 1130 records it as Dukelindona. The name is derived from Old English. The first element may be from the name of a person called Ducca or Ducel. The element "-ing" most commonly means "people of". The element "-tūn" means an enclosure, homestead or village. The fact that the village has a duck pond with a population of ducks is purely incidental. After the Norman Conquest Ducklington was held by Robert D'Oyly, a Norman nobleman who took part in William I's conquest of England. The Dyve family then held the Lordship of Ducklington throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, living there until early in the reign of Edward III.

The Church of England parish church of Saint Bartholomew is 12th century. The Gothic Revival architect EG Bruton restored the building in 1871. The village had a Baptist Chapel until 2016, when it was converted into a private home. The former village schoolhouse was built in 1858. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Ducklington_StBartholomew_south.jpg" caption="St Bartholomew's parish church"] ::

Natural history

Ducklington is notable for the rare fritillary flower (mainly of the snake's head variety), many of which grow in a specially designated meadow just outside the village. Before the Second World War many fritillaries had grown on fields all over the Windrush Valley. However, the national drive for food production during the war meant that most meadows were intensively ploughed, the rivers dredged, and consequently the fritillaries were lost. Only the current fritillary field happened to be left unploughed. The flowers have survived with help from both locals and farmers. Once a year, the local community celebrates Fritillary Sunday when the field, parish church and hall are opened so that the public may walk among and enjoy the flowers.

Amenities

Ducklington has a Morris dancing side and Mummers performances. It also has its own Morris Dance tradition; its own style of dance that was collected around the beginning of the 19th century. The Ducklington tradition is danced by many sides throughout Britain and the United States. Ducklington has one public house: The Bell, and a sports and social club. Ducklington has hosted several flower and garden shows. The former tithe barn is now the village hall, which has been renovated in the last few years. It is used by village groups including the Parish Council and is the parish polling station in local and national elections. Ducklington has a Women's Institute.

Sports

Ducklington Sports and Social Club football teams. They include two men's football teams that compete in the Witney and District League. Ducklington's football first XI is in the Witney and District Division one. The club has eleven youth teams. The cricket section has sadly disbanded due to a lack of interest.

References

Sources

References

{{harvnb. Ekwall. 1960
[http://www.ducklingtonchurch.org.uk/ Parish Church of Saint Bartholomew]
{{harvnb. Sherwood. Pevsner. 1974
Davies, Peter. (29 June 2016). "Ducklington S Bartholomew". [[Central Council for Church Bell Ringers]].
"Sold property in Witney Road". John D Wood and Co.
[http://www.ducklingtonpreschool.co.uk Ducklington Pre-School] {{webarchive. link. (3 March 2012)
[http://www.communigate.co.uk/oxford/ducklingtonmorris/index.phtml Ducklington Morris] {{webarchive. link. (9 February 2005)
"District Council Grant Scheme".
(13 February 2020). "Ducklington". Oxfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes.
Witney, District Football Association. "Premier Division". [[Pitchero]].

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