Page 7 - Ickford NP Sustainability Heritage Assessment

BUILT HERITAGE ASSESSMENT : ICKFORD : VISION FOR ICKFORD 7

Historic Development

A very brief outline

Early origins: The name Ickford is thought to derive from House on Worminghall Road. Limited infilling occurred
the Old English Icca’s ford. The suffix ford is self- along the main routes.
explanatory, the prefix is likely to be the name of an Prior to World War II, Ickford was still a relatively
individual. The settlement grew up close to a crossing of sustainable village with agriculture forming the base of its
the River Thame. Ickford is mentioned in the Domesday economy. At this time there were six farms within the village
book of 1086 as Iforde when it formed part of Bernwood and evidence of former agricultural buildings still survive.
Forest. After the Conquest the manor at Ickford was The village supported two public houses, a shop, smithy,
granted by William the Conqueror to the Count of Mortain. and a post office. The school was built in 1906.
A second manor (probably that at Little Ickford) was It is the post Second World War period that has marked
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granted to Miles Crispin. By the mid-14 century these the most significant change to the settlement, with
estates had been combined and were known as Great development of modern housing estates primarily to the
Ickford Manor. The manorial history of Ickford can be found north of Sheldon Road, and east of the lower part of
in The Victoria County History. The earliest parts of the Worminghall Road. These effectively joined Little Ickford
church date from the Norman period, and there is a to the main core of the village. Linear infill development
reference to Ickford Bridge dated 1237. along Bridge Road filled the gaps between clusters of small
Throughout the medieval period Ickford was an scale Victorian cottages. Along Worminghall Road the area
agricultural settlement, and the village is surrounded by to the east was developed into Golders Close in the 1980s,
historic ridge and furrow. The clay soils are heavy to plough, with a fairly standardised layout of mostly two storey
and with the development of the wool trade much of the dwellings with an enclave of bungalows. To the west of
surrounding land would have been enclosed as sheep Worminghall Road, Farm Close was developed in the 1990s
pasture. There is an archaeological site to the south of the on the site of Manor Farm. North of the Rising Sun public
Church Farm complex which suggests part of the house linear development and infilling northwards
settlement was abandoned at some stage during the occurred during the 1980s on standard sized plots to the
medieval period. Remnants of fish ponds, house platforms west of the road. Limited infill to the east of the road has
and roads have been identified. led to a continuous built frontage.
The medieval Ickford Bridge was rebuilt in 1685 (with
later alterations). A Cromwellian Civil War earthwork,
likely to have been used to guard Ickford Bridge is noted Archaeology
on the HER. Ickford historically was part of the Bernwood Forest
The majority of the historic buildings in Ickford date hunting ground, dating from the early medieval period.
from the 17 century. Older buildings were rebuilt, and This part of Bernwood has historically been an open
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plots adjacent to the main roadsides were gradually landscape of arable and pasture, with limited tree cover.
developed. Development was limited to four small areas. Most of the field pattern retains the layout of pre 18 th
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During the 18 and 19th century a number of buildings century enclosure pattern and 70 percent of the
were refronted and extended. Ickford remained a small landscape is preserved ridge and furrow. Other areas of
agricultural settlement. By the mid 19 century there were archaeological interest include a deserted settlement to
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two smithys and a number of small agricultural dwellings. the south of Ickford, and a Civil War earthwork close to
Large houses were constructed on sites at the edge of the Ickford Bridge.
village, namely Hunters House, The Grange and the Manor

VISION FOR ICKFORD – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
www.visionforickford.co.uk