Page 34 - Moreton Village Only Book

34 Moreton Village Only

Further new building took place during the 1960’s and 1970’s, generally replacing old
cottages or outbuildings, although some new plots were developed. In 1961 Little Acre was
built on a site between College Brook and Meadowbrook Farm and this was followed by
another dwelling, which is now called Greenacre. In the mid 1960’s the three bungalows, Elm
Tree Farm, Callela and Four Seasons appeared, followed by four new houses, being School
Lane, The New House, Hopefield and South View. The latter was built partly replacing a
section of Rose Cottage, which had been damaged by a fire. (This is another Rose Cottage
and not the one which previously stood in the front of Moreton House). Dutch Elm Disease
made a terrible impact on the landscape, killing many fine trees and leaving Elm Tree Farm
“elmless”.
Further controlled new building and
renovations took place during the 1980’s and
1990’s. Firstly, two new houses, Cuttle Edge
and The Hawthorns were constructed in
Lower Moreton and the conversion of a
Victorian barn at Elm Tree Farm resulted in
The Barn House and Harvest Barn. Both
Laburnham House and The Jays were built
on the Tetsworth Lane, the latter adjoining
the Stevens’ milking parlour. Also in this
period, The Old Dairy – once part of the late
Charlie Nicholls’ farm – and The Dairy
adjacent to Moreton House, were renovated
Moreton W.I. as it moves into the 21st Century. and refurbished. The Oxfordshire Golf
Course was built in the early 1990’s on
Lobbersdown Hill and has hosted several
international competitions. In 1996 two new
houses named Willow Corner and The
Chestnuts were built on the land known as
Hopelands on Moreton Lane, formerly the
site of Oswald Tite’s shop premises.

In 1972 the Moreton Women’s Institute
was formed with Betty Peddell elected as the
first President. Her life is commemorated by a
tree planted on the green. The Institute has
played an active part in the life of the village
ever since its inception. Some might think that
it was a brave act to form a W.I. branch in
such a small community with no meeting
hall available but the members surmounted
this problem very simply by deciding to
meet in each other’s homes. The Moreton
Maypole dancing W.I. have preserved their independence
(from Thame W.I. for example), with the
same commitment that they showed nearly
30 years ago and they continue to organise
harvest festivals and barn dances.

The year after their formation, the W.I.
held a fete on the village green and followed
this with a Moreton Ladies v Mens cricket
match in 1974. Then in 1975 the committee
placed a wooden bench on the village green
for the benefit of visitors and locals who might
like to pause for a while and reflect on the
pastoral scene before them. The gesture was
obviously successful and well received, as the
group decided to install another seat in
millennium year. This is in a position close to
Moreton Harvest Festival held every year. the war memorial in the centre of the village,
and it is noticeable how frequently it has been
used throughout the summer of 2000.