Stocks and Shares!
“Repent Ye!”
Oxfordshire villagers recreate the village stocks after 155 years
The stocks in Middle Barton stood in Fox Lane, behind the Fox Inn, until 1868
A local craftsman has constructed a new set to be used in conjunction with a bid to buy the Fox Inn and re-open it as a community owned pub. The bid is being financed through the sale of shares.
It is planned to have the stocks available for fundraising events and to erect them at the pub when it reopens
It’s not known when the stocks were first installed in Middle Barton but according to a 15th century law, The Statute of Labourers Act of 1405, all towns and villages were required to provide a set of stocks for the punishment of petty offences. The last recorded use of the stocks in England was in 1872*. Since then their use as a legal punishment has largely been forgotten even though it is believed never to have been formally repealed in UK law
Chair of the local Parish Meeting, Steve Ferrelly, says: “The Parish certainly welcomes the idea of reinstating the village stocks, and the community bid to buy the Fox Inn, although we don’t anticipate using them for their original purpose!”
The Bartons Community Benefit Society Ltd is organising the bid to buy the 18th century Grade II listed pub, which has been closed since June. The Community Share Offer was launched on 20th November and information is available at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-our-fox where the shares can also be purchased.
*The last recorded use of the stocks as punishment in England was on 11th June 1872 in Newbury, Berkshire, when Mark Tuck was fixed in the stocks for four hours for drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
ENDS
Notes:
The Bartons Community Benefit Society Ltd was set up by residents of Middle Barton in Oxfordshire with the aim of saving their local pub, The Fox Inn. It was put on the market and closed by the owners, Stonegate Group, in June this year.
The Fox Inn, at the corner of Fox Lane and Enstone Road is in the parish of Westcott Barton, the modern address being 27 Enstone Road, Middle Barton, Chipping Norton OX7 7BL
It has been a public house since at least 1809, is early 18th century and Grade II Listed (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1052492?section=official-list-entry)
For further information or interviews:
Richard Brown MBE – BCBS Chair
mbcommunitypub@gmail.com
Steve Ferrelly - Chair, Westcott Barton Parish Meeting & BCBS Committee member
steve.ferrelly@btopenworld.com