History of Kidlington
Until the Enclosure Act of 1818, the southern part of the parish consisted of a large area of common land and the village was known as Kidlington-on-the Green. Many of the older houses faced onto this green. There was also a ‘Town Green’ running along much of the present Mill Street .
In the 1920s and 1930s Kidlington was subject to ribbon development along the main (now A4260) road through the village. Since 1945 many housing estates have been built behind this on both sides. Compared with a population of 1,300 in 1901, Kidlington and Gosford’s population is now 17,500 and the village is the second largest in England .
The name Kidlington was derived from the tun (Anglo-Saxon word meaning settlement) of the Kidlings or sons of Cydel – hence Cudelinga tun. There was a Saxon settlement with a small church in 1073/4. By 1214 the spelling Kedelinton appears in a Calendar of Bodleian Charters.
The fine parish church of St Mary the Virgin dates from 1220 and is admired for its fine medieval glass and ancient woodwork. The slender spire, known as “Our Lady’s Needle” is a well-loved landmark. The church was extended about 1330 by Abbot Thomas of Kidlington and again about 1450 by Abbot Thomas of Hook Norton. The spire dates from the time of the later Thomas.
If you’re interested in Local History and would like to know more, please visit the Kidlington Historical Society Website.
Kidlington Village
(See also our pages about Kidlington’s history, organisations and services, and walks.)
Kidlington is one of England’s largest villages with a population of nearly 14,000.
Until the 20th Century, Kidlington was very much a rural community. The old village centre along the High Street, Mill Street and Church Street, is a well-preserved Conservation Area with a very large and varied range of fine historic buildings.
In 1928 land along the main road through the village was sold for housing and, just prior to World War II building of the Garden City estate was started in the south of the parish.Since 1945 many other estates have been built.
Today Kidlington has a modern shopping centre, library, a large community entre in Exeter Hall, a lively High Street market on Fridays and Saturdays, and many modern dwellings. There are a good number of pubs, cafes and restaurants in or near the village centre as well as dispersed through the village. There is ample free parking by the shopping centre.
Kidlington also has the headquarters of the County Fire Service, the Thames Valley Police and the County St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Kidlington is well provided for by schools and community education. There are four primary schools and nurseries attached to three of these. Gosford Hill School is a large 11-18 Comprehensive and Specialist College of Mathematics and Computing. On the same campus is a thriving community education centre providing a wide range of learning and leisure programmes and courses.
Kidlington enjoys good sports facilities. As well as recreation and sports areas managed by the Parish Council and Kidlington Recreation Trust, there is a Sports Complex with swimming pool on the Gosford Hill School campus and a fine modern Sports Pavilion with associated pitches at Stratfield Brake.
In addition to shops and offices within the main part of the village, Kidlington has an expanding office and commercial area along the Langford Lane to the north of the village. This Langford Locks area has a thriving business community that attracts businesses from all industry sectors.
This whole area employs nearly 4000 workers. Adjacent to Oxford Airport is the Spires Business Park with occupiers varying from the likes of Elsevier to Thames Valley Police.
Opposite is Langford Business Parks and Oxford Motor Park , a huge collection of motor traders representing many of the popular car companies.
For more information about the village, see also the Kidlington Voice web-page.
