Swyncombe intro - Victoria County History

VCH Oxfordshire • Texts in Progress • Swyncombe (Apr. 2012) • © University of London • p.
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roof. 66 Such buildings reflected the widespread agricultural prosperity of the period,
when the profits of farming enabled landowners to replace the small, old-fashioned
houses mentioned in mid 17th-century hearth taxes and inventories with more
modern and comfortable residences. 67 Rebuilding also extended to many of the
parish’s cottages, of which several were newly built or substantially enlarged in the
18th century. 68
The number of inhabited houses rose from 53 in 1801 to 80 in 1851, although
the increase did not always keep pace with population, resulting in subdivision and
overcrowding. In 1831, for example, 88 families were accommodated in 70 houses. 69
Like the earlier buildings most were of brick and flint and were unexceptional, and at
the beginning of the 20th century many still belonged to the parish’s major
landowners. 70 By then population was falling, and several houses were vacant:
twelve in 1881, eight in 1891, and six in 1901. 71 A few council houses were built at
Park Corner in the 1920s, and private development in the 1970s and 1980s raised
the number of households from 95 to 113. Over all, however, the built character of
the parish’s hamlets remained remarkably unchanged. 72
66 Bldgs List, IoE 247570, 247572–3; Sale Cat., Little Parkcorner Farm (1972): copy in OHC,
P NETT/631.2.
67 VCH Oxon. XVI, 11, 18; above, vol. intro.; below, social hist.
68 Bldgs List, IoE 247566–7 (Digberry Lane), 247571 (Park Corner), 247578–9 (Cookley
Green).
69 Census, 1801–51.
70 OHC, DV XII/59; Sale Cat., Swyncombe Est. (1921): copy in OHC, SC 140.
71 Census, 1881–1901.
72 OHC, PC 265/A/2, s.a. 1923, 1926; Census, 1921–91; below, social hist.