King's Sutton Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids King's Sutton
King's Sutton's central crossroads and village green in 2009
King's Sutton
Population	2,069 (2001 census) 2,112 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	SP4936
• London	62 miles (100 km)
Civil parish	King's Sutton
Unitary authority	West Northamptonshire
Ceremonial county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Banbury
Postcode district	OX17
Dialling code	01295

Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands

EU Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	South Northamptonshire
Website	King’s Sutton Parish Council website
List of places UK England Northamptonshire 52°01′23″N 1°16′34″W / 52.023°N 1.276°W / 52.023; -1.276

King's Sutton is a charming village in West Northamptonshire, England. It is located in the beautiful valley of the River Cherwell. The village is about 4 miles (6.6 km) south-east of Banbury, Oxfordshire.

The area around King's Sutton also includes small nearby places. These are the hamlets of Astrop and Upper Astrop.

History of King's Sutton
- Early Times
- The English Civil War
Village Church
Other Interesting Buildings
Astrop House
Getting Around
Village Life and Amenities
- Local School
- Places to Eat and Play
Notable People
Gallery
See also

History of King's Sutton

Early Times

The name 'King's Sutton' means 'the King's south estate'. This tells us it was once an important royal place.

About half a mile north of the village, there's a place called Blacklands. This was once a Roman town. People have found Roman coins from the 4th century AD there.

A very special baby, Saint Rumwold, is said to have lived and died in King's Sutton in 662. Legend says he lived for only three days but spoke about his faith the whole time!

The English Civil War

During the English Civil War, King's Sutton played a small but important role. The town of Banbury had an arms industry at the time.

In 1645, Royalist soldiers were busy digging for saltpetre in King's Sutton. Saltpetre is a key ingredient for making gunpowder. They would then take it to a special house near Banbury to make the gunpowder. So, King's Sutton was a local center for finding this important material.

Village Church

The Church of England parish church of Saints Peter and Paul is very old. Its oldest parts, like the font and much of the chancel, are from the Norman period.

Later, in the 13th and 14th centuries, parts like the north and south aisles were added. The tall bell tower and most of the windows are in a style called Decorated Gothic. The spire was added to the tower later, making it about 198 feet (60 meters) tall. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, a famous expert, called it "one of the finest... spire in this county of spires".

Today, the church is part of a group of churches. This group includes the nearby parishes of Newbottle and Charlton.

360 degree panorama taken in King's Sutton, United Kingdom. You can clearly see the Church of England parish church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Other Interesting Buildings

The Court House was built around 1500. It is made partly of stone and partly with timber-frames. It was changed a few times in the 16th and 18th centuries.

The manor house was built in the middle of the 17th century.

Astrop House

Astrop Park house

Astrop House is a large country house about 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of the village. It was built around 1740 for Sir John Willes, who was a very important judge.

Famous architect John Soane added some parts to the house. Later, William Wilkinson added other buildings like a keeper's lodge. The beautiful gardens were designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown, a very famous landscape designer.

Astrop was also known for a special Spa in the 17th century. People believed its waters had healing powers. Today, only a small well, known as St. Rumbald's Well, remains.

Getting Around

The Oxford and Rugby Railway line was built between 1845 and 1850. It runs through the west side of King's Sutton. The Great Western Railway took over the line and opened King's Sutton railway station in 1872.

Today, you can catch Chiltern Railways trains from King's Sutton. These trains go to places like London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill. There are also Great Western Railway (train operating company) services to Oxford and Didcot Parkway.

King's Sutton railway station was updated in 2009. It got a new footbridge, a new shelter, and better fencing.

Village Life and Amenities

The village has a parish council with 15 members. This council helps manage local matters for the community.

The King's Sutton Heritage Trust Fund was started in 2005. Its goal is to protect and improve the history, buildings, and facilities of the village. They work to benefit everyone who lives there.

Local School

Kings Sutton Primary School is on Richmond Street. It celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008! The school was rated "good" in its 2010 inspection. The report said the headteacher provides "focused leadership" for the students. The school used to be in a different building on Astrop Road, which is now a private house. King's Sutton also has a pre-school for younger children.

Places to Eat and Play

King's Sutton has two public houses, which are like local pubs: The Butchers Arms and The White Horse.

There is also a lawn tennis club for people who enjoy playing tennis.

Notable People

Olga Kevelos, a famous motorcycle racer, used to be the landlady of The Three Tuns pub in King's Sutton.
Arthur Halestrap, one of the last British soldiers from the First World War, lived and died in the village.