Cassington | |
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St Peter's parish church |
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Cassington shown within Oxfordshire | |
Population | 750 (2011 Census) |
OS grid reference | SP4510 |
Civil parish |
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District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Witney |
Postcode district | OX29 |
Dialling code | 01865 |
Police | Thames Valley |
Fire | Oxfordshire |
Ambulance | South Central |
EU Parliament | South East England |
UK Parliament | |
Website | Cassington Parish Council |
Cassington is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Oxford. The village lies on gravel strata about 1⁄2 mile (800 m) from the confluence of the River Evenlode with the River Thames.
The parish includes the hamlet of Worton northeast of the village and the site of the former hamlet of Somerford to the south. Somerford seems to have been abandoned early in the 14th century. Cassington is formed of two parts, "upper" and "lower", each with its own village green.
The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 750.
Evidence has been found of Neolithic occupation. Traces have been found of a Saxon settlement with buildings, a village boundary and a field system.
Cassington's toponym is derived from the Old English Caersentun meaning "tun where cress grows". The Domesday Book of 1086 records the village as Cersetone in the Oxfordshire hundred of Wootton.
In 1086 William the Conqueror's half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux was the feudal overlord of Cassington. Cassington was divided into different manors. Odo granted the mesne lordship of the largest manor to Ilbert de Lacy and two smaller manors to Wadard, a knight in William's court.