North Leigh
| North Leigh | |
|---|---|
 St. Mary's parish church |
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 North Leigh
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| North Leigh shown within Oxfordshire | |
| Population | 1,928 (parish, including East End and Wilcote) (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SP3812 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Witney |
| Postcode district | OX29 |
| Dialling code | 01993 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | North Leigh |
North Leigh is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of East End, and since 1932 has also included the hamlet of Wilcote. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,929.
Green Wood fort, about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the village in the grounds of Eynsham Hall, is an Iron Age hill fort.
The course of Akeman Street Roman road linking Cirencester with London forms part of the northern boundary of the parish. Two Roman villas have been excavated in the parish. One is about 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of the centre of the village and is not on display. The other, known as North Leigh Roman Villa, is about 1⁄2 mile (800 m) north of East End. It is under the care of English Heritage and is open to the public.
In 1928 the remains of eight Saxon burials from the 7th century AD were found less than 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the centre of the village. The toponym Leigh is also Saxon, derived from the Old English leah meaning a clearing. "North" distinguishes the village from South Leigh, less than 3 miles (5 km) to the south. In local dialect North Leigh is pronounced "Nor'Lye", and the parish newsletter is called the Nor'Lye News.
The Domesday Book of 1086 records that the Norman nobleman Roger d'Ivry held the manor of North Leigh. D'Ivry was a brother in arms of Robert D'Oyly who built Oxford Castle. Some of d'Ivry's manors, including North Leigh, became part of the honour of St Valery. In the 13th century the honour of St. Valery passed to the Earl of Cornwall, but when Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall died childless in 1300 it then passed to the Crown.
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Wikipedia