On the King’s Estate

 We had a choice of villages to visit today, on the way to Banbury.
Ayno, Adderbury or Kings Sutton, all about a mile from the canal.
Ayno has a wharf with services and lots of boats moored along the canal. And another weir lock. The river Cherwell crosses the course of the canal above the lock.  The towpath is raised up on this impressive bridge over the river.






After Nell Bridge lock there is a small-holding, with pigs, chicken and I’m sure other things.  There is a farm shop selling their home-grown produce, and curiously Buffalo milk ice-cream!










Kings Sutton lock is very attractive and the village can be seen behind it, with the tall slender spire of the parish church in view for a long while from the canal.






This was the village we decided to walk to today. Kings Sutton means the King’s South Estate and is actually just in the south western corner of Northamptonshire, just squeezing into Oxfordshire.


 

But to get to the village from the canal is not easy, first there’s the river Cherwell to cross………



 




then the railway line………




















and through the swishy swashy grass.






Local legend says that St Rumbold was baptised here in 662 AD. St Rumbold lived only three days, but in that time was said to have spoken holy words, declared himself a Christian and was baptised.
This church is famous for its 198ft spire built 1400 to 1450.







 

 




King’s Sutton also has its own Bog Spring, opened in 1749, in the days when St Rumbold’s Well was said to have possessed great healing properties.
 
 
 

The oldest part of the village is centred around a green, and is very attractive.

There is set of village stocks, though as they are behind railings I don’t think they have been in use recently.
 
 
Back at Twyford wharf, the number of old canally buildings show what a busy place it must have been when the canal was a working place.





And finally……..
One of the many Oxford lift bridges, this one fixed open….easy.











7.5 miles, 5 locks, 1 bridge