More information : (SP 3103 Sited from Church and main part of Bampton Town on OS 1:10000, 1975)
The town is on a gravel terrace and was surrounded by common land until 1750. Various Iron Age and Roman finds have been made, particularly to the E. It was the site of a battle in 614. In 1086 it was in the hands of the King and was one of the richest places in the country. Bampton had both a saltworks and a market, but its later great property was based on wool. The decline in wealth may have been connected with the black death and resultant agricultural changes. Three main streets converge in a triangular market place with a rambling network of back lanes. Licence to crenellate the castle was granted in 1315 and it was occupied until the C17. The church was a minster and there are signs of Saxon work in the tower. The other buildings of the town are more on a village scale and only 2 show medieval structure. Most buildings are of the C18 and C19 and are predominantly of stone. (1) |