Hook Norton
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Hook Norton is a village in north Oxfordshire, near the Warwickshire border, on the edge of The Cotswolds. It is between the market towns of Banbury and Chipping Norton, and has a population of about 2,000. The village name is believed to come from the Saxon 'Hucnor ton' meaning dwelling place of Hucnor's people. Today it is known to its inhabitants simply as "Hooky". In the centre of the village is St Peter's, a largely 15th century church of Norman origins which features some rare wall 'Doom' paintings and an unusual 13th century baptismal font featuring pagan zodiac signs, as well as an 18th century hand-pumped fire engine.
Today, Hook Norton is particularly famed for the Hook Norton Brewery which produces excellent traditional real ale. The village once had many thriving ironstone quarries, but the railway which took away their product has long gone; tall stone pillars which supported two viaducts can be seen in the valley to the south of the village.
[edit] Location
The parish church is located at Ordnance Survey mapping six-figure grid reference SP 311274 7 miles from Banbury and 5 miles from Chipping Norton.
