Souldern (St. Mary)

SOULDERN (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Bicester, hundred of Ploughley, county of Oxford, 4 miles (E. by S.) from Deddington; containing 604 inhabitants. The Oxford and Birmingham canal passes through the parish, and the river Cherwell forms the western boundary. The soil on the lower grounds is clay, and stony on the hills: strong plank-stones are quarried here, and used extensively in the neighbourhood. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £8. 14. 2., and in the gift of St. John's College, Cambridge: the tithes have been commuted for £428. 11.; there is a glebe-house, and the glebe contains 13¼ acres. The church is a curious ancient structure, with a tower in the Norman style; a Norman arch which separated the nave from the chancel was destroyed in rebuilding the latter, and other alterations and repairs have defaced the original character of the edifice. The churchyard and parsonage are the theme of Wordsworth's beautiful sonnet entitled A Parsonage in Oxfordshire. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans. In 1844 some sepulchral remains, believed to be Roman, were discovered in digging stone near the village; a description has been published by Sir H. L. Dryden, Bart., accompanied by drawings. Ploughley Hill, whence the name of the hundred, is in this parish.