Welcome to the website for the village of Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England. Within these pages you will find information on the village, the Parish Council and its activities, a directory of local businesses and services, information on clubs and groups, and lots of other things too.
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The three giant cooling towers at Didcot Power Station were reduced to rubble and enveloped the site in clouds of smoke in a controlled explosion at seven o’clock yesterday morning.
The towers, each 325 feet tall disappeared in twenty seconds – wiped from the landscape.
More than thirty people from Long Wittenham gathered to witness history in the making and it was a party atmosphere among those watching the demolition event along the footpath between Fieldside and Saxons Heath. In one garden a family of six sitting in picnic chairs had a front row seat. Mugs of tea helped pass the time.
People started gathering from 6am but they had to wait another hour before the sound of explosions ripped through the quiet Sunday morning air. Those who failed to make the event were woken by loud explosions and the noise of rattling doors and windows.
For some of those watching it was an emotional moment and they were saddened to see iconic features of the landscape disappear. Vic Lester, 75, from Sinodun Close, Saxons Heath, worked on the site in the late 1960s. After the towers had gone Vic’s wife Jill said: “It was said to see the towers disappear. The power station has been part of the community for a very long time. The towers and chimney were part of the landscape. You knew when you were nearing home when you saw them on the horizon. Now they’re gone a lot of people will miss them.”
Originally there were six towers. Three were demolished in 2014. Tragedy struck three years ago when four men were killed as they worked on preparing the main boiler house for demolition.
Like a giant finger pointing to the sky the 654ft high chimney remains, looking like a sad and lonely testimony to a bygone industrial age. It’s due to bite the dust at an undisclosed date in October and then the whole site will make way for a new breed of high-tech companies, homes and leisure facilities.
Residents will be aware that RWE will be demolishing the final three cooling towers of Didcot A Power Station in the early hours of Sunday 18th August.
The Earth Trust has asked the Parish Council to inform local residents of their emergency procedures for dealing with the potential increase in footfall.
Please read their letter here.
Residents who are not already subscribers to South Oxfordshire District Council’s digital newsletter “South News” may like to download the latest edition here.
Oxfordshire County Council is currently running an Oxfordshire Cycle Survey. The survey asks what people like or dislike about cycling in Oxfordshire, particularly looking at Oxford, Didcot and Bicester, but also about any problems encountered across the county.
The results of the survey will support the production of the first ‘local cycling and walking infrastructure’ plans for Oxford, Bicester and Didcot and is open for Continue reading
Residents may have seen some activity on the Community Hub site. Exploratory trenches are being dug to verify the situation regarding any possible archeological remains on the site.
An initial study of various records showed that there might be some remains beneath the site and so Oxfordshire County Council’s Archeology Officer has been consulted about what further investigation is required before the site design is finalised to Continue reading
Quiz fans from across South Oxfordshire are expected to converge on Little Wittenham this September and everyone is invited.
The Quiz Night, on Wednesday 4th September, to help raise funds for the Earth Trust, will take place in their beautiful 19th century barn.
Teams of up to six people can sign up for what’s shaping up to be an entertaining evening Continue reading
Mark the third Monday of each month in your calendar to remind you to come along to St Mary’s Church at 1:45pm for the new Long Wittenham Film Club which starts on Monday 16th September.
Age UK will be screening a classic movie each month and the club is open to all residents. Bring a cushion and come along to enjoy a good film with a slice of cake and a cup of tea in the interval.
South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) has asked the Parish Council to inform residents that shortly, every home in South Oxfordshire will receive a yellow letter (a ‘Household Enquiry Form’) requiring residents to confirm everyone over the age of 16 who lives in their property.
When it arrives, simply visit www.householdresponse.com/southandvale to confirm that your details are correct or, if not, provide the correct information. You will need the two- Continue reading
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), which provides the electricity distribution network across central southern England, has prepared this very useful leaflet containing information about what to do in the event of power failures during storms.
There is more information on the SSEN Website: www.ssen.co.uk
This year’s end of year play, performed by the leavers of Long Wittenham Primary School was a mix of pantomime and musical comedy, and it was great fun.
There was a combination of many styles of theatre: music, dance and comedy. The comedy took many forms, one liner jokes, slapstick, more puns (starting with the play’s title) than you would hear in an edition of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue and Continue reading
