Grove, Oxfordshire

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The Williams F1 base, with Didcot Power Station in the distance

Grove is a village and civil parish in the English county of Oxfordshire (though formerly in Berkshire), which is best-known as the home of the Williams F1 Formula One constructor. It has lately been a site of housing development, massively increasing in size and almost merging with the nearby town of Wantage. It is now the largest village in the Vale of White Horse.

Grove has two primary schools: Millbrook and Grove C of E. The village was twinned with Mably (France) in 1990.

[edit] Location

The old village is centred at grid reference SU402905.

[edit] History

In 1142, Grove, then little more than a hamlet, was recorded when King Stephen granted a manor here to the Abbot of Bermondsey.

In 1770, the turnpike road was built as a more direct route between Wantage and Oxford. Between 1796 and 1810, the Wilts and Berks Canal was built. Its main route passed through the village and a branch of the canal was built between Grove and Wantage.

In 1840, the Great Western Railway opened Wantage Road Station on the northern boundary of Grove. In 1875, the Wantage Tramway was built. This was a single track laid alongside the turnpike road linking Wantage Road Station and Wantage. It was operated by steam tram locomotives which pulled both a passenger tramcar and a goods wagons.

Competition from the railway and tramway reduced canal traffic, and the Wilts and Berks fell into disuse in 1901. Increasing competition from road transport reduced traffic on the tram, and passenger tram services were ended in 1925.

In 1940, the then Air Ministry took an interest in a large area of farm land to the west of Grove and in 1942 the Royal Air Force took control of the site. By 1943 the United States Army Air Forces arrived and the 45th Air Depot Group established one of the largest and busiest supply airfields in Europe.

In 1945, the Wantage Tramway closed to freight traffic. One of its steam tram engines is preserved in Didcot Railway Centre. In 1965, British Railways closed Wantage Road station. Oxfordshire County Council has a policy to seek a new station to be built to serve Wantage and Grove.

The history of RAF Grove came to close in 1960, when the last of its buildings and fittings were auctioned off. Soon present day Grove began to be built on part of the former air station.

Parts of the Wilts and Berks Canal around Grove are still visible, providing some pleasant local walks. The Wilts and Berks Canal Trust is working to reopen the entire canal, and several small sections around Grove have already been restored.

[edit] Sports

Grove's rugby and football clubs play at the Cane Lane ground on the outskirts of the village. The rugby club was formed in 1971 and played other Oxfordshire and local sides until the introduction of leagues in the area. Grove RFC have steadily improved their league position, consolidating in the Southern League North division. This makes Grove one of the 4 highest rated sides in Oxfordshire. Grove RFC have consistently had among the best colts sides in the area, and have long had a policy of bringing through players from the colts to the senior sides. One of the highest achieving alumni is John Dunbar, who captained Grove in the early 2000s before moving to Newcastle and then Leeds on a professional contract. He later represented Scotland in the 2005 VI Nations, coming on in two games as a substitute.