Village set to get its own war memorial

Currently, Arncott has a small memorial garden on the village green in Norris Road and a commemorative plaque in Ambrosden with the names of six residents who gave their lives in the First World War.

Recent Remembrance Day services have outgrown the garden, which has also been damaged by two car crashes, prompting Arncott Parish Council to redevelop the area and introduce a “proper memorial stone”.

Parish councillor Neil Thompson, who has pushed for the redevelopment for the last 12 months, said: “The memorial garden will be doubled in size.

“The garden has become too small for the last two or three years when we have had our remembrance services. So many people are there that people file onto the road, which could be dangerous, so we decided to extend the garden, as well as having a proper memorial stone, which we have never had before.”

The new garden will have a bigger paved area.

The existing memorial plaque was originally placed at the Methodist Chapel in Green Lane. When the chapel closed it was moved to St Mary’s Church in Ambrosden.

The memorial garden was created by the parish council in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The opening ceremony included a tree planting, installing a commemorative plaque and burying a time capsule.

The council is also appealing for information on any other soldiers whose names should be included on the memorial, including residents who gave their lives in more recent conflicts.

An internet search and previous appeal drew a blank.

Mr Thompson added: “So far we have not found anybody but we have been investigating through Ambrosden Parish Church for more people that could be added to it.”

Since talks started in 2013 for the new memorial, the parish council has secured grants from Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council.

The parish council hopes the new memorial will be installed in time for this year’s Remembrance Day service in November.