Company of Weavers

This striking sign announces a Wetherspoon's pub, recently opened (February 2012) in the Oxfordshire town of Witney. We were on a short visit to the town on this sunny Saturday. Once again, I can present a Blipfoto submission with a beezle (aka sheep) theme!

The pub pays homage to the town's association with the making of woollen cloth and the blankets which carried the name of the town around the world. Inside, there is a specially commissioned sculpture by David Webster, which seeks to illustrate the rich history of Witney by representing the different stages of Witney blanket making. The sculpture shows a sheep, wool, a spinning wheel, old-fashioned bobbins, and at the top industrial wheels that would have driven machinery.

In our opinion, the pub is a rather good one. There was a cider festival in full swing, and we had the pleasure of trying a contribution from Cornwall. It was delicious: still, dry and very fruity with a true apple taste. It seemed to be a refreshing form of apple juice, but at 7.2% ABV, it wouldn't do to drink too many pints...

We spent some of our time in Witney looking around the parish church, St Mary's. Its origins go back to Norman times but the present building is mostly 13th century and was dedicated in 1243. Standing on Church Green near the town centre, and with its spire a landmark for miles around, it is hard to miss.

Inside the church, we found an entertaining memorial slab that sets out the fine qualities of an 18th Century wife!

In fact, I have a connection with the person commemorated, if even only a somewhat distant one. Her husband, Robert Freind, was one of three brothers who studied at Christ Church, Oxford. One of these brothers was John Freind (1675/76-1728), who achieved distinction in several walks of life, first as a classical scholar, then as a physician and as a chemist who advocated Newtonian philosophy. His money was part of the foundation of Dr Lee's benefaction to Christ Church, which still survives in name in scientific posts in Oxford. Indeed, I was the holder of the post of Dr Lee's Reader in Chemistry until my retirement. I thus have good reason to be grateful to John Freind (as well as Matthew Lee).

If you are interested to learn more about John Freind and his family, then I must refer you to an excellent article by Sir John Rowlinson, one time Head of my Department in the wider University.