Nettlebed

Chancel east window by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens in St Bartholomew's parish church

The Church of England parish of Saint Bartholomew was originally a chapelry of the adjacent parish of Benson. There is a record of the Empress Matilda giving the benefice of Benson, including chapels at Nettlebed and Warborough, to the Augustinian Abbey at nearby Dorchester, Oxfordshire in about AD 1140.[12]

The Mediæval church building was replaced in 1845–46 by the present Gothic Revival brick building, designed by a member of the Hakewill family of architects.[13] The only surviving part of the previous church is the lower stages of the brick west tower, which seems to be 18th-century.[14]

The church has some 20th-century stained glass windows, including two made in 1970 by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. One is the chancel east window, in which a central tree of life is flanked by fish on one side and butterflies on the other.[15] The other is the baptistery south window in the south aisle. This shows a tree of life with birds perching in it including an owl, a hawk and a pheasant.[16]

The tower has a ring of six bells, all cast by Charles and George Mears of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1846.[17]

Bricks, tiles and pottery were made in Nettlebed from the second half of the 14th century[18][19] until the 1930s. In the 15th century Nettlebed supplied ceramic tiles to Abingdon Abbey[18] and bricks to Stonor House.[20] The name "Crocker End" means "Potter's End". One remaining brick "bottle kiln" is preserved in Nuffield. It may be 17th-century. It is a Grade II* listed building.[21]

In 1674 George Ravenscroft obtained from Nettlebed the sand used in the make the first flint glass.

Nettlebed smock mill

Nettlebed had what seems to have been the only smock mill in Oxfordshire.[22] It used to be at Chinnor but was moved to a windier site at Nettlebed in about 1825. It was a slender octagonal building with four common sails and a fantail. It burned down in 1912.[23]

The village has a long-established and highly regarded folk club which holds concerts on Monday evenings from 8pm at The Village Club in Nettlebed High Street. The Folk Song Club is a volunteer run, non-profit organisation. It was founded in July 1975 at the Bull Inn. When Brakspear Brewery closed the Bull Inn in 1991, the club moved to its present venue, which has capacity for 200 people.[24]

Many notable singers and musicians have performed at the club. They include Martin Carthy, Fairport Convention, John Kirkpatrick, Ralph McTell, Show of Hands, Steeleye Span and Richard Thompson.[24]

The Club is also known for special performances such as its "Feast of Fiddles'" where a mix of leading national performers and local artists provide themed evenings. In 2002 the club won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Club of the Year Award.[25]

A Thames Travel bus on route X38 on the A4130 road at The Green in Nettlbed

Thames Travel bus route X38 links Nuffield with Wallingford and Oxford in one direction and Henley and Reading, Berkshire in the other. It stops on the A4130 main road at Nettlebed Green, near the brick kiln at the east end of the village. Buses run generally hourly from Mondays to Saturdays. There is no Sunday service.[26]

Nettlebed puddingstone