| Greatworth | |
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Greatworth
Greatworth shown within Northamptonshire |
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| Population | 824 (2001 Census)[1] 829 (2010 est)[2] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SP5542 |
| - London | 72 miles (116 km) |
| Parish | Greatworth |
| District | South Northamptonshire |
| Shire county | Northamptonshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Banbury |
| Postcode district | OX17 2 |
| Dialling code | 01295 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | South Northamptonshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Northamptonshire | |
Greatworth is a village about 4 miles (6.4 km) north-west of Brackley, Northamptonshire, England.
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The Church of England parish church of Saint Peter was built in the 13th century and the bell tower was added in about 1300.[3] The architect H.R. Gough rebuilt the chancel arch in 1882.[3] In 2005 a new ring of six bells was hung in the tower.[4] St. Peter's parish is now part of the Chenderit benefice.[5]
Greatworth Manor House burned down in 1793, and only its ornate gatepiers remain.[3]
In the 19th century a branch of the Stratford on Avon and Midland Junction Railway was built past Greatworth, joining the Banbury to Verney Junction Branch Line at Cockley Brake Junction 0.5 miles (800 m) south of the village. British Railways closed the branch line in the middle of the 20th century.
In 1949 the Air Ministry bought land from Balliol College, Oxford[6] to create RAF Greatworth,[7] which was an RAF Radio Communications station from early in the 1950s until 1988.[8] In 1973 the station had a selection of HF radio transmitters, including the Marconi HS31 (6 kw), HS51 (30 kw), HS71 (12 kw) and the Marconi MST (Marconi Self Tuner) 1200 (30kw). There was also a selection of Racal Speedrace transmitters, one of which offered remote control of frequency and aerial parameters from Systems Control. The aerial farm hosted steerable Yagi antennae, dipoles, rhombics and bicones - all types of HF antenna. A 24 hour watch system, each consisting of an RAF Sergeant, a Junior Technician (JT), a Senior Aircraftman (SAC) and a civilian Radio Technician was maintained which carried out preventive and corrective maintenance and also re-tuned the transmitters and their drive units as directed by Systems Control at RAF Stanbridge.
After closure the site was leased to the USAF until it was handed back to the Ministry of Defence in February 1992.[9] [10] The site is now Greatworth Park trading estate, for which the original RAF buildings have been retained and extended[11] It has been established by Bletchley Park, that RAF Greatworth was in service from 1939 and operated through WW2 as transmitters for Bletchley Park.
Greatworth has a post office, a social club and a primary school.[12]
Greatworth has one public house, The Inn,[13] that belongs to the Hook Norton Brewery.