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In the Sibfords today…
Friday 15 May 2026Partly cloudy with rain
Temperature in Sibford at 9.10pm: 8°
Artweeks – Nigel Fletcher
Local artist Nigel Fletcher's Spring Exhibition runs from 9th to 25th May this year, part …
Local artist Nigel Fletcher's Spring Exhibition runs from 9th to 25th May this year, part of Oxfordshire Artweeks.
Nigel writes: This year I've been experimenting from time to time with abstract or semi - abstract painting, I can't say I'm an expert at it but really enjoy the process, working with saturated colour and in a completely different way than I'm used to has been fun, frustrating and when it goes well - very exciting! and so I'll be framing 22 and looking forward to showing them to you.
And of course there will be plenty of new figurative paintings of local scenery and painting trips to the Norfolk coast etc.
Artweeks
Come and visit a beautiful eco studio located in a pretty, village garden which houses …
Come and visit a beautiful eco studio located in a pretty, village garden which houses a jeweller, potter, a mixed media artist and a blacksmith who forges metal garden sculptures. Here you will see a huge variety of professionally made items covering all price points. This venue is part of the NGS (National Garden Scheme) so definitely worth coming to see.
Exhibiting artists: Nicola Durrant, Elly Dunford Wood, David Turner, Maya Callen-Franklin
Artweeks – Phyu Gordon & Rhiannon Evans
Phyu Gordon and Rhiannon Evans met whilst sharing the unique studio space of The Old …
Phyu Gordon and Rhiannon Evans met whilst sharing the unique studio space of The Old Mission Hall, Sibford Gower, Banbury, Oxfordshire, a building long associated with the local Society of Friends community. Their common concerns are the natural world, local and global culture, heritage and memory.
Phyu Gordon
Phyu is originally from Burma and her practice focuses on portrait paintings especially in water colour and the specialist technique of lacquer painting which she learnt in Vietnam. She will also be showing this process of making. She paints local landscape, natural images and still life in oil and acrylic as well.
Over the past 20 years she has lived in different countries and created paintings that reflect her experiences of people and cultures.
Rhiannon Evans
Rhiannon’s practice involves remediation of pre-existing imagery to make paintings and drawings on semi-transparent
materials. Her work takes on varying forms; from loose, unbound, unframed leaves, 3 – dimensional collaged sculptures and dynamic triptychs and references diverse historical traditions, archival methods and materials.
Her recent works engage with ideas of choice, possibility and the blurring of boundaries between technology, the natural world and community. Her aims is to encourage reflection on contemporary themes where she senses confusion and conflict in everyday life.
Private event
Private event
Private event
…and tomorrow
Partly cloudy with rain
Artweeks – Nigel Fletcher
Local artist Nigel Fletcher's Spring Exhibition runs from 9th to 25th May this year, part …
Local artist Nigel Fletcher's Spring Exhibition runs from 9th to 25th May this year, part of Oxfordshire Artweeks.
Nigel writes: This year I've been experimenting from time to time with abstract or semi - abstract painting, I can't say I'm an expert at it but really enjoy the process, working with saturated colour and in a completely different way than I'm used to has been fun, frustrating and when it goes well - very exciting! and so I'll be framing 22 and looking forward to showing them to you.
And of course there will be plenty of new figurative paintings of local scenery and painting trips to the Norfolk coast etc.
Quaker FHS Spring Meeting
A History Day in Oxfordshire - Quaker Family History Society Spring Meeting 2026 Join us …
A History Day in Oxfordshire - Quaker Family History Society Spring Meeting 2026
Join us for history talks and discussion at our family history meeting in the beautiful and picturesque twin villages of Sibford Ferris and Sibford Gower in Oxfordshire on Saturday 16th May 2026.
Here is a short video about the meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbSaWbqNN2I
We shall be spending the morning at Sibford School in Sibford Ferris and the afternoon at Sibford Meeting House in Sibford Gower. There will be an optional walk to take us from one place to another to see other points of interest in the picturesque villages.
This is the Quaker Family History Society's first in-person meeting since Covid and we would love to see you there.
The earliest Quakers in the villages were organised and established by 1669 and they met in the house of clockmaker Thomas Gilkes. A decade later, a purpose-built meeting house was constructed and the current meeting house dates from 1865.
In 1842, Sibford School was founded for the education of the children of 'disowned' Quakers who were not in unity, as their children were barred from going to Ackworth School. Later, children from practising Quaker families could also attend.
At our QFHS Spring Meeting, we will have talks at both the school and the meeting house on a variety of topics. These will include both Quaker-centred topics and also connected themes.
Our late member Michael Hargreave, who died in 2025, was from the Sibfords and this QFHS Spring Meeting is dedicated to his passion for family history and his memory.
We would be very happy for you to join us. All are welcome.
Tickets are £15.
If you are a resident of the Sibfords then a ticket is £5.
**You must bring a packed lunch with you as there will be no lunch facilities on the day.**
To book your place and receive further details, please confirm your attendance on meetup or facebook:
Meetup event: https://www.meetup.com/quaker-fhs/events/314495554/
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/915057558199373/
You can also contact Jon Wicken on jonwicken
Planned Timetable
- 10:30am-12:30pm Welcome and history talks at Sibford School
- 12:30-1:30pm Eating of packed lunches at the school
- 1:30pm-3pm Guided walk of the Sibfords from the school to the meeting house
- 3pm-5pm History talks including Quaker clock makers and a walk around the Quaker burial ground
About Us
The Quaker Family History Society was formed in 1993 and is a member of the Federation of Family History Societies. We are not a Quaker organisation, but a recognised external body by Britain Yearly Meeting. Our website can be found at https://qfhs.co.uk/
Artweeks
Come and visit a beautiful eco studio located in a pretty, village garden which houses …
Come and visit a beautiful eco studio located in a pretty, village garden which houses a jeweller, potter, a mixed media artist and a blacksmith who forges metal garden sculptures. Here you will see a huge variety of professionally made items covering all price points. This venue is part of the NGS (National Garden Scheme) so definitely worth coming to see.
Exhibiting artists: Nicola Durrant, Elly Dunford Wood, David Turner, Maya Callen-Franklin
Artweeks – Phyu Gordon & Rhiannon Evans
Phyu Gordon and Rhiannon Evans met whilst sharing the unique studio space of The Old …
Phyu Gordon and Rhiannon Evans met whilst sharing the unique studio space of The Old Mission Hall, Sibford Gower, Banbury, Oxfordshire, a building long associated with the local Society of Friends community. Their common concerns are the natural world, local and global culture, heritage and memory.
Phyu Gordon
Phyu is originally from Burma and her practice focuses on portrait paintings especially in water colour and the specialist technique of lacquer painting which she learnt in Vietnam. She will also be showing this process of making. She paints local landscape, natural images and still life in oil and acrylic as well.
Over the past 20 years she has lived in different countries and created paintings that reflect her experiences of people and cultures.
Rhiannon Evans
Rhiannon’s practice involves remediation of pre-existing imagery to make paintings and drawings on semi-transparent
materials. Her work takes on varying forms; from loose, unbound, unframed leaves, 3 – dimensional collaged sculptures and dynamic triptychs and references diverse historical traditions, archival methods and materials.
Her recent works engage with ideas of choice, possibility and the blurring of boundaries between technology, the natural world and community. Her aims is to encourage reflection on contemporary themes where she senses confusion and conflict in everyday life.
Horti Spring Show
With Plant Sale and refreshments
…and after that
Don't miss...
Artweeks – Nigel Fletcher
Local artist Nigel Fletcher's Spring Exhibition runs from 9th to 25th May this year, part …read more
Artweeks
Come and visit a beautiful eco studio located in a pretty, village garden which houses …read more
Artweeks – Phyu Gordon & Rhiannon Evans
Phyu Gordon and Rhiannon Evans met whilst sharing the unique studio space of The Old …read more
Artweeks – Nigel Fletcher
Quaker FHS Spring Meeting
A History Day in Oxfordshire - Quaker Family History Society Spring Meeting 2026
Join us …read more
Artweeks
Artweeks – Phyu Gordon & Rhiannon Evans
Horti Spring Show
With Plant Sale and refreshments
Artweeks – Nigel Fletcher
Artweeks
…more events
News & Notices
Sibford Ferris Parish Council Meeting
The agenda and associated documents for the May meeting of Sibford Ferris Parish Council can be found below.
Sibford Ferris Parish Annual Parish Meeting
Please see below the agenda for the Annual Meeting of Sibford Ferris Parish.
The Secret Lives of Swifts
Reminder – Christian Aid Week
Barbara Foster writes: Holy Trinity church is supporting Christian Aid Week, 10 - 16 May. Envelopes have been delivered to homes in The Sibfords and Burdrop with collection …read more
Sibford Gower Parish Council Meeting
The agenda and associated documents for the next meeting of Sibford Gower Parish Council can be found using the link below:
Shrubfest 2026
OK guys, tickets are now available to purchase for this family event supporting the Brain Tumour Charity.
Contact Nicola Durrrant at nic
Tickets are £8 …read more
Sibford Gower Annual Parish Meeting
Please see below the agenda for the Sibford Gower Annual Parish Meeting.
Sean Woodcock MP April Update
Please see below a summary from Sean Woodcock MP on his work through April 2026.
Cerys Upstone
Policy and Communications Officer for Sean Woodcock MP
Email: cerys.upstone
Between the end …read more
International Space Station
ISS over Sibford tonight - rising in the W at 10:21pm, up to 85º at 10:24pm.
Weather forecast is "clear sky", cloud cover 5%.
Notes:
- The "up to" figure is …read more
The Sibfords Newsletters
Our daily newsletters provide the local weather forecast and list upcoming village events, new planning applications, etc. Subscribe here!
…earlier news
Voices from the past
21 years ago
the Sibford Scene in June 2005
Save our Trees: I am completely dismayed each time I find yet another beautiful mature tree has disappeared. We have so few of …
Save our Trees
I am completely dismayed each time I find yet another beautiful mature tree has disappeared. We have so few of them left. One I know to have been cut unnecessarily and possibly illegally by the electricity providers, but the others have presumably been removed following the advice of tree consultants. The consultants have to cover themselves legally, and so they present a “worst case scenario”. No doubt it is possible to find reasons to say that there is a risk that every tree will fall down, but where do we stop? Shall we cut down every mature tree and be done with it? This is utter madness – part of the fear which seems to be gripping people these days, perhaps because of the way the media relentlessly dwells on it at all hours of the day and the “no win, no fee” suing situation. There is a tree in the centre of a neighbouring village which was pronounced dead 13 years ago. It is overlooking the main street and near buildings, but the villagers, very sensibly in my view, love it and will not allow it to be cut down. Several lovely mature trees have been cut in the grounds of Sibtord School. There was a good reason for this in one case I know of, but what about the others. OK new trees can be planted, but what about the intervening 50 years while we wait for these to become mature. When will common sense and sanity prevail over fear? Some people will remember the village before dutch elm disease – our villages had many, many more big trees then. Surely we should be preserving the remaining few at all costs? Have people forgotten that apart from their beauty and consequent effect on the quality of our lives and their essential role in the chain of nature (supporting a great variety of wildlife), they also help to purify our air – so necessary in today’s polluted environment – even here in the countryside.
Suzy Straw
153 years ago
Reverend Stevens's diary for Friday 18 April 1873
Local picture of the day

3/26 (1/9) Burdrop 1; from Poulton’s field (Park Farm)

3/26 (1/9) Burdrop 1; from Poulton’s field (Park Farm)


