After the completion of Barley and Sycamore Closes in the early 1970s plans were submitted for Banbury District Council to build 12 houses and six bungalows in a field on Pound Lane behind the eight existing council-owned bungalows facing onto the lane. As the name suggests, the Gower animal pound, where stockmen could safely enclose their stock overnight, was situated on the widest part of the lane just above the Bridleway now called Backside Lane. The area was enclosed by stone walling which was later used for walls in Burdrop.

The site was on Field Numbers 33 and 34, known as The Pound, plus Field Numbers 35 and 36, known as Little Oddies. They were part of the small 20-acre farm belonging to Harry West became unable to manage the farm work his friends Henry and Lewis Poulton cultivated it as a smallholding. The name of the builders is uncertain but it may have been Gilkes or Cherry’s from Banbury or Billy Hicks of Hook Norton, all of whom did building work for the District Council, providing homes for families requiring social housing.

The new homes, first occupied in 1974, had ducted hot-air electric heating to the downstairs rooms. All properties had a separate WC from the bathroom but there was no upstairs heating. The balance of bungalows and houses in the cul-de-sac ensured a close community where children could safely play and more elderly residents could rely on support from neighbours. Over time some of the houses have been bought from the council and many owners have carried out extensive improvements to update and extend their properties. Recently, those that remain in council ownership have had heat pumps and solar panels installed. Current residents, who have lived there since the houses were built in 1974 have seen many changes within the community and the number of vehicles mean it is no longer a safe place for children to play out on the street.

Maureen Hicks