The new homes in Walford Road were part of the extensive development when Sibford School sold Sibford Manor and its adjacent buildings to a development company in 2001. Squire Thomas Walford purchased the Manor in 1657. The house remained in the Walford family for 150 years. It underwent major development in 1666 and was further remodeled and stone clad in the popular Queen Anne style – much as we see it today.

In 1839 Joshua Lamb walked to Oxford from Sibford to consider, with other Quakers, the establishment of an agricultural school in the Midlands. The house they finally chose was the ‘Great House’ in Sibford Ferris known locally as The Manor. The current owner in 1841, Thomas Harris, sold it to the Society of Friends for £1200 for ‘the purposes of having a school’. It had barns and a farmyard to the rear of the house.

A forerunner in comprehensive education as a mixed boarding school, known as Sibford School, it opened to its first pupils in 1842. In the 1930s the school was extended when building started on the new ‘Hill’ site on land opposite the old Manor buildings. Further building on the Hill site took place in the 1960s and pupils continued to use both facilities until 2001 when the Manor was sold and plans were submitted for a major housing development by Swan Hill Investments. The Manor building was refurbished into apartments and in total 22 new homes were completed in 2006. The new road was called Walford Road after the original builder of the Manor – nothing to do with Eastenders!

Extensive piling work was undertaken to stabilise the site and a boarding house, laundry and swimming pool were demolished to make way for the new homes. Part of the planning application to develop the site for housing required the developers to deposit £30,000 with Cherwell District Council as ‘Section 106’ monies. This was specifically to be used to develop play facilities for children and teenagers in the village.

Sibford Manor legacy: The Cotswold Close play equipment, originally installed and funded by local villagers and opened in 1990, was beginning to suffer from timber rot at ground level in 2007 so half of the ‘106’ money was used to refurbish the existing play area. The lease remained with Cherwell District Council and the care and maintenance of the equipment was passed over to Sibford Ferris Parish Council. They have continued regular safety inspections and in 2018 the Play area was further refurbished. Recently, in 2024, some of the timber equipment and other play items were completely replaced with new items ensuring a safe and exciting area for our younger children to enjoy – a legacy from the Manor development in the Ferris.

The remaining ‘106’ money from the Manor development was eventually used as part of the payment for the Multi Use Games Area in the grounds of Sibford School which addressed the needs of older children and was opened in 2011. The community sports facility, shared with Sibford School, features an all-weather synthetic surface, basketball hoops, goal ends and integrated pod seating, and is a valued amenity by younger villagers. An outdoor gym providing several pieces of fitness equipment adjacent to the multi-use game area was a grant funded, further addition for young and older adults.

My thanks to all those who have followed my articles this year and wishing all readers a very Happy Christmas and healthy and peaceful 2026.

Maureen Hicks