Otmoor
Encyclopedia : O : OT : OTM : Otmoor
Otmoor or Ot Moor is a fenland in Oxfordshire, South England (Latitude 51:49:19 N, Longitude 01:10:47 W). Located halfway between Oxford and Bicester, it is 60 meters above sea level, and has an area of approximately 160 hectares.
It is encircled by the "Seven Towns" of Otmoor - Beckley, Noke, Oddington, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Fencott, Murcott, & Horton-cum-Studley.
History
Bisected North-South by the Roman Road between Bicester and Dorchester-on-Thames, it's name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for Otta's Fen.
Enclosure
Watered by the River Ray, it was until the early 1800's unenclosed marshland, which was regularly flooded in winter. An Enclosure Act was passed in 1815, under which the area was extensively drained. This disadvantaged the local farmers and led to civil disturbances - known as the Otmoor Riots of 1829 to 1830.Lewis Carroll
The enclosure and drainage of Otmoor resulted in a characteristic field pattern. Lewis Carroll lived at Beckley, overlooking Otmoor, and this "Chessboard" landscape is believed to have been the inspiration for the second 'Alice in Wonderland' book - Through the Looking-Glass (1871).Motorway to Nature Reserve
The semi-wetland landscape provided habitat for many rare species of birds and butterflies. These were threatened in 1980 by a government proposal for the route of the M40 motorway to cross Otmoor. Opposition to the motorway was led by Friends of the Earth and included the "Alice's Meadow" campaign.An alternative route was eventually adopted by the government, and since 1997 a large part of Otmoor has become an RSPB nature reserve - with large areas of land being returned to marshland.
External Links
Further information is available on the [Otmoor Noticeboard] website.
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