Didcot power stations

Western Valley is a civil parish in the eastern part of the Vale of White Horse district of Oxfordshire, England, to the east of Harwell and the west of Didcot. Historically it was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. It consists of the western part of the Great Western Park housing estate on the edge of Didcot, and will also include the proposed Valley Park development. The parish was created in April 2023 by splitting the Harwell civil parish where it was crossed by the A34 road, which runs along most of the western boundary of Western Valley, and the Great Western Main Line runs along the northern boundary. It is bordered by the civil parishes of Harwell, Milton and Sutton Courtenay in Vale of White Horse; and by: Didcot and West Hagbourne, both being in South Oxfordshire. The parish lies wholly within the Blewbury & Harwell ward of Vale of White Horse District Council, the Hendreds & Harwell Division of Oxfordshire County Council, and the Wantage parliamentary constituency. Elections to the eight seats on the new parish council were to be held on 4 May 2023, but only one valid nomination was received by the returning officer. Nominations were reopened, and a further four candidates were elected unopposed on 14 June 2023.The parish contains two secondary schools: Aureus School and UTC Oxfordshire. These are on the western edge of the only substantial settlement, the Great Western Park housing estate, part of which is within Didcot. In the centre of this, and also partially within Didcot, is a large open space known as Boundary Park.

UTC Oxfordshire is a mixed University Technical College located in Harwell, Oxfordshire, England. It opened in 2015 and caters for students aged 14–19 years.The UTC's sponsors are Activate Learning, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, RM, Mini, Royal Holloway University of London and the University of Reading.

Sutton Courtenay is a village and civil parish on the River Thames 2 miles (3 km) south of Abingdon-on-Thames and 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Didcot. Historically part of Berkshire, it has been administered as part of Oxfordshire since the 1974 boundary changes. The 2011 census recorded the parish's population as 2,421. Sutton Courtenay is home to some important structures, such as The Abbey, the Manor House, All Saints' Church, a twelfth-century Norman hall, the Sutton Bridge, and Didcot power station.

The Abbey in Sutton Courtenay is a medieval courtyard house in the English county of Oxfordshire (formerly Berkshire). It is located in the Vale of White Horse near the River Thames, across the road from the twelfth-century Norman Hall and the Manor House. The Abbey has been recognised as a building of outstanding historic and architectural interest and is considered to be a 'textbook' example of an English medieval manor house. It has been a Grade I-listed building since 1952.The Abbey has its origins in the thirteenth century as a rectory of Abingdon Abbey, a Benedictine monastery up north in Abingdon-on-Thames. Several construction phases took place during the Middle Ages, carried out by prominent figures like Solomon of Rochester, Thomas Beckington and William Say, but it was not until the seventeenth century that the current plan was completed. It was probably during the Victorian era that the house obtained the name 'The Abbey'. From 1495 to 1867, The Abbey was in possession of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, who leased the estate among others to John Fettiplace. After being inhabited by Eve Fleming, the estate was bought by David Astor in 1958, who leased it to the Ockenden Venture which offered sanctuary to refugees and displaced children. In the 70s, The Abbey was lent to the exiled Bishop Colin Winter to house the Namibia International Peace Centre. In 1978, the Astor family sold the house and in 1980 it came into possession of The New Era Centre, a non-profit charity led by Fred Blum and Bishop Stephen Verney. The New Era Centre used The Abbey as a spiritual retreat and conference centre, and changed its name to The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay in the 1990s. The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay is a "residential centre in which a spiritual community offers hospitality to people" who are seeking spiritual refreshment, personal growth and healing. The Abbey also organises public events concerning spirituality, personal development, education, music and the arts.

The Church of All Saints, Sutton Courtenay is the Church of England parish church of Sutton Courtenay, England (which lies in the traditional county of Berkshire, but since 1974 has been administered as if part of Oxfordshire). Extant since at least the 12th century, the church has been Grade I listed since 1966. It is in the centre of the village, near the northeast corner of the village green.

Didcot Girls' School (also known as DGS) is a secondary school with academy status for students in Didcot, Oxfordshire and the surrounding rural area. The school has been awarded with Language College and Enterprise College status (as of 2006). The mixed sixth form, known as Didcot Sixth Form, is shared with St Birinus School. The school is made up of seven houses which are named after famous women who are considered potential role models for the students. These are Adie House, Bussell House, Ennis House, Greenfield House, Kennedy House, MacArthur House and Wilson House. Each house group has a different colour; red for Adie, pink for Bussell, orange for Ennis, yellow for Greenfield, purple for Kennedy, navy for MacArthur and green for Wilson. There were eight houses, but Roddick House and Plazas House were removed in September 2010 to make six. In September 2012, following Jessica Ennis' success at the London 2012 Olympics, Ennis house was created, bringing the number of houses to seven. The school has four main building blocks; St. Frideswide's (also known as Frids), Austen, Sherwood (formerly New Building) and Cockcroft. A large, modern sports hall is sited next to St. Frideswide's, and the canteen in St. Frideswide's is rated five stars. The executive headteacher, Rachael Warwick, was previously the Deputy Head at Bartholomew School. The current headteacher is Georgina Littler, having been appointed from May 2020. The "Friends of DGS" charitable committee was relaunched in 2015 by parent and staff member Lisa Turner to raise funds for the school. They have a monthly 'lottery' and September 26, 2015, saw the first ever "DGS Fest", a music, craft and beer festival within the school grounds.

The Manor House, Sutton Courtenay, is a Grade II* listed building in the Oxfordshire village, located southwest of the village green and hidden from the main road by trees. It is across the street from The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay, a medieval courtyard house.

The Wharf, Walton House and Mill House are three houses in Church Street, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, England. They are part of a complex of buildings bought and expanded by Margot Asquith, wife of the then Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, from 1911 and which formed their country home until his death in 1928. Renovations and expansions were undertaken by the architect Walter Cave and were funded by a number of Margot Asquith's friends and admirers. Margot sold the complex in 1932, and the houses have subsequently been in separate ownership. In 2006, Helena Bonham Carter, Asquith's great-granddaughter bought back Mill House. All three properties are Grade II listed buildings.

Sutton Pools are a picturesque backwater formed by a number of weirs, islands, footbridges and barriers on the course of the River Thames at Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, England. The higher level of the river is separated from the lower pools by a causeway which dates from Saxon times. This river stretch ceased to be the main navigable route after Culham Cut was constructed in the early 19th century, which also created an island to the north of the Pools. In addition there are three smaller islands, linked by footbridges over the weirs, part of a footpath between Sutton Courtenay and the village of Culham.The upper river channel at Sutton Pools used to pass beneath a paper mill, though this closed in 1897 and has been demolished. The river route is blocked by a fence here as it passes through the gardens of Mill House. A wooden footbridge and kissing gate lead to the main village.

The Milton rail crash was a crash in 1955, at Milton, Berkshire (now part of Oxfordshire). A passenger train took a crossover too fast and derailed. Eleven were killed, and 157 were injured.

Milton Park is a 250-acre (1.0 km2) mixed use business and technology park in Oxfordshire, England, operated by MEPC plc. It is just south of the village of Milton, about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Didcot. It is on the site of a former Ministry of Defence depot between the A34 and Didcot power station. Although closer to Didcot, it lies within the Abingdon postcode area.

Didcot Railway Centre is a railway museum and preservation engineering site in Didcot, Oxfordshire, England. The site was formerly a Great Western Railway engine shed and locomotive stabling point.