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The Wheatsheaf was situated on The Green.  This grade-II listed pub is now in residential use.

My Uncle, Ernest Busby, ran the Wheatsheaf, with his wife Joan, in the 1950s, before moving on to manage the Fleur de Lys pub in Broad Street, Banbury. My brother and I often visited them for a treat, with my Mum (Ernest's sister Laurie). A treat because we knew Uncle Ern would always offer us a lemonade - a rare treat for us! I remember it as a typical country pub - lots of little rooms, all with stone flag floors. My brother and I used to love playing 'out the back', where there was a large barn, as I recall, and we used to play 'soldiers' in the loft part. We had found a couple of old swords (yes real swords!) there, so we were, of course, pirates for a while. I can remember Uncle Ern saying that he sometimes 'freshened up' a barrel of beer that was getting stale, with a pint of lemonade. I can only apologise to locals, on his behalf, for his watering the beer in that way!

Jo Storey (February 2021)

Listed building details:

Public house, now house. Late C18. Colourwashed brick with wooden lintels and some marlstone-ashlar quoins; marlstone rubble; Welsh-slate roof with brick end stacks. 2-unit plan. 2 storeys. Symmetrical 3-window front, with brick storey band, has a central 6-panel door with canopy between wide 5-light canted bay windows; first floor has casements of 3, 2 and 3 lights. Steep-pitched roof. Side and rear walls are probably stone. Interior not inspected. Said to have been built as a public house in 1782. Included for group value.

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