Oakley is a village in the borough of Basingstoke and Deane in Hampshire, England, located around 4.5 miles west of Basingstoke. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 5,322. Together with the smaller village of Deane, it forms the Oakley and Deane civil parish renamed as Oakley at the 2011 Census. Oakley appears in the Domesday Book of 1086. Oakley is divided into two districts, East Oakley and Church Oakley. The village sits on chalkland. Its village magazine, Link, is published monthly.
Education and worship
Oakley has two linked educational facilities: Oakley CE Junior School and Oakley Infant school, both of which have in the past achieved 'Outstanding' ratings in OFSTED inspections. In 2015 Oakley CE Junior School's overall effectiveness was rated 'Good'. Pupils of Oakley CE Junior School won a BBC learning competition, to create a Doctor Who mini-adventure. Their winning adventure was entitled "Death Is the Only Answer". Oakley contains a small Methodist church, and the ancient Anglican church, St Leonard's. The Anglican church was recently demolished for safety reasons and has been translated into a garden of remembrance with the war memorial positioned on the site of the altar.
Facilities
In the centre of the village is a duck pond surrounded by thatched dwellings. The duck pond is inhabited by mallard ducks and coots. The village is supplied with local tradesmen, has a surgery, a central convenience store with a post office, a local butcher's, estate agent, pharmacy, veterinary surgery, a local window cleaner and a dental practice. There are three public houses, the Barley Mow, The Fox and The Beach Arms. A coffee shop was an addition to the village. Its railway station, originally on the West of England Main Line, closed in 1963, and the buildings are now used by other businesses. The village allotment site is next to the old railway station. Situated to the west of the village is Oakley Hall, an 18th-century Georgian manor that is now a hotel, used for weddings, special celebrations and corporate events.
Sports
There are opportunities for walking with the Wayfarers Way close at hand, and a riding stable and riding school are found in the village. Oakley Cricket Club was founded in 1849; OCC's grounds are at Oakley Park, where, on 11 June 1961, the Hampshire cricketer Roy Marshall captained a team for a benefit match. This team, which won the match with 246 runs, also included Arthur Milton and Cliff Michelmore. Oakley Football Club was founded in 1967 by the Chelsea FC footballer, Peter Houseman. Oakley Tennis Club has four hard courts. Oakley Bowling Club was formed in 1978 and plays on the Malshanger Estate.
Oakley Parish Council was formed in 1894. In 1966 the East Oakley ward of Wootton St Lawrence became part of the parish and in 1976 the Deane Parish Meeting also joined the council, at which point it became known as Oakley and Deane Parish Council. The 2016 chairman of the council is Ros Blackman.
