Grove Parish Council

The village of Grove lies 13 miles south-west of Oxford where the Thames Valley meets the Berkshire Downs.  At first glance it is much the same as many other dormitory villages all over the country, but a closer look reveals its true nature, which is very special indeed.

Its favoured position, tens of miles from any major industry, gives the village a peaceful and unpolluted aspect and it stands amid traditional farming areas.  Despite this, the village has grown, in post-war years, from a small, self-sufficient hamlet to a thriving modern community that has benefited from its past in a very unique way, preserving, accidentally perhaps, many of its advantages and making a blessing of its past scars.

From a hamlet of about 500 souls, it has grown to almost 10,000 inhabitants with shops and schools to meet the needs of its newcomers.  The extensive acreages given over to housing are designed for ease of access to the modern schools in comparative safety along a network of safe walkways, only seldom needing to cross roads or encounter traffic.  Old Mill Hall, in School Lane opposite Millbrook School,  is the centre for numerous activities from weight-watching to photography.  The hall also houses the Parish Council offices and nearby is the Grove Day Centre for the Elderly and an up to date hard play area for teenagers.