Radley

Coordinates: 51°41′20″N 1°14′24″W / 51.689°N 1.240°W / 51.689; -1.240

Radley /ˈrædli/ is a village and civil parish about 2 miles (3 km) northeast of the centre of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Lower Radley on the River Thames. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The village is home to Radley College, a famous boarding independent school for boys from the age of thirteen.

Parish church

The Church of England parish church of Saint James the Great was built in about 1290. The church is built of stone, but unusually its roof is supported by wooden pillars installed by a medieval Abbot of Abingdon, who was told in a vision to "seek [them] in the forest". The present south aisle dates from the 14th century but the chancel, nave and bell tower were rebuilt in the 15th century. The windows contain Royal heraldic stained glass from the latter part of the 15th century and from the Tudor period. In the tower is a stained-glass portrait believed to represent King Henry VII.

Radley (disambiguation)

Radley is a village and civil parish in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England.

Radley may also refer to:

Radley (company)

Radley is a London based, British accessories brand which designs and manufactures handbags, purses and other women’s accessories for UK and international markets. The brand was founded by Lowell Harder in 1998. Justin Stead is the current CEO of the brand and was appointed in May 2015.

History

Early years

Radley founder and current Creative Director, Australian Lowell Harder, began working in the accessories industry as a weekend stall holder on London’s Camden Market in 1984 selling Indian men’s accessories brand Hidesign. Harder began working with the Hidesign design team and together developed new designs for the UK market.

Harder’s business with Hidesign soon outgrew its market stall setting and needed increased investment and infrastructure which was supplied by the handbag company Tula Group in 1991. With the backing of the Tula Group, Harder was able to continue with Hidesign and in 1997, with a new working partner, develop a new women’s accessories brand, Radley.

‘Harder launched it [Radley] in 1998 after becoming “fed up” with seeing bags in the same colours – such as black and navy. Instead she wanted to create something different and colourful,’ wrote Drapers trade magazine in an interview with Harder in 2012.