At the meeting of Council on 30th May a sum of just over £121,000 was awarded to 15 churches which represents a further increase in the level of grants given by the Trust. The Trustees intend to maintain this for as long as possible in order to help churches cope with rising building costs and to encourage them to move ahead with their programmes of maintenance and development following the various challenges that face organizations in the present economic climate. We were pleased to note that we were able to offer two grants for feasibility studies – a new category of grant offered by the Trust. Details on our website.
St Mary’s Bampton (Grade I) received the largest grant of £24,000 for repairs to the roof of the West Chapel and South Porch to deal with serious water ingress, associated works to carpentry and rainwater disposal installation.
The present appearance and layout of the church is a result of remodelling in the late 13th century when arcades and aisles were added and transepts altered. Remains of 11th century features can be found at the stair turret and the present chancel. The whole was substantially remodelled in 1870.
St Mary’s Black Bourton (Grade I) received a grant of £20,000 for the installation of a kitchen, a disabled-access toilet and laying of pipes to connect to mains water.
The original building is 11th century and the highlight is its 13th century wall paintings. These were covered at the Reformation, and revealed when the church was restored in 1866. The North doorway is 14th century and the Bell tower was added in the 15th century. The North transept contains the Hungerford memorial chapel.
St Nicholas, Tackley (Grade II*) received a grant of £18,000 for the replacement of the existing organ.
The cruciform plan church is 11th century in origin and contains both Saxon and Norman architectural features. It contains a memorial chapel for the Harborne family.
All Saints, Mollington (Grade II*) received a grant of £15,000 for stonework repairs.
The earliest parts of the parish church date from the 14th century, but the font is 13th century so there may have been an earlier church building on the site. The building was restored in 1856 under the direction of the Gothic Revival architect William White (1825-1900)
St Mary Magdalene Stoke Talmage (Grade II) received a grant of £10,000 for external stonework repairs.
This 13th century church suffered neglect over the centuries; rebuilt in 1758, extended in 1860 by Gilbert Scott (1811-78) and now in dire need of considerable restoration The work funded by this grant is the first of several phases planned.
St Andrew, Chinnor (Grade I) received a grant of £7,000 for stonework repairs to two windows and the doorway to the South Porch.
The church is 13th century with later additions. It contains a distinctive series of 16 oil paintings by Sir James Thornhill (1675-1734), identified as the cartoons for the Rose Window in Westminster Abbey.
St Michael & Angels, Leafield (Grade II) received a grant of £6,000 for the installation of an efficient heating system.
This very large Gothic Revival church was designed by George Gilbert Scott (1811-78) and built in 1858.
St Andrew, Oddington (Grade II*) received a grant of £5,000 for repairs to the South porch and minor repairs to the stained glass in the West window.
The church was built at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. Between 1884 and 1886 the church was heavily restored by E.G. Bruton (1826-99): the bell tower and the north wall of the chancel were rebuilt, and the vestry, north aisle and several windows were added.
St Mary, Cholsey (Grade I) received a grant for £4,000 for the purchase of an electronic organ to replace the existing, failing instrument.
Founded as an abbey church by King Ethelred the Unready in approximately 986. Much of the church as seen today is Norman and it unusually retains its original cruciform shape. It was reordered internally in the 1980s.
Dorchester Abbey (Church of SS Peter and Paul) (Grade I) received a grant of £3,000 for repairs to the Abbey Turret Clock.
The imposing church is all that remains of an Augustinian abbey, founded in 1140. It was enlarged in the 13th and 14th centuries and restored in the I9th century. It has good medieval stained glass, a remarkable Jesse window, and a rare lead font.
St Mary, Adderbury (Grade I) received a grant of £2,500 for repairs to the South Transept Window.
This 13th century church contains a superb series of carvings both inside and outside. After many alterations over the years the church fell into disrepair in the 18th century. In the 19th century it was restored, between 1831-4 by J.C. Buckler (1793-1894), later in 1866-70 by Gilbert Scott (1811-78).
St Laurence, Combe (Comba Longa) (Grade I) received a grant of £1,200 for churchyard works.
The church is late 14th century with a fine and spacious nave and chancel. It contains outstanding 15th century wall paintings including a Doom over the chancel arch.
St Nicholas, Rotherfield Greys (Grade II*) received a grant for £1,000 to upgrade the tower clock.
This small aisleless 13th century village church with timber bellcote was almost entirely rebuilt in the Victorian era, except for the Jacobean chapel with the magnificent Knollys family tomb.
The Trust also made awards under the auspices of the Feasibility Grants scheme which provides funding for Feasibility/Investigative works and architect’s fees prior to the start of a church project for repairs or enhancements. The churches of St Mary Chesterton (Grade II) and St Mary, Thame (Grade I) received a grant of £2,500 and £2,280 respectively.