Churchill : Old Church

Redundant medieval church of which only the chancel remains surrounded by graveyard.

About this church

Remains of, latterly mortuary chapel now redundant. C13 and C14, demolished except for chancel in 1825; restored 1869 by C.C. Rolfe for Elizabeth Barter in memory of her husband, Charles. Limestone rubble with alternating. angle quoins and chamfered plinth, roughcast to north, south and east sides and regularly coursed and dressed to rebuilt west end. Stone slate roof with coped verges. Chancel only survives of C13/14 church consisting of nave, chancel, north and south aisles with tower at east end of former and south porch. South side. C17 leaded transomed window to left and chamfered cross window to right, both with dripstones; infilled square-headed chamfered doorway directly below right window. Similar cross window to north wall. East end has lancet of 1869 in larger C14 window opening (apparently infilled when lancet inserted), of which part of hoodmould survives. West end, rebuilt in 1825, and again in 1869 has reused C13 pointed doorway (probably the former south doorway) with roll and hollow mouldings, 3 orders of detached nook-shafts with bell capitals and C19 hoodmould set in slight gabled projection of 1869 with C19 cross to apex. Gabled bellcote (1825) with round-headed arch housing single bell. Interior. Trenched double-purlin roof in 3 bays with collar and slightly cambered tie beam trusses. Fittings and furnishings C19 and later; wooden funeral bier. Monuments. Prominent memorial on north wall to Sir John Walter (d.1772): inscription panel with round-arched moulded surround flanked by fluted Ionic pilasters. Several smaller C17 and C18 wall tablets and memorials including brass plate on east wall. Cl7 armorial device fixed to south wall and several C18 grave slabs in floor.

A Buckler drawing shows the church soon after the demolition work of 1825. In it the old south porch has been moved to the west end of the chancel and the lower parts of the aisles and tower are still visible. In 1869 the porch was taken down and the inner doorway set in its present gabled projection. Extensive earthworks of the deserted medieval village lie in the fields to south and west. (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p545; Joseph Skelton: Antiquities of Oxfordshire (1823), pp52-3; Bodleian Library: Oxfordshire: MS.Top.0xon.a.66 no.170) [2513]

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