At the meeting of Council on 15 February a sum of £58,550 was awarded to 9 churches. Five grants were for restoration and maintenance, three were emergency grants and one was part of the roof alarm scheme.
St. Mary, Bloxham (Grade I listed) received a grant of £25,000 for the installation of community facilities, including a WC and kitchen. The church of Our Lady of Bloxham, informally called St Mary’s Bloxham, is notable for its 14th-century tower and spire, which is the highest in Oxfordshire. It contains the Milcombe chapel (15th-century) and has stained glass designed by Burne Jones and William Morris. The church was restored by G E Street in the 19th-century.
Holy Trinity, Over Worton (Grade II listed) received a grant of £15,000 for the restoration of the J C Bishop organ (c.1847). The medieval church was demolished in 1840s and replaced by the present
Gothic Revival building designed by J M Derick (1805-61). Some remnants of the 16th and 17th century furnishings were retained
New Road Baptist Church, Oxford (Grade II listed) received a grant of £6,000 to replace two heating boilers.
The existing building which dates from 1798 replaced the non-conformist chapel that had been on the site since 1720. The neo-classical portico was added in 1819.
St James the Great, West Hanney (Grade II* listed) received a grant of £1,000 to repairs to church bells.
The origins of the church are Saxon, completed by the Normans and much altered over the centuries. The original central Tower was demolished and replaced by the North Transept Chapel-cum-Tower in the late 12th century. In the 14th century a South aisle was added. The Chancel was completely rebuilt in the 15th century, but the 14th-century stained-glass east window in the decorated style was retained. In the 19th-century the tower was partly rebuilt and the existing set of 6 bells were rehung.
St Peter, 500 (Grade II listed) received a grant £500 to replace the stone cross above the South Porch.
The church has its origins as a chapel of ease to the church of St Peter in the East, Oxford, (c.1236) although architectural evidence indicates it existed by the late 12-th century. In 1859 the whole church, except the tower, was demolished and rebuilt in 14th-century style to designs by Charles Buckeridge (1832 – 73).
Council noted the emergency grants recently awarded to
St Peter, Alvescot (Grade II* listed) £2,500 for roof support; St Bartholomew, Ducklington (Grade I listed) £1,000 repairs to coping stones; and SS Peter and Paul, Swalcliffe (Grade I listed) £3,000 drainage works.
Further details can be found by going to Grants Awarded.