
Church of St Mary, Bampton
Originally a Saxon minster, this large parish church dates mainly from the late 13th century but retains some earlier elements. It has an attractive 13th-century spire and some notable interior decorations. The church is currently starring in the British television series Downton Abbey.
Quick Facts
- Go Historic ID
- 249240
- Names
- Bampton ChurchBampton Parish ChurchBampton-in-the-Bush ChurchChurch of St Mary
- Coordinates
- Categories
- Affiliations
- Styles
Location Map
Aerial View
Timeline
- 12 Sep 1955
Church of St Mary designated a Grade I listed building
National Heritage List for England Data
Church of St Mary is listed on the National Heritage List for England with the following data. Some information may have become outdated since the date of listing. Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.
- List Entry ID
- 1053559
- Grade
- I
- Name
- CHURCH OF ST MARY
- Location
- CHURCH OF ST MARY, CHURCH CLOSE
- Parish
- Bampton
- District
- West Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Grid Reference
- SP 31262 03325
SP3003-3103 BAMPTON CHURCH CLOSE (South-west side) 13/56 Church of St. Mary 12/09/55
GV I Church. C10/C11 origins visible in herringbone stonework in tower and stair turret; rebuilt C12 on cruciform plan, with C12 features surviving in tower and transepts; remodelled, with aisles, late C13-early C14; transepts raised and aisles re-roofed C15; Horde chapel remodelled 1702; extensively restored 1868-70 by Ewan Christian, as dated on rainwater heads. Limestone rubble, with stone slate roofs to nave and chancel, and lead roofs to remainder. Cruciform plan with central tower and transept chapels. C15 moulded parapets with carved gargoyles, except to nave and chancel. West end of nave has much restored 5-light window with intersecting tracery, originally early C14, and fine C14 moulded doorway with ballflower and fleuron ornament. Shallow gabled west porch of same date, with wide chamfered arch and gabled side niches. 4-bay aisles are late C13 and have windows with trefoil-headed lights arranged in 3's with taller central lights. External window surrounds are unmoulded but rere-arches are cusped. North and south doorways are also trefoil-headed. North aisle has later buttresses, and gabled stair turret rises from east end. South aisle has C15 battlemented porch with diagonal buttresses and Tudor hoodmould over 4-centred arch. Inside porch are stone side shelves, shallow cusped niche, late C17 memorial tablet, and moulded roof beams. South chapel, to west of transept, has cusped niche over late C13 south window, and C15 and C16 2-light west windows...
More Historic Places Nearby
- Two Chest Tombs in Churchyard of St Mary's c. 5 M to NW of N Transept, Bampton 0.012 mi away
- Pair of Chest Tombs to Bernard Green and Bernard Green Junior, in Churchyard of St Mary's, 0.013 mi away
- Chest Tomb to George Knapp, in Churchyard of St Mary's c. 5 M N of N Aisle 0.013 mi away
- Chest Tomb to Thomas and Elizabeth Townsend, in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 7 M SE of S Tr 0.013 mi away
- Chest Tomb in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 5 M SE of Horde Chapel, Bampton 0.013 mi away
- Group of 3 Chest Tombs, 2 to Arnatt Family, in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 15 M to E of N, Bampton 0.018 mi away
- Chest Tomb in Churchyard of St Mary's c. 10 M to S of S Transept 0.019 mi away
- Chest Tomb to Ann Yarnton and William Breakspear, in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 22 M S of 0.019 mi away
- Pair of Chest Tombs to Shingleton Family, in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 4 M W of Nave 0.022 mi away
- Chest Tomb to John Busby, in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 25 M SE of S Transept, Bampton 0.023 mi away
- Chest Tomb to Groves Family in Churchyard of St Mary's, c. 25 M S of S Aisle, Bampton 0.024 mi away
- Felix Cottage; Mayville 0.025 mi away
- Kilmore House, Bampton 0.035 mi away
- Stable and Dovecote 10 M NW of Sside, Bampton 0.037 mi away
- Wall Surrounding Garden at Kilmore House 0.039 mi away
Bibliography
- Official Website of Church of St Mary. Web. Accessed 1 Nov. 2016. <http://www.bamptonchurch.org.uk/>
- “CHURCH OF ST MARY.” The National Heritage List for England. Web. Accessed 8 Oct. 2013. <https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1053559>