Steventon Oxfordshire Village WebThe Parish Church of Steventon dedicated to
St. Michael and All Angels
If you are interested in further information please contact:
The Vicar: The Reverend Colin Patching, The Vicarage, 73 Field Gardens, Steventon. (tel: 01235 831243) and his day off is Monday.
Churchwardens: Mr Alan Binning (tel: 01235 831910) and Mr David Sandford (Tel: 01235 831482).
Lay Minister: Mr Jack Jarvis (tel: 01235 831395)
History
The presence of a church in Steventon is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086), but the existence of a place of worship in the village may well be much earlier.
The church's dedication is to St Michael and All Angels, which often indicates very early origins and, perhaps, even connections with Celtic Christianity, and the presence of an ancient yew tree in the churchyard is sometimes associated with pagan sites.
The earliest feature in the church now visible is a 13th century column by the incumbant's stll. The general appearance is 14th century, with fine stonework in the aisle windows and the great arch-braced roof, decorated with a fine series of carved bosses, dating from that period; the large windows at the East and West ends date from the early 15th century. Some of the carved woodwork and pew ends are from the 15th and early 16th centuries.
The original stained glass was sold to Bryant Barrett, the owner of Milton Manor, in 1772 for the then considerable sum of £7, and can still be seen in the chapel. The large East window now has glass by Warrington (1833) depicting the seven Archangels, and the ten occasions on which angels are mentioned in the bible.
Among many other ornaments is the handsome Jacobean wooden pulpit, an alms-box, dated 1633, with three compartments and three locks, and two brasses commemorating Richard Do (d. 1476) and one of his two wives (there is the outline of the second, but the brass is missing), and Edward Wiseman, his wife (d. 1584) and their eight children.
There is an unsual 14th century double sedilia in the chancel, which was abandoned by the mason with the decorative carving left unfinished.
The bell tower was build circa 1330 on the South side of the church. In 1552 the Commissioners' Inventories record "Stevington three belles in the stepulle A small belle sacringe belles A burying belle"; these bells were probably cast on-site. There is now a ring of six bells, originally hung in wooden frames, and a Sanctus bell. Rather unusually, the main entrance to the church was through the ground floor of the tower, which also served as the ringing chamber, with three bell-ropes on either side of the entrance.
In 1932 the bells were rehung in iron frames with the bell-ropes in a circle, and, for services when bells are rung, the congregation enters by the North door.
The Story of Steventon and Steventon Life all proceeds from both publications are given to the Church