Bampton Parish Church 
The Church of St. Mary the Virgin is the parish church of Bampton in Oxfordshire. Originally a Saxon minster, the present building dates primarily from the 12th century and is exceptionally large for a parish church. It has an attractive 13th-century spire and interesting Romanesque decorations.
History
Bampton's parish church existed even before the Norman conquest, when most of England's parish churches were built. Originally an Anglo-Saxon minster church, in 1069 the church was given by King William I to the new Exeter Cathedral (home of the king's personal bishop).
The original Saxon building was almost entirely rebuilt in the Norman style in the latter half of the 12th century. Bits of the original Saxon masonry can still be seen in the lower part of the tower and the northwest turret, and there are some remains of the Saxon nave still in place.
Throughout the later Middle Ages Bampton was the mother church of a large parish and received frequent expansions and redecorations. The tower was raised and the spire was added in the mid-13th century and a new arcade in the nave, the windows in the aisle wall, and the chapel on the south aisle were added at the end of the 13th century. The early 14th century saw the addition of the west porch and the windows in the chapel off the north transept.
The south porch was built in the late 15th century, along with the clerestory. The Horde Chapel east of the south transept is possibly a 17th-century reconstruction of an existing chapel. In 1870, the clerestory of the nave and chancel were removed and replaced with the present roof.
What to See
The exterior of Bampton's church is very attractive, with a large and elegant spire supported by minature saint-topped flying buttresses, a large west window, and multiple porches.
The interior is not terribly exciting, but has some interesting elements. Some herringbone-work from the Saxon church can be seen in the nave. The font in the back of the nave is finely carved with flower and ball-flower decorations. A variety of symbols are carved into the ends of the choir stalls. On display in the nave is an almost unrecognizable statue of John the Baptist, who fell from the exterior in 1990.
A side chapel in the east end contains a badly worn effigy of a knight. He is thought to be Sir Gilbert Talbot (b. 1390), who served in the Hundred Years War and lived at Bampton Castle.
Behind the altar in the chancel is the highlight of St. Mary's Bampton (for me at least): a miniature c.1400 carved reredos depicting Christ and the Twelve Apostles. Some traces of color can still be seen.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of St. Mary's Church in Bampton. Using the slider on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of from space on our England Map or on Google Earth.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Church of St. Mary the Virgin; St. Mary's Church; Bampton Church; Bampton-in-the-Bush Church |
| Type of site: | Parish church |
| Faith: | Church of England (Anglican) |
| Dedication: | St. Mary the Virgin; previously: St John the Baptist (1292); Mary and John the Baptist (1317); John the Baptist and Beornwald (1335); St Beornwald (1370, 1521) |
| Architecture: | Norman (Romanesque) |
| Dates: | Founded in pre-Norman times; mostly 12th century |
| Address: | Church View, Bampton, Oxfordshire OX18 2LW |
| Website: | www.bamptonchurch.org.uk |
| Hours: | Open most daytime hours |
| Cost: | Free |
Sources
- Personal visit (March 2007)
- Information leaflets provided by the church
- St. Mary, Bampton, Oxfordshire - Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland
