East Oxfordshire along the M40

Whilst driving back from Oxford I stayed on the old A40 calling in at a few villages:Waterstock, Tetsworth and South Weston (plus Lewknor but that is a seperate blog). It was a very grey damp day which didn't help the photography. First to Waterstock; a small village just off the road to Thame.

St Leonard's Church, Waterstock

The current Church of Saint Leonard was re-built from an early medieval church at the end of the 15th century by Thomas Danvers and his first wife. Note the clock that was added to the east face of the tower in 1888.



The church comprises a chancel, nave, north aisle, western tower, and north and south porches. The nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1790 by Sir W. H. Ashhurst. A thorough restoration was then carried out during 1857–8 under the direction of the Gothic Revival architect G. E. Street. The builder was George Wyatt of Oxford.



The church was tired looking (the dull day probably didn't help), but at least it was open however no guide book so no information about the font.


'Parishes: Waterstock', A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 7: Dorchester and Thame hundreds (1962), pp. 220-230. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63779

Next down the A40 to Tetsworth which is cut off to the south by the M40. The spire of the church is a landmark easily seen from the Motorway especially in winter when the trees are bare.

St Giles Church, Tetsworth

The present church of St Giles, which was entirely rebuilt in 1855, is a stone building consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle with tower and spire rising over the south porch, and north vestry. It replaced a smaller medieval church dating from the early 12th century which is also stated to have contained some work of Anglo-Saxon date in the north-west corner.



The design of the new church was in the Early English style; it has been little altered since and remains a characteristic example of Victorian church building. The architect was John Billing of Reading. During the restoration many medieval and later memorial inscriptions and all the heraldic glass were destroyed - not that I would have been able to see this as the church was locked.



From: 'Parishes: Tetsworth', A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 7: Dorchester and Thame hundreds (1962), pp. 147-160. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63774

Down the A40 a few more miles and a right turn under the motorway and you reach the small village of South Weston

St Lawrence’s Church, South Weston

The church comprises a chancel, nave, and south porch, and an open central turret with spirelet above. It was rebuilt of flint in 1860 in the Decorated Gothic style. The first stone of the new church was laid on 2 May 1860 and the church was completed and opened by the Bishop of Oxford on 22 May 1861. The architect was R. C. Hussey.





The original church was a very simple building of Norman origin. It had no tower and little external distinction between nave and chancel; there was a Decorated east window of three lights with a statue of St. Lawrence above it in a niche on the outside wall. The statue of St. Lawrence with his gridiron still in its original position was preserved from this old church.



The church was open but not particularly memorable inside. The oak font cover and copper ewer were in memory of John Holdsworth Hunt who is buried in the churchyard.



From: 'Parishes: South Weston', A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 8: Lewknor and Pyrton hundreds (1964), pp. 253-262. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63827