Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Souldern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| 51°58′54″N 1°14′19″W / 51.98167°N 1.23861°W | |
| Location | Souldern, Oxfordshire OX27 7HU |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Cherwell Valley Benefice |
| History | |
| Dedication | Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Norman, Decorated Gothic and Perpendicular Gothic |
| Years built | circa 12th - 16th centuries |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Souldern, Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Deanery | Bicester & Islip |
| Archdeaconry | Oxford |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Parish Church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a special church in the village of Souldern, Oxfordshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. The church is about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Bicester and a similar distance southeast of Banbury. It's a historic building with parts dating back many centuries.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The exact start date of the church is not known. However, we know it existed by 1161. The oldest parts of the church are from the 12th century. These include the Norman tower and part of the north wall of the main area, called the nave. The north doorway is also from this time.
Originally, the church had a south aisle (a side part of the church). This was added in the 12th century. The main altar area, called the chancel, might have been round at first. But it was later replaced with a larger, rectangular one. This change happened around the early 13th century or possibly around 1300.
In the early 14th century, the south aisle was rebuilt. It was made larger in the Decorated Gothic style. This style is known for its beautiful, detailed decorations. Two old Norman columns were reused to hold up new pointed arches. One column even has a Norman capital (the top part of a column) turned upside down as its base! New windows in the Decorated Gothic style were also added to the old north wall of the nave.
Later, in the late 15th or early 16th century, a clerestory was added to the nave. This is a row of windows above the main part of the church. It was built in the Perpendicular Gothic style. This style is famous for its tall, straight lines.
By the early 1700s, the church was in good shape. But by 1775, the chancel was falling apart. Its roof had even collapsed! The local priest had it taken down and a smaller, lower-roofed one built. A west gallery (a balcony at the back) was added in 1815 but removed in 1878.
Later, in 1896-97, a famous architect named Ninian Comper rebuilt the chancel. He worked in the Gothic Revival style, which brought back old Gothic designs. In 1906, another architect, G.F. Bodley, took apart and rebuilt the Norman tower and its arch.
The Church Bells
In 1552, the church's belltower had three bells. There was also a small Sanctus bell. One of these old bells still exists today! It was recast (melted down and reshaped) in 1910 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
Henry I Bagley, a bell maker from Chacombe, made three of the bells we hear today. He made the fifth and the tenor bells in 1631. He made the third bell in 1635. Mears and Stainbank, also from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, made the treble and second bells in 1907. They also recast the fourth bell in 1910. This completed the current set of six bells, which are used for Change ringing (a special way of ringing bells). The church also has a Sanctus bell that Henry I Bagley made in 1665.
Who Chose the Priest?
For a long time, the right to choose the priest for Souldern church belonged to Eynsham Abbey. This was a Benedictine monastery. Jordan de Say, who owned the land in Souldern, gave this right to the abbey in 1161. The abbey kept this right until it was closed down in 1539. This happened during the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII.
After that, the right to choose the priest changed hands many times. King Henry VIII sold it in 1544. Then it was given to different people, including John Hales and William Holt. Later, Sir Hugh Throckmorton owned it. In 1584, the Crown (the King or Queen) took control of this right. This happened because Francis Throckmorton, who claimed to own it, was found guilty of treason.
In 1623, the Crown gave the right to John Williams, who was a bishop. He then gave it to St John's College, Cambridge. There was a dispute over who truly owned this right, but in 1662, the Rector of Souldern gave his claim to St John's College. This finally settled the argument. St John's College still held this right in 1955.
Part of a Larger Group
The Church of the Annunciation is now part of the Cherwell Valley Benefice. A benefice is a group of churches that share a priest or a team of priests. The other churches in this group are in Ardley, Fritwell, Lower Heyford and Upper Heyford.
The Old Rectory House
The church had a rectory house, which is where the priest lived. This house was built before 1638. It even had fishponds filled with carp by 1723! The famous poet William Wordsworth stayed there in 1820. After his visit, he wrote a sonnet (a type of poem) called A Parsonage in Oxfordshire. In another sonnet, he called the house "this humble and beautiful parsonage".
Sadly, this historic house was taken down in 1890. A new rectory was built in its place. It was designed by the Gothic Revival architect E.G. Bruton.
