St Nicholas' Church, Islip facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas' Church, Islip |
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| Parish church of St Nicholas the Confessor | |
East end of St. Nicholas' parish church
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| 51°49′22.5″N 1°14′16″W / 51.822917°N 1.23778°W | |
| Location | Church Lane, Islip, Oxfordshire OX5 2SD |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Cult(s) present | Edward the Confessor |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Early English Gothic, Decorated Gothic, Georgian, Gothic Revival |
| Years built | circa 1200–1861 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Saint Nicholas the Confessor, Islip, Oxfordshire |
| Deanery | Bicester and Islip |
| Archdeaconry | Oxford |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Nicholas' Church, Islip is a historic Church of England parish church located in Islip, Oxfordshire. This village is about 3 miles (5 km) east of Kidlington and 5 miles (8 km) north of Oxford. It's a special place with a long history!
Contents
Discovering St Nicholas' Church History
People believe that Edward the Confessor, a famous English king who lived around 1004–1066, was baptised in a church right here in Islip. The current Church of England parish church of Saint Nicholas the Confessor has been around since at least 1065.
How the Church Was Built
The oldest part of the church you see today is the archway between the main hall (called the nave) and the north side area (called the aisle). This part was built around 1200. It shows a mix of two old building styles: Early English and Decorated Gothic.
The front part of the church, known as the chancel, was rebuilt in 1780. Later, in 1861, a special architect named E.G. Bruton worked on the church. He updated the chancel and fixed up the rest of the building in a style called Gothic Revival. This style brought back older Gothic looks.
Hidden Wall Paintings
In 1824, some old paintings were found on the walls of the south aisle. These medieval (Middle Ages) paintings included:
- A scene of the Adoration of the Magi, which shows the Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus.
- A painting of a weighing of souls, which was a common idea in medieval art.
- Another, older version of the Adoration painting underneath the newer one.
- A painting showing the Resurrection of Jesus.
Sadly, when the church was restored in 1861, these paintings were covered up with plaster.
Famous People Connected to the Church
A well-known theologian, geologist, and palaeontologist named William Buckland is buried at St Nicholas' Church. He studied rocks, fossils, and religious ideas.
St Nicholas' Church is also very important because it's Islip's only Grade I Listed Building. This means it's considered a building of exceptional historical interest.
Church Bells and Clock
The church has a belltower with eight bells!
The Church Bells
Originally, the tower had five bells made in the 1600s. In 1859, a company called George Mears recast these into a set of six bells. Later, in 1956, another company, Mears and Stainbank, added two more bells, making it a total of eight. These bells are used for Change ringing, a special way of ringing church bells in a musical pattern.
The church also has a smaller bell called a Sanctus bell. This one was made in 1652 by James Keene from Woodstock.
The Church Clock
No one knows exactly when the church clock was made. It might be from the late 1600s. People think it was built by Edward Hemins (the elder) from Bicester.
Church Leaders and Their Roles
Over the years, many important people have served as leaders (called incumbents) of the church in Islip.
Past Church Leaders
Some of the notable people who led the parish include:
- John Islip
- Hugh Weston (from 1554 to 1558)
- John Aglionby (from 1600 to 1611)
- Robert South (from 1678 to 1716)
- William Freind (from 1748 to 1766)
- William Vincent (from 1807 to 1815)
- John Ireland (from 1816 to 1835)
- The geologist William Buckland (from 1846 to 1856)
- Michael Scott-Joynt (from 1976 to 1981)
The Ray Valley Benefice
Today, St Nicholas' Church is part of a group of churches called the Benefice of the Ray Valley. This means several churches in the area share clergy and work together.
The Old Rectory Building
The Rectory is the house where the church's rector (a type of priest) used to live.
Building the Rectory
Reverend Dr. South, who also started Islip's parish school in 1710, had the Rectory built for himself in 1689. It's a large house made of Cotswold stone. It has five sections (called bays) and windows that stick out from the roof (called attic dormer windows). The windows you see today are from the 1700s and are known as sash windows. The main entrance has a special doorway with a roof supported by carved brackets.
In 1807, William Vincent made the house bigger, and it was fixed up again in the mid-1800s. The Old Rectory is Islip's only Grade II* Listed Building, meaning it's a particularly important historical building.
Edward the Confessor's Chapel
King Edward the Confessor was born in Islip around the year 1004. There used to be a special chapel linked to him, located just north of the church.
The Chapel's History
Monks from Westminster Abbey who were studying in Oxford would come to this chapel to celebrate a special day for St. Edward.
During the English Civil War in April 1645, the chapel was damaged in a battle. Later, in the 1780s, it was completely taken down. In 2006, a TV show about archaeology called Time Team visited Islip. They tried to find the remains of the chapel, but they weren't successful.
