St. Anne's Church, Epwell

St. Anne's church in Epwell is a small stone building of a somewhat unusual plan. The tower rises from the south porch, and a small aisle or chapel of two bays stands on the south side of the nave to the east of the porch. The main structure, comprising nave, chancel, tower, and aisle, appears to date from the 13th century, but a number of alterations took place in the 14th century. The tower was heightened, the original two-light belfry windows were replaced at a higher level, and several new windows, together with an aumbry and piscina, were inserted in the walls of the chancel. Repairs to the chancel were undertaken in 1425–6. 

In 1615–16 the chancel was again repaired and in 1674 was said to be 'leaded over' and in good condition. By 1755, however, the whole church was greatly in need of attention: the archdeacon ordered the outside walls to be pointed, the inside south wall to be repaired, the chancel roof to be 'boarded or ceiled', a new door to be provided for the south entrance, the royal arms to be newly painted, and the commandments and texts to be written on the walls. Despite many minor repairs and the building of a new roof in the 1830s the church was 'in a very bad state' before its restoration in 1857. The work was carried out by Henry Franklin, a Deddington builder; the south aisle was repaved, the church reroofed, new pews inserted, and the singers' gallery at the west end, probably an 18th-century addition, removed. Electric light was installed in 1957. 

The font is ancient, but of indeterminate date. Rawlinson found tablets to Joseph Stanton, 'professor of medicine and surgery' (d. 1696), Brett Goodwin (d. 1678), John Goodwin (d. 1694), Brett Goodwin (d. 1715), and Thomas Hawten (d. 1711). Seventeenth- and 18th-century ledger stones to members of the Goodwin, Dix, Lydiatt, Pagett, and Mathews families have survived. There is a war memorial of Hornton stone in the churchyard.

In 1552 the church owned a silver gilt chalice, two brass candlesticks, a censer, a cross and painted cloth, and two pairs of vestments and a cope for the priest. The present Elizabethan chalice (1571) may be an original one which escaped confiscation. There is also a small silver paten (1768). 

In 1552 the tower had, as now, a ring of two bells and both were recast in 1858. The churchyard, described in 1674 as very large, was held in trust by the overseers of the poor. At the inclosure of Epwell in 1773 a piece of land (c. 1½ a.) was set out for the repairs of the chapel. This land was let in 1824 by the churchwardens at the high price of £6 10s

The register of baptisms begins in 1577, marriages in 1580, and burials in 1584.

Historical information about St Ann's Church is provided by Christina Colvin, Janet Cooper, N H Cooper, P D A Harvey, Marjory Hollings, Judith Hook, Mary Jessup, Mary D Lobel, J F A Mason, B S Trinder and Hilary Turner, 'Parishes: Swalcliffe', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 10, Banbury Hundred, ed. Alan Crossley (London, 1972), pp. 225-260. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol10/pp225-260 [accessed 31 January 2023].

St. Anne's Church is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST ANNE, Epwell - 1369555 | Historic England

For more information about St. Anne's Church see Parishes: Swalcliffe | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk).