All Saints Church, Middleton Stoney
Owing to extensive alterations in the 19th century, the architectural history of the church of All Saints in Middleton Stoney is in some respects not easy to follow, and there is little documentary evidence to supplement that afforded by the fabric itself. The earliest parts of the existing church are the chancel and the enriched south doorway, which date from the mid12th century. The latter, however, is not in its original position, having been moved to its present setting when the south aisle was built in the 14th century. Late in the 12th century the existing chancel arch was built, and the nave was enlarged by the addition of a north aisle. The 'Transitional' arcade of three arches is supported on cylindrical columns with carved capitals. The arches are remarkable in that they are moulded on the south side only, their north face being flush with the wall above. There is a north doorway of similar date, with a hood-mould terminating in animal heads. The west tower was added early in the 13th century. Its most conspicuous feature is the arcaded upper stage of 'Early English' character, surmounted by a battlemented parapet. It was rebuilt from the ground in 1858, but the old materials were reused, and comparison with the old engraving of 1846 in A Guide to the Architectural Antiquities in the Neighbourhood of Oxford shows that the design of the original was carefully reproduced. The south aisle and its arcade of two arches were added early in the 14th century. The eastern bay of the aisle appears to have been separated from the nave by a solid wall, the existing plain arch being a modern insertion. The new aisle was lighted by two four-light windows with flat soffits. Similar windows were inserted in the north wall of the north aisle at the same time. Later in the 14th century two windows were inserted in the south wall of the chancel, one of two, the other of three lights. The latter survives, but the other was destroyed when the organ-chamber was built in 1868. Buckler's sketch of 1823 shows that there was also a 'low-side' window at the west end of the south wall of the chancel. The original high-pitched roof of the nave was replaced by the present clerestory in the 15th century, but the evidence of its former existence remained until 1858 on the east side of the tower. The south porch in its present form dates from the same period, but it incorporates the moulded jambs and voussoirs of an early 13th-century arch which presumably formed part of an earlier porch. No medieval fittings survive, but the cutting away of the 'dog-tooth' ornamentation of the chancel arch immediately above the capitals shows where the framing of the chancel screen or rood beam formerly rested. A cross, two candlesticks, and a holy-water 'stoke', all of brass, are mentioned in an Edwardian inventory, and in 1545 Richard Smith left 4d. towards the maintenance of the two 'standards' before the high altar. In 1583 several parishioners confessed that they had portions of a cope and other church ornaments in their possession, and were ordered to restore them. Any alterations which may have been made to the fabric of the church in the 16th, 17th, or 18th centuries were obliterated in 1858, and as no churchwardens' accounts survive, no record of them has been preserved. It is known, however, that it was in the time of the Revd. William Offley, rector from 1689 to 1724, that the communion-table was first railed in, for he recorded the fact himself. In 1699 he wrote that 'There are usually five Communions in the year, 1 on Palm Sunday, Easter Day, Whitsunday, 1 after Michaelmas—Christmas Day. All the people come into the chancel, the women kneel on the north side, and the men on the south side of the chancel. I begin the sacrament to those of the north side first, and thence proceed to those on the south side, without any respect of persons, but as they kneel in order, they receive. After the bread and cup are deliver'd, the clark sings a Psalm and then I go on to conclude the office.' But in 1702 he notes that 'Since I rail'd in the Communion Table the people kneel at the rail, only the dark comes with the rector within the rail—to be ready to fetch the wine during the administration of the sacrament'. In 1805 the Jersey chapel was built on the north side of the chancel in order to contain the family monuments. It was originally Gothic in style, as can be seen from the engraving in Shelton's Antiquities of Oxford (1823), but at a later date it was given a 'Norman' character by rebuilding the window, archway, and pinnacles, and the interior was decorated with heraldic shields. The principal monuments are to Anne, Countess of Jersey (d. 1762), George, 5th Earl of Jersey (d. 1859), and his daughters Sarah, Princess Nicolas Esterhazy (d. 1853), and Clementina (d. 1858). The restoration of 1856–8 was carried out under the direction of S. S. Teulon. It involved the rebuilding of the tower, the whole of the north aisle, and of the south aisle to the west of the porch. The roofs of both nave and chancel (previously covered by a flat plaster ceiling) were rebuilt, as also were those of the aisles. A new east window was substituted for the plain window with a central mullion shown in Buckler's drawing of 1823. In 1868 a vestry and organ-chamber were added on the south side of the chancel to the designs of G. E. Street, and the interior of the church was completely refitted with a new pulpit, lectern, altar, reredos, piscina, rails, candlesticks, and other furniture. The organ was installed in 1871, and in 1881 the last of the pre-Victorian fittings disappeared when Lord Jersey's private pew at the west end of the nave was removed. The present font, which replaces a former marble one of 18th- or early 19th-century date, was presented to the church by Julia, Countess of Jersey, in about 1860. It is said to have come from the King's Chapel at Islip, but before the end of the 17th century it had passed into the possession of the Brown family of Kiddington, who believed that it was the font in which Edward the Confessor was baptized and had an inscription cut on the base to that effect. Its decoration is of 14th-century character, but it is possible that this has been cut on an older tub-shaped font. In addition to the Jersey monuments there are two late-17th-century cartouche tablets in the chancel in memory of the children of the Revd. William Offley, and there is a brass on the floor commemorating Elizabeth, wife of John Harman, 'Lord of this towne', who died in 1607. In 1552 there were three 'great bells' in the tower, one sanctus bell, and two hand bells. In 1955 there were five bells, all made by Henry Bagley in 1717 and rehung in 1883, when the tenor was recast. They were again rehung in 1910. Two of them bear the name of Lord Carleton, who gave a set of silver-gilt communion plate to the church in 1718. This consists of a chalice, with cover, a large paten, and a flagon. There is also a silver chalice dated 1575, and a silver alms-dish given by Mrs. Susannah Harman shortly before her death in 1688. The registers begin in 1598. The parish records include constables' accounts for the years 1740–57. Historical information about All Saints Church is provided by 'Parishes: Middleton Stoney', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6, ed. Mary D Lobel (London, 1959), pp. 243-251. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol6/pp243-251 [accessed 20 February 2023]. All Saints Church is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Middleton Stoney - 1276839 | Historic England. For more information about All Saints Church see Parishes: Middleton Stoney | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk). |
