• Home
• Cherwell
  • List of villages
  • Recommended villages to visit in Cherwell
  • Photography dates
• South Oxfordshire
  • List of villages
  • Thames-side villages
  • The Oxfordshire Chilterns
  • Recommended villages to visit in South Oxfordshire
  • Photography dates
• Vale of White Horse
  • List of villages
  • Thames-side villages
  • Recommended villages to visit in Vale of White Horse
  • Photography dates
• West Oxfordshire
  • List of villages
  • Recommended villages to visit in West Oxfordshire
  • Photography dates
• Information
  • Useful links
  • "Midsomer Murders" film locations
  • Link your website to Oxfordshire Villages
  • Weather forecast and traffic
  • Licenses and acknowledgements
  • Contact me

St. Andrew's Church in South Stoke is an ancient building of flint rubble, covered with roughcast, with stone dressings, comprising a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and western tower. The original church was evidently rebuilt in the early 13th century, and much of the present building dates from then. The two lancet windows in the north wall of the chancel are from this period. Narrow aisles were probably added on to the original nave at the same time, for there is a restored lancet window at both ends of the north aisle and the south aisle, although partly rebuilt in the 19th century, retains an original lancet window, containing potmetal glass representing the Virgin and Child, at the east end. The lancet at the west end is 19th-century work. The roof included both aisles under its span. The north aisle is separated from the nave by three Early English arches of two chamfered orders set on heavy round chalk pillars with octagonal abaci. The pillars (now rebuilt) separating the south aisle from the nave were apparently later; with one exception they were octagonal and made of wood, and the arches over them were also wooden, but chamfered and painted. 

Much work was done to the church during the 14th century. A Decorated east window of three lights was inserted, also the two windows, with a priest's door between them, in the south wall of the chancel. A new window (the easternmost one) was inserted in the south wall of the south aisle; the south door was rebuilt, and a porch was added. The porch had a pointed roof and a small rectangular window in its east wall. Two Decorated windows and a doorway were inserted in the wall of the north aisle.

It may have been in the late 14th century that a canopied niche was placed in the east wall of the south aisle. It was once painted and traces of colour remained until recently. Of slightly later date is the canopied niche in the north wall of the north aisle. The small piscina which was until recently next to it shows that there was once an altar here. 

The battlemented tower was probably built early in the 15th century. Two windows in the south aisle are also Perpendicular work. The two dormer windows, once in the roof over the south aisle, were later additions. 

Some work seems to have been done in 1711 and 1712, for Rawlinson noted these dates, with the names of the churchwardens, on the chancel walls. In 1759 a number of minor repairs were ordered: a new north door was to be provided, the chancel door was to be renewed or else walled up, and parts of the floor were to be relaid. Also, the banks of rubbish were to be moved from the walls and specially from the porch. Further repairs were ordered in 1803 and 1822. 

In 1857 and 1858 the church was restored at the cost of about £1,000. The architect was J. B. Clacy of Reading. Details of the restoration have not been found, but it was certainly then that the southern arcade separating the nave from the aisle was rebuilt in the Early English style and the south aisle widened, so that now it is nearly 3 feet wider than the north one. The old southern wall, with its windows and doorway was retained, but the ancient clinker-built door was renewed. The south porch, which had been much mutilated, was rebuilt, and the stonework in several of the windows was renewed. The small vestry at the end of the south aisle, joined to the chancel by a new archway, was probably also constructed then.

The plaster ceilings of the nave and chancel were removed, and the roofs of the nave, aisles, and chancel largely renewed. Some of the old roof remains, including a wall plate in the north aisle. The floor of both nave and chancel were tiled and a new pulpit was installed. The buttresses which support both the nave and chancel walls were probably added at this time.

In the 20th century, in 1952, major repairs to the tower, including the replacing of the lead roof with a copper one, were executed. 

Other changes and repairs have included the insertion of the clock in the tower after the First World War as a war memorial; the replacing of the small harmonium by an organ (1927); and the installation of electric lighting (1933). 

The plain octagonal font is medieval. In 1849 it stood at the western end of the northern arcade, but in 1958 it stood near the south door. Other medieval features are the tiles, assembled at the east end of the north aisle. 

The 'ancient, solid, square-ended' seating was retained at the 19th-century restoration and the two seats with 'good plain bold Perpendicular tracery' were placed in the chancel. 

The church is noted for the fine 17th-century monument on the north wall of the chancel to the memory of Griffith Higgs, Dean of Lichfield. The figure of the dean is represented in his clerical robes holding a book in his right hand and with his left hand on a skull. There is also a marble tablet in the chancel to James Higgs, gent. (d. 1742), who became Mayor of Wallingford, and to his brother Barton (d. 1722), great nephews of Dr. Higgs. Over the entrance to the south porch is a tablet to Griffith Higgs (d. 1692/3), Dr. Higgs's nephew, with an inscription in which he asks to be buried at the church door. In the tower hangs a large painted pedigree of the Higgs family with heraldic quarterings. There are three monuments in the chancel to lessees of the manor: one to Richard Hannes (or Hanney) (d. 1678) and his wife Jane; and a similar one to his daughter Elizabeth (d. 1657), the wife of William Barber; and one to Lucy Harward (d. 1718/19), wife of Kemp Harward, and to her mother Lucy (d. 1728), the wife of Altham Smith of Grays Inn. This monument, which is surmounted by three gilded cherubs' heads in a roundel, was erected by Lucy Harward's daughter Lucy, who later married John Head. Other monuments in the chancel are to Henry Hervey of Ipsden (d. 1764); and to Moses Allen, gent. (d. 1770) and his wife Mary.

On the floor of the centre aisle of the nave are four tombstones of members of the Claxson family, who may have lived at Payables: of John (d. 1701); of another John, called John Claxson, senior (d. 1739); of Elizabeth (d. 1743), wife of John; and of William (d. 1748).

Later tablets in the nave are to Sir John Charles Fox (d. 1943) and his wife Mary Louisa; to Lt. David Gordon Dill (killed 1944); and to Thomas Geo. Pither (died as prisoner of war, 1945). There is also a memorial window to Hubert D. Nind (1809–74). The brass noted by Rawlinson to Thomas Walles, his two wives, and eleven children has disappeared. 

In the churchyard is the large table tomb of Isaac King (d. 1865), for many years lessee of the manor.

In 1552 the church owned a silver and gilt chalice and paten; a copper and gilt pyx and chrismatory; two brass candlesticks, and two crosses. By the next year only a chalice without a paten remained. The church now owns a very fine silver chalice and paten of 1660, inscribed as being the gift of Griffith Higgs, and bought with the £5 which he left to the church. Both pieces are also inscribed with his arms. There is also a silver flagon of 1869, given by Arthur J. Nind

In 1552 there were four bells in the church; there should also have been a sanctus bell, but its fate was unknown. Later a fifth bell was added to the ring, for Rawlinson noted a 'ring of 5 good bells'. In the early 17th century four new bells were acquired, three of them the work of Henry Knight I and one of Ellis Knight I. They are dated 1609, 1616, 1622, and 1633. In 1716 another new bell was obtained, and all were recast in 1857. The last was replaced in 1881. In 1920 a sixth bell was added to the ring. It was given by Alfred D'Oily Nind in memory of parishioners who fell in the First World War. 

Additions were made to the churchyard in 1884, 1926, and 1941. In 1937 the lych gate was erected. In 1955 the unmarked and untended grave mounds in the west and south-west of the churchyard were levelled. In the churchyard is a stone cross erected as a memorial to the parishioners who fell in both World Wars.

The registers, which also cover Woodcote until 1846, begin in 1557. There are churchwardens' accounts from 1856.

Historical information about St. Andrew's Church is provided by 'Parishes: South Stoke', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 7, Dorchester and Thame Hundreds, ed. Mary Lobel (London, 1962), pp. 93-112. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol7/pp93-112 [accessed 28 March 2023].

St. Andrew's Church is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST ANDREW, South Stoke - 1193919 | Historic England.

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