Church of St Mary, Adderbury

The church was likely founded before the Norman Conquest, as the village was named after the 10th century St Eadburga, and the bishops of Winchester claimed in the 13th century that the village had been granted to them by Athelstan in 1014-15, though this cannot have happened as Athelstan was dead by then. In the Middle Ages, Adderbury served as the mother church to a wide area, including Milton, Bodicote and Barford St John, and was consequently rebuilt on a grand scale to be one of the largest churches in Oxfordshire. Its wealthy benefice caused a long-running dispute between the bishops, the crown and the papacy until in 1381 Bishop William of Wykeham settled the matter by granting it to…

The church is a medieval cruciform stone building with a west tower and spire. The earliest parts are the 13th century transepts, with Geometrical traceried windows. The nave arcades are of a similar date, though altered later. The tower also has gargoyles at the top of each of its diagonal corner buttresses. In 1408-18, New College added a grand chancel and vestry, designed by Richard Winchcombe, who also designed the Divinity School at Oxford, as well as other works for New College. Unusually, the building records survive, showing that the work cost £399 5s 4d. The 148-foot-tall stone spire, though often dated to the 14th century, was also probably an addition of the 15th century, as can…