The old carillon had to be turned off permanently in the end when too many pins on the drum had fallen out and simply would not stay in place when put back.
On Saturday April 18th 2015 the choir from St Mary The Virgin, Bampton went to Lichfield Cathedral to sing Sung Evensong. Choir master and conductor David New, organist on the day for the choir was John Ridgway.
This was a barn dance held in Saint Mary's in 2003 to help raise funds for the church. Bampton is lucky to have kept its retained fire service and the firemen and women very kindly move the pews both before and after the event.
These picture were taken in 2007 and show the electric motor which now drives the church clock. It used to be powered by weight and pendulum which had to be wound up twice a week along with the weight that drove the carillon.
John Chipperfield usually has a page in the Witney Gazette where he recalls events in times past. This item recalls the time in 1978 when Susan Morris, pictured at the organ in Clanfield Church played for 10 hours taking turns with John White and John Goodrun. It was to accompany the Flower Festival in the church. Susan is still playing at Clanfield (2019)
In 1978 the vicar looked after both Bampton and Clanfield churches. By 1970, the vicar of the time lived in the vicarage in Bampton and was responsible for the churches not only of Clanfield and Bampton but Lew, Aston and Shifford as well.
On February 17th 2016 work began to dismantle the old pipe organ in St Mary's. Douglas Clare, one of our two churchwardens in April 2019 wrote the following article for the May issue of Contact.
In May, 1995, the top of the steeple of St Mary's was repaired and a new mounting for the weather vane was put on. While the vane was down it was re-gilded. These are the two men who did the work.