On April 18th 2015 the choir of St Mary's went to Lichfield to sing Sung Evensong. It was a lovely sunny day which made the journey a delight and several family members and friends came on the coach to enjoy the day.
The Flower Guild put on a wonderful flower festival through the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May and on the Monday they also sell sandwiches, quiche slices, cakes, tea, coffee and squash.
This is the funeral program from the church service for Constance Irene de Hamel. Constance did many things but is possibly best known for being a continuity announcer during WWII.
Dr Alan Gaydon was a churchwarden at St Mary's for several years. He photographed the church from inside to out, ground level to the roof and recorded the restoration of the top of the spire and re-guilding of the cockerel on the top.
A large section of wall in Church Close fell and badly damaged at least two vehicles. The wall was eventually repaired and a new opening created where a gateway was made.
This is the Service program for the Thanksgiving Service for Victory held in 1945. As the service sheet was printed in London it was probably a standard service to be held across the UK
These are a collection of records compiled by Lloyd Hughes Owens and cover many aspects of local life and people. 1247 local tithes; 1275 extract from Quo Warranto Roll concerning tenures; 1288 Bond of obligation to pay rent for Vicars' house; 1262 Grant of land in Chimney; 1307-8 Confirmation of the rights of the D & C to manorial privilege in Bampton; 1318 Composition concerning common pasture; 1308-19 Records in suit - depositions of witnesses etc - concerning the tithes of Standlake and concerning the burial of the people of Standlake in Bampton parish church; 1360 Judgement in a suit against the chaplain of Standlake; 1406 Memoranda about the burials of the people of Standlake and Herdwyck away from Bampton parish church; 1445 Copy of an earlier grant, exemplified by Edmund Lacy, bishop of Exeter by the Bishop of Lincoln of portions of the parish church of Bampton to the D & C of Exeter; mid 15th century Draft letter recommending Richard Daber as Vicar of Bampton; late 15th century Group of letters about the manor of Bampton, addressed to the bailiff of the manor; 1503-4 Reference to the rebuilding of the chancel of Bampton church; Repairs made in 1496 at a cost of £20 in the accounts spread over 20 years; late 15th century? Reference to a suit between the Earl of Shrewsbury and the D & C concerning common of pasture in Bampton; 1670 Certificate by Bishop of Oxford re William Hodge's resignation of the vicarage; 1691 Receipt by Mr Veysey for the court rolls of Bampton. There is much more information in this collection of papers.
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 September 11th 2010 I spotted this large, white fungus growing on the lime trees outside the North side of St Mary's. I found it to be very hard, it was impossible to make a dent in it.
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.