Drop in for:
- Informal talks on the history of St. Mary's including displays
- Bell ringing demonstations
- Climb the bell tower
- Organ demonstration
- Free refreshments provided and children welcome
Here is a taster of what can be viewed:
The corbels supporting the nave roof are worth noting; each is individually carved, with a wonderful variety of themes, including a veiled woman (possibly St Osyth), an angel playing a pair of kettle drums, another playing a zither and one plays a mandolin.
Between the tower crossing and the north aisle is a beautifully carved oak screen dating from around 1320.
This is one of the earliest surviving examples of a wooden screen in Oxfordshire.
On the south east pier of the tower is a fragment of a medieval wall painting showing a Pietà wall painting of c.1500, of which only the face of Mary and a canopy above remain distinguishable.
The fine choir stalls, with linenfold panelling and poppy-heads, are early 16th century.
They were brought here from Thame Abbey at the Dissolution.
In the centre of the chancel is a very fine monument to Lord Williams (d.1559) and his wife Elizabeth.
The tomb-chest is made of black and white marble in a Flemish style, featuring angle pilasters with Renaissance arabesques.
The Chancel is almost unchanged since the 14th century and contains several fascinating memorials and wonderful woodwork.
The Font bowl is original and dates to at least the early 14th century, but the base may be another 3 centuries older still, suggesting it belonged to a Saxon church on this site. The bowl is topped by a 17th century wooden cover decorated with a frieze of acanthus leaves.
And there are many more fascinating aspects to discover!
