In the
Church of England parish church of
Saint Stephen the
tympanum over the south door is
Norman and both the
arcade between the
nave and the north
aisle and the
responds of the
chancel arch are in the Transitional style between Norman and the
Early English Gothic. These features date the church building to about 1200. St Stephen's has four
lancet windows dating from late in the 12th century or early in the 13th century: two in the south wall of the chancel and two in the north wall of a
chapel on the north side of the chancel. In the chancel the east window and the easternmost window in the south wall are
Decorated Gothic, which dates them to between 1250 and 1350. The style of the
bell tower suggests it was built either about 1300 or early in the 14th century. In the 15th century a large statue of St Stephen was added to the outside of the tower, a
squint was inserted in the south side of the chancel and the present
font was made. The nave was rebuilt in 1869 and the chancel enlarged and partly rebuilt in 1870. The tower has a
ring of eight bells. James Keene, who had established a bell-foundry at
Woodstock, cast the fourth, fifth and seventh bells in 1653. Michael Darbie, who was an itinerant
bell-founder in southeast England, cast the tenor bell in 1667. Richard Keene of Woodstock cast the sixth bell in 1696.
John Taylor & Co of
Loughborough cast the treble, second and third bells in 1905 to complete the current ring. St Stephen's parish is part of the
Benefice of
Bampton with Clanfield, which also includes the parishes of
Aston,
Lew and
Shifford. ==Economic history==