St. Etheldreda's church
in St. Etheldreda's parish church and added in 1947–50 The
Church of England parish church of
Saint Etheldreda, along with the church of
St. John the Baptist, Hornton were
dependent chapelries of
King's Sutton until the middle of the 15th century. St. Etheldreda's is built of local
Hornton stone. The church existed by the late 12th century and its
Norman central belltower and much of its
chancel date from about 1180. Early in the 13th century the
nave was replaced with one with north and south
aisles and a higher roof. Early in the 14th century the chancel and both aisles were rebuilt and the south aisle and chancel were given new
Decorated Gothic windows. Little of the 13th century nave and aisles now survives except the west wall and three
Early English doorways. A
clerestory was added to the nave and a porch was added to the repositioned south door. The tower buttresses may have been added at this time. Early in the 15th century the north wall of the north aisle was rebuilt, retaining the 13th century north doorway but gaining new
Perpendicular Gothic windows. In about 1600 the west window was replaced with a three-light square-headed one. Early in the 17th century the chancel was in disrepair and the
lay rector was repeatedly asked to fund repairs. In 1621 the chancel was reported to be so "ruinous and much decayed" that the rain came in. In 1632 the rest of the church was alleged to be "ready to fall". The tracery, in part of the east window, was rebuilt c1760 and two of the north windows of the chancel was replaced. By 1879 St. Etheldreda's needed a thorough restoration and the vicar privately wrote that he feared for the safety of the tower. However, the tower was not put in good order until 1915, when the church was restored under the direction of the Scottish
architect William Weir. In 1947–50 the
Oxford Diocesan Surveyor
T. Lawrence Dale added a
chancel screen and rood loft. Dale described this work as "One of the most enjoyable things he ever did", likening it to "putting new wine into an old bottle". St. Etheldreda's interior has
Medieval wall paintings: a large and well-preserved one of
Saint Christopher, on the north wall, on the north nave pillar. of
Chacombe in 1706. St. Etheldreda's is now one of eight ecclesiastical parishes in the Ironstone
Benefice. ==Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway==