Exploring Oxfordshire Churches
"John Vigar, I am certain, has visited more churches in England and Wales than anyone now living; more, probably, than anyone who has ever lived; and more, there is a fair chance, than anyone ever will".
Peter Ross, Steeplechasing published by Headline 2023.
Oxfordshire is an amazingly diverse county when it comes to ecclesiastical architecture. The influence of monasteries and Oxford colleges can be clearly seen - their patronage reflected in the up to date ideas of the time. Conversely, it is still possible to find tiny Norman churches that were left behind when full scale rebuilding took place everywhere else. This lecture is suitable for anyone who enjoys visiting old churches and who enjoys discovering little known facts about the buildings and their contents. We will look at churches where the owners of the big house had enormous influence over the building; monuments of once-prominent medieval families; gems that survived Victorian restoration and Victorian extravaganzas that tried to outdo their medieval precedents.
