Description

FINSTOCK WITNEY ROAD
SP1516 (South-east side)
16/50 Church of the Holy Trinity

GV II

Church. 1841, interior "improved and beautified" in 1876, and vestry/organ
chamber added in 1906 1905-6 (dated 1905 on rainwater-heads), by S. Slingsby and
Stallwood of Reading. Squared and coursed limestone with additions in dressed
limestone, ashlar dressings. Stone slate roofs. Four-bay nave in a lancet style;
2-bay chancel and south vestry/organ chamber in a Decorated Gothick style. Nave:
parapeted gable ends with chamfered coping and shaped kneelers; cross at apex to
east and gabled west,bellcote with chamfered-arched opening and cross at apex.
Chamfered lancets with chamfered cills and returned hoodmoulds. West end:
chamfered arched window with chamfered all, Y-tracery and returned hood mould
and pair of chamfered reveals. Louvred chamfered lancet with returned hoodmould
in apex of gable above. Chancel: double-chamfered plinth, cill string, gable
ends with copings and crosses at apices. Moulded segmental-arched north windows
of 3 ogee trefoil-headed lights with cusped reticulated tracery and returned
hood moulds, and moulded cinquefoil-headed lancet to south-east with returned
hood mould. Moulded-arched east window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights, cusped
reticulated tracery and hood mould with carved stops. Transept: chamfered
plinth, moulded cill string, diagonal buttresses with chamfered offsets,
parapeted gable with coping shaped kneelers and finial, and integral stone stack
to north-west buttress with chamfered offsets and paired octagonal shafts with
trefoil-headed panel to south and moulded cap with battlemented top.
Moulded-arched east window of 2 cinquefoil-headed lights with cusped tracery and
returned hoodmould. Hollow-chamfered arched doorway to west with stops, returned
hood mould and boarded door with strap hinges. Small square window to east of 2
cinquefoil-headed lights, 2-light basement window with hollow-chamfered reveals
and stone mullion. Steps down to segmental-headed boarded basement door to
right. Windows with decorative wrought-iron grilles. Dated cast-iron rainwater
heads. Interior: ceiled 4-bay nave roof with long braces to tie-beams.
Continuously-moulded chancel arch of 1905, with moulded bases and returned hood
mould. Four-bay chancel roof with moulded, carved and billet-ornamented wooden
wall plate, ashlar pieces, moulded arched-braced collar trusses with billet
ornament to top and king struts above with flanking raking struts; pairs of
moulded purlins with moulded wind braces. Moulded rear arches, segmental-arched
to side windows. Large continuously-moulded organ archway to south and
continuously-moulded arched vestry doorway with boarded door; returned south
window with moulded seat; piscina in reveal of south window consisting of 2
moulded arches with pierced cusped ogee traceried heads and moulded base.
Fittings: mainly late Cl9 and c.1905, Elaborate carved stone reredos of 3:1:3
bays with carved figures of saints in niches, traceried panels, crocketed
arches, pinnacles; central arch with one order of shafts, ballflower ornament,
and carved figure of Christ to centre; carved corbels and carved frieze with
billet ornament. Scrolled bracketed wrought-iron candelabra flanking reredos.
Wrought-iron altar rails with wooden rail. Wooden choir stalls with blind
traceried panels and carved poppyheads. Elaborately carved organ case with blind
traceried panels, and carved frieze. Organ given in 1910 by the Do Cros family.
Wooden chancel screen of 2:1:2 bays, with pierced traceried panels, carved
frieze and cresting, and rood cross. Octagonal stone pulpit consisting of short
stem with broaches to octagonal base, quatrefoil-panelled sides with fleurons
moulded top, angled stone reading desk with carved foliage beneath and fixed
brass candelslticks. Pulpit given in 1866 as a memorial to Frances, late Dowager
Lady Churchill. Elaborately-carved wooden lectern with pierced traceried panels,
pinnacles, etc. Octagonal stone font with step, stem with arched panels
quatrefoil-panelled coving, quatrefoil-panelled bowl with fleurons and panelled
pyramidal wooden cover. Painted commandment and creed panels on north and south
walls at the west end. Stained glass: 6 windows of 1877. Two windows, at west
end commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee of 1887. The site for the 1841 church
was given by Francis Almeric, 1st Baron Churchill. The chancel and transept cost
£3,000. It appears (see evidence internally and externally) that it was intended
to rebuid the nave in the same style of the chancel, but this was never carried
out.
(Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: p605; Kelly's Directory of Oxfordshire
(1911): pp105-6)

Listing NGR: SP3590016499

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26649346

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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