Historic Sites Attractions In Lower Oddington

The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Bampton In The Cotswolds And Downton Abbey Filming Location

The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Bampton, Oxfordshire, is a Church of England parish church in the Diocese of Oxford that dates from the 12th century. It is on the site of a late Saxon Minster, the tower of which survives in the present church. It has a 13th-century spire, and a carved stone reredos of Christ and his Apostles from about 1400. It is a Grade I listed building.

Saint Beornwald of Bampton was venerated as patron saint of Bampton from at least the 9th century until the Reformation. His feast day was 21 December. Given the degree of local patronage he may have been the founder of the church. Very little is known about Beornwald. Although early records call him saint, confessor, priest and martyr, even his tomb is now lost for certain. His shrine was probably in the north transept of the parish church, where some evidence of a former shrine remains.
William the Conqueror granted the original church to Leofric, Bishop of Exeter. The Diocese of Exeter was involved with St Mary's for many years afterwards. The church has been rebuilt and extended a number times, most recently in 1870 when the roof was given its present form.
The ancient parish was one of the largest in Oxfordshire, and included the townships of Weald, Lew, Aston, Cote, Shifford, Chimney and Lower Haddon. In 1857 the parish was split into the three ecclesiastical parishes of Bampton Proper, Bampton Lew and Bampton Aston, all now part of the united benefice of Bampton with Clanfield. In 1866 the parish was split into five civil parishes: Bampton, Lew, Aston and Cote, Shifford and Chimney.
St Mary's Rectory has a date-stone stating that it was built in 1546. It was altered in 1799 by the builder and architect Daniel Harris.
On 12 September 1955, St Mary's Church was designated as a Grade I listed building.[10]
Many scenes, including some of Downton Abbey's key events, have been filmed in and around the church in Bampton.
Main Music:-
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Intro Title Music:-
Cinematic (Sting) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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