Church of St Mary Magdalene

CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, THORPE ROAD

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1228671
Date first listed:
08-Dec-1955
List Entry Name:
Church of St Mary Magdalene
Statutory Address:
CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, THORPE ROAD
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Date:
2003-09-05
Reference:
IOE01/11083/31
Rights:
© Mr J. B. Moseley. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1228671
Date first listed:
08-Dec-1955
List Entry Name:
Church of St Mary Magdalene
Statutory Address 1:
CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, THORPE ROAD

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, THORPE ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Oxfordshire
District:
Cherwell (District Authority)
Parish:
Wardington
National Grid Reference:
SP 49112 46334

Details

WARDINGTON THORPE ROAD SP4846 (West side) 15/182 Church of St. Mary Magdalene 08/12/55

GV I

Church. C12 origins in chancel which is otherwise C14. C13 nave arcades. Late C13 north and south aisles and south doorway and sanctus bellcote. C14 vestry. C15 west tower and clerestory. Restorations in 1887, 1889, (by Ewan Christian, architect) and 1914-2. (Franklins of Deddington builders and W.T. Loveday architect). Squared, coursed ironstone. Lead roofs. Chancel, nave, north and south aisles, west tower, south chapel, north vestry. 7-window range. Chancel. 2-light Perpendicular windows on north. 4-light window with intersecting tracery on east has renewed stone mullions. 2-light Early English windows on south with pointed arched hood moulds and head stops. South aisle windows to right of porch include a stepped triple lancet, 3-light Perpendicular and Decorated windows and a trefoiled lancet. Priest's doorway has cambered arched head, hood mould and plank door. To left of porch a renewed 3-light lancet window. Gabled stone porch. South doorway has pointed arched head and plank door. North aisle has a pointed arched doorway with plank door. Two 2-light lancet windows and a Decorated window with flowing and reticulated tracery. North and south clerestoreys have three 2-light Perpendicular windows with hood moulds and label stops. C15 vestry on north. Single stack. West tower. 3 stages with a crenellated parapet and diagonal buttresses. West entrance has a pointed arched doorway with plank door. 3-light Perpendicular window to first stage. 3 blocked lancets above and 2-light louvred Perpendicular window to bell-stage. Stone plinth. Interior. Nave and chancel have restored arched tie beam roofs. North and south aisles have renewed roofs. Chancel. Decorated piscina. Pointed arched head to C14 vestry doorway has plank door and strap hinges. Chancel arch is decorated with responds with wave moulding. Impost of C12 chancel arch reset behind pulpit. 5-bay north and south nave arcades. Responds of the east arch of the north arcade C12 with large grooved imposts. C13 double chamfered arches and round piers with square bases. The 2 west piers on the south of quatrefoil section are probably C14. South chapel. Screened from the aisle and open to the chancel through a wide C14 arch with half-octagonal responds. A Decorated and a Perpendicular piscina. Screen in the south aisle partly C14, the base and cresting renewed. Screen between chancel and south chapel incorporates C14 tracery. Monuments. In the south aisle 2 arched C14 tomb recesses, and a C14 slab with a foliated cross. Floor brass to Henry Freebody d.1444. South chapel monument to George Denton d.1757 and 4 floor slabs to members of the Chamberlaine family and memorials to the Wardle, Loveday and Wallace families. The chancel has a marble wall tablet to Edmund French d.1776, and glass commemorating the Chamberlain family. Font, octagonal and dated 1666. Renewed C19 font cover, Hatchment in south aisle. (Buildings of England: 0xfordshire 1974, pp822-3; VCH: Oxfordshire: Vol X, pp222-3)

Listing NGR: SP4911146334

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
403280
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Salzman, L F, The Victoria History of the County of Oxford, (1972), 222-3
Pevsner, N, Sherwood, J, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, (1974), 822-3

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Church of St Mary Magdalene

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Jun-2026 at 20:55:10.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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