English Heritage sites near Water Stratford Parish
DEDDINGTON CASTLE
12 miles from Water Stratford Parish
Extensive earthworks marking the site of an 11th century motte and bailey castle.
NORTH LEIGH ROMAN VILLA
20 miles from Water Stratford Parish
The remains of a large, well built Roman courtyard villa. The most important feature is a nearly complete mosaic tile floor, patterned in reds and browns.
NORTH HINKSEY CONDUIT HOUSE
21 miles from Water Stratford Parish
Roofed conduit for Oxford's first water mains, constructed during the early 17th century.
ROLLRIGHT STONES
22 miles from Water Stratford Parish
Traditionally a monarch and his courtiers petrified by a witch, the Rollright Stones consist of three groups: the King's Men stone circle; the Whispering Knights burial chamber; and the single King Stone. They span nearly 2,000 years of Neolithic and Bronze Age development.
HOUGHTON HOUSE
24 miles from Water Stratford Parish
Houghton House today is the shell of a 17th century mansion commanding magnificent views, reputedly the inspiration for the ‘House Beautiful’ in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.
DE GREY MAUSOLEUM, FLITTON
25 miles from Water Stratford Parish
Among the largest sepulchral chapels attached to any English church, this cruciform mausoleum houses a remarkable sequence of 17 sculpted and effigied monuments.
Churches in Water Stratford Parish
Water Stratford St Giles
Water Stratford
Buckingham
http://www.waterstratford.org.uk
Following our successful restoration appeal we had enough funds to re-tile the church roof and redecorate the interior. This work started on 5th October 2009 and was completed just in time for us to hold our Carol Service there on 20th December. As well as our usual service of biblical and secular readings, we formally reopened and gave thanks for the restored church, and our carols were accompanied for the first time by a wind band comprising the rector and five villagers. The appeal fund has been wound up in 2013 with the complete rebuilding of the southern half of our churchyard wall.
Water Stratford church is notable for:
Revd John Mason, Rector 1674-94.
An early hymn-writer who influenced Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley and John Keble, and who was a direct ancestor of John Mason Neale. He is buried in our church or churchyard but the location is not known, so a memorial on the outside of the west wall was unveiled by the Bishop of Buckingham on 7 June 2008. Mason's most famous hymn, How shall I sing that majesty, may have been inspired by the Norman tympanum above the South door showing Christ in Majesty (see photo album). Another tympanum above the North door shows either the Lamb of God or the Holy Hind of St Giles.
Revd Joseph Bosworth, Rector 1858–76.
At the same time as he was our Rector he was also Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. This post was held by JRR Tolkien from 1925-45, by which time it was called the Rawlinson and Bosworth professorship. His most notable work is A Dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon Language which was publisheed in 1838 and is still an important reference book today. Bosworth was buried with his second wife on 2nd June 1876 and their well-preserved grave can still be seen on the northern edge of the churchyard.
Much more information on these two men and about our church is available on our website.
Pubs in Water Stratford Parish
Robin Hood
Bufflers Holt, Bufflers Holt, MK18 5DN
(01280) 813387
therobinhoodbuckingham.co.uk/?fbclid=iwa...