About Us

Like many other old parish churches, St Mary's has come down to us from different periods. Part of the church was built not long after the Norman Conquest in 1066. We can see for ourselves the little bit that goes back to a distant age by in the narrow window in the chancel. It is our benefactors, the craftsmen and the people who have worshipped in a loving and caring way that have made our church so beautiful. The chancel and pillars of the nave belong to the 13th century. It is likely that the richly moulded Early English north doorway, which is certainly not in its original position, was once the south doorway. Fine stone coffin slabs of the 13th century lie beside the altar in the north aisle [now the Lady Chapel] It was thought that sometime during the 13th century the church was badly damaged by fire. We owe many of the finest features of the church to the 14th century, built after the fire, including the north and south aisles.

The great spreading windows still contain little fragments of the lovely stained glass which filled them once upon a time. The south porch with its vaulted roof has a small room ["parvise"] over it where in early days the priest was thought to live. The buttresses outside have niches in them for statues. Gone are the statues, but some of the gargoyles have stood the test of time: evidence of the skill of the stonemasons. The chancel was also enlarged during the 14th century. The tower we see today was built at this time, possibly in three stages. The papal indulgence of 1398, granted to all who visited or gave alms for the conservation of Milton Church, may have been connected with these additions. Even then, the people of Great Milton relied on the generosity of its visitors! The tower contains a peal of nine bells: two dated 1673, two dated 1771, one 1772, another 1848, and an undated bell from the 17th or 18th century. The youngest, the sanctus bell, is dated 1825. In 1552 the commissioners recorded four bells and a sanctus bell. In 1631, a stock ring of five bells was supplied by Ellis Knight. In 1679 the church wardens reported that the great bell was broken, but by 1684, only five years later, all the bells were in working order. Perhaps this was because two bells had been recast in 1673 by Ellis and Henry Knight. Much later, in 1771, three bells were recast by Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester.

In 1860 the organ was put in the north side of the chancel in a deep respond on the south arcade of the nave. In 1927, the Rev Percival Pott paid for a new vestry at the west end of the north aisle. In 1933, electric light came to the church. (previously it had been lit by fine brass oil lamps and candles): note the fine brass candelabra in the chancel dated 1897, which replaced even older candelabra. In the last 50 years, benefactors have made generous gifts to the church, including the stained glass window in the south aisle made by Mr Farrer Bell in 1957, The painted arms of Queen Elizabeth II over the north door, the Ten Commandments painted over the chancel arch, the panel of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer on the east wall, the rich red carpets, the beautifully embroidered kneelers in church colours,, each one dated and initialled on its end. Full details of embroiderers can be found in a book at the back of the church.

The history of the church is a living monument to the people who have used and loved this building. The families known, and the families unrecorded, from the village of Great Milton who have worshipped week by week, and all those people who at some time have wished to leave some historic record. All have wanted to bequeath to the next generation a place of beauty and peace. We too can be part of this living history.