St Matthew’s
Langford.
8th century artefacts from
Normandy, definite Saxon
construction and stonework, and
an example of an Englishman
prospering under Norman rule.
The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
Three Features illustrate ......
The Important Early History of
St Matthew’s, Langford.
A Saxon tower, right, with a definite Saxon
long and short quoin structure and Saxon
arches inside the church at its base.
It is believed the church was built on the
site of an earlier edifice and that the tower
was built shortly after the Conquest before
Norman building techniques, generally from
1150, became standard. Therefore,
consider the importance of Aelfsige of
Faringdon who would have used Saxon
builders for the tower and was Langford’s
benefactor - he is described later.
The size of the church
indicates an important manor.
Before the Conquest the
religious Minsters, Bampton,
Broadwell and Langford, were
losing their power to manors
owned by earls. The combined
manors of Langford and
Broadwell exceeded 50 hides =
300+ acres.
(A hide could be anything from 50 to
200 acres but averaged 64 acres in
this area.)
The headless rood is set in a later
wall. One expert maintains that it
was imported from Normandy as
it is earlier than 8th century due
to the long garment Christ is
wearing. At the time of the
Conquest Christ would have
been stripped to the waist in such
effigies.
So did the headless rood arrive
directly after it had been carved
in the 8th century or was it
plunder from a military campaign
of a later era?
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The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
Aelfsige.
Aelfsige's estates comprised 15 Hides in Langford (960+ acres), 10 Hides in
Shipton-under-Wychwood (640+ acres), Rycote 2 Hides (128+ acres), and in
Berkshire he held 5 Hides at Barcote (320+ acres) and 4 Hides in Great
Faringdon ( 256+ acres) together with 4 Hides (256+ acres) at Great Barrington in
Gloucestershire..... A total of at least 2,680 acres.
(A hide could be anything from 50 to 200 acres but is thought to have averaged 64 acres in this
area.)
Langford was transferred from Oxfordshire to Berkshire after 1086, Domesday
Book, owing to its connection with Faringdon which must have been Aelfsige, the
Englishman who prospered under Norman rule.
The roof line of
Aelfsige’s original
church is shown on the
tower wall viewed from
the chancel, at left, and
the narrow arches of
the Saxon tower base
vault.
Clearly trusted by
William the
Conqueror we can
understand how he
had the confidence
to embark upon a
major building
project like Langford
church.
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The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
The present two bay chancel was rebuilt in the
mid 13th century but shortened at some time
because the priest’s door, on the outside at
left, is set too far east. Inside, the 13th century
trefoil piscina, below, is mounted in the
blocked priest’s doorway. No details are
available for the plainer piscina to the right.
Further evidence that the chancel was
altered dramatically is shown by the mismatch of stonework in the corner of the
east window above. A pillar doesn’t fit
the window reveal and a corbel is much
too close to the top of it.
Note the unusual design of the windows
which also occur at Wyck Rissington,
about 12 miles north of here.
A 13th century two tier, six compartment
aumbry to the north of the altar indicates a
rich church with lots of valuable plate to
store.
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The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
The south porch is 13th century and you enter
the church through a round arch Norman door
into a large nave with north and south aisles.
The nave was rebuilt with a north
and south arcade and aisles in late
Norman times, probably about
1200, with slender rounded arches
and columns with highly carved,
floriated capitals. Graceful Norman
arches which, probably, just
predate the introduction of the
Gothic pointed arch into England.
The style and design indicate money and
influence in the building of this church, maybe
even aristocratic connections. Note the superb
decoration of the column capitals, at left.
A Prebend of Lincoln.
In medieval times the church was dedicated to
St Mary and was part of the diocese of Lincoln.
It remained as a prebend (supporting Lincoln in
monetary terms) of the Lincoln Diocese until
1848 when the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
gained ownership of prebendal estates.
Langford then became part of the Oxford
Diocese. At this time from 1810 to 1850
Langford had about 400 inhabitants most of
whom would attend church here regularly each
Sunday.
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The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
Many building modifications have
taken place over the years. After
the Black Death (mainly 1349)
some changes were made but in
the 15th century local inhabitants
made significant investments in
new pavement flooring, seats,
several windows and the present
octagonal font. At one time the
porch was two storey but only the
block doorway and the hint of an
access stairway remain, as left.
The nave was also re-roofed at a
lower pitch and clerestory
windows introduced above the
arcade.
Fashions have changed in church services,
as in everything else, and preaching was
not a feature of the medieval church service.
Preaching became common from late
Tudor times onward and Holy Communion
was only celebrated at Easter, Whitsun,
Michaelmas and Christmas during the 16th
and 17th centuries.
This Jacobean pulpit was made in 1673 by
Thomas Whiting (of Shipton-u-Wychwood?)
for £8-00. Originally it could have been a
double decker type. However, in 1865 it
was decided to scrap it and provide a new
one but, when blank facing panels were
removed and the fine carvings revealed,
that decision was quickly reversed. The
pedestal and stairs were provided in 1867.
The Mysteries of the Exterior.
The figures above the porch door of The Crucifixion with Our
Lady and St John have been reset from another location.
They are thought to date from 1020 -1040 and may have
been commissioned by Earl Leofric of Mercia, a known
patron of the arts. The form is similar to those found in the
Syrian churches with the principal figure carved in high relief
on four stones. When reset the hands have been juxtaposed
right and left probably to fit the porch facade. Also the Virgin
and St John are on opposite sides of Christ to normal. Christ
wears a loincloth which is significant when considering the
date of the headless Rood on the east porch wall.
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The Shill and Broadshires Benefice - Church Guide
While the tower is undoubtedly the oldest part of
the church this headless rood might be the oldest
artefact. Studies revealed that Christ wearing a
long tunic was common in statues up to the 8th
century.
There are no other figures like this anywhere in
England.
The method of construction supports the theory
that the figure was carved in northern France in
700 - 800 AD.
In the 16th century the two flying buttresses were
added to the north nave wall. The wall is out of true
vertical, was it in danger of collapse? One buttress
has an inscription dated 1574.
The pointed
and pointless
West end
decorations
to the roof
appear to
have been
added at
about the
same time.
The square base and octagonal shaft column are
thought to originate from the 15th century; its
precise purpose is not known but it might have
been for the broadcast of news and the King’s
proclamations. It was probably surmounted by a
cross and damaged during the Reformation.
The sources of information for this guide have been the original guide book in the
church, John Blair’s Anglo-Saxon Oxfordshire, English Heritage and Victoria County History. The author is indebted to Dr Mark Page for permission to use his latest research
material.
Derek Cotterill 2008.
Langford 7