St Mary's Church, Bloxham

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St Mary's Church, Bloxham is a Grade I listed Church of England parish church in Bloxham, Oxfordshire. It is notable for its 14th century tower and spire, which is the highest in Oxfordshire. It is unusually large for a parish church and was described by the church historian, Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, as being "one of the grandest churches in the country."BuildingThe earliest church on the site was built in the late 12th century. Only fragments of the building from this period remain, including two doorways. The arcades date from the rebuilding of the original nave in the 13th century, but the present building was mainly constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries. The chancel and aisles were rebuilt in the early 14th century, as were the impressive north and south porches. During this time St Mary's was ornamented with a great deal of fine stonecarving, much of which survives. It is likely that this tracery was crafted by a school of masons who carried out similar work on the churches in Adderbury and Hanwell. The tower is thought to have been built between 1300 and 1340. Fragments of Mediaeval wall paintings survive inside St Mary's, including a Doom painting over the chancel arch and Saint Christopher over the north doorway. Remnants of 14th century stained glass survive in some of the windows. The church's elaborate rood screen dates from the 15th century.