Parish of Milton (Abingdon) Oxfordshire - Official Parish website

Parish Church

Although there are two churches in Milton Village - St Blaise and Milton Methodist, the Parish Church is considered St Blaise as its ancient history is inseparable with that of the village.

HISTORY OF ST BLAISE MILTON PARISH CHURCH

Of the Saxon building nothing remains. The present church dates from the early part of the 14th century, though largely rebuilt in the mid-nineteenth century by the architect Henry Woodyer, who introduced plenty of his original mouldings. The church is a Grade II listed building.

Milton is an abbreviation of the original name of the parish, Middletune, which means 'the middle tun', the middle village of a group of villages.

The earliest recorded reference states that in 956 King Edwy gave fifteen hides of land in Milton to his thane Alfwin, who gave them to Abingdon Abbey.

The church is dedicated to St Blaise, the patron saint of wool combers, Milton once being a centre of the wool industry. There are only three other churches in England dedicated solely to St Blaise.

THE PORCH

This charming little porch was built in the 14th century. The stone roof originally had no tiles on the outside, like the Treasury roof at Merton College, Oxford, which is of the same date. It is not known what the 14th century entrance-arch from the churchyard was like; the present one dates from the 16th century. Hand-made glass was put in the windows in 1959.

THE TOWER

This also dates from the 14th century. In the north-west corner is a tombstone to William Heath. d. 17 April 1651. The Register of 1758 states the fee for burying in the tower was (4/6), so presumably it was customary to bury there.

THE CLOCK

The original clock was made by a neighbouring blacksmith and had only one diamond-shaped face. It was bought by money paid in fines by pheasant poachers, and when the clock struck the hour villagers used to say, 'Hark to the old pheasant crowing!'. The present clock, an exceptionally good example of its kind, was made by Gillett & Johnston in 1923 and was a gift to the church from Sir Mortimer and Lady Singer of Milton Hill House (and of Singer sewing machine fame).

THE BELLS

The 1552 Inventory shows that there were four bells in the tower: Richard Keene of Woodstock recast these into five in 1682. One of these was either damaged or became cracked, as Robert Wells of Aldbourne recast the third of five in 1747. These five bells were hung in a wooden frame which dated from around 1640, predating the bells. Following a public subscription. a sixth bell was cast by Mears & Stainbank in 1906 and was hung in an upper frame, made of softwood designed and constructed by a local budder.

In the summer of 1999 there was concern about the go of the bells. A decision was made to replace the six bells with a new and lighter peal of eight bells hung in a new frame on one level in the tower. Of the previous bells, the old second has been retained on display in the church, the remaining five have been sold via the Keltek Trust to Hackthorn in Lincolnshire where they have become the back five of a new ring of six.

The eight new bells were cast by the Whitechapel Foundry in London and form the first complete ring cast to Gillett and Johnston profiles since the closure of the Croydon foundry in the 1950's. The new tenor weighs 6 cwt, 3 qrts and 26 lbs (348kgs) and is in the note of B. The new bells were hung in the tower in 2002 and were first rung on 2 July 2002. Full details of the bells are given in the tower.


Parish of Milton Parish Council RURAL NEWS! Parish Church Parish Charities Parish Events Milton Matters Local Information Photo Gallery Business Pages Personal Pages Free Classifieds Contact Us Getting Here Our Neighbours About this website Search:	Parish Church Although there are two churches in Milton Village - St Blaise and Milton Methodist, the Parish Church is considered St Blaise as its ancient history is inseparable with that of the village. HISTORY OF ST BLAISE MILTON PARISH CHURCH Of the Saxon building nothing remains. The present church dates from the early part of the 14th century, though largely rebuilt in the mid-nineteenth century by the architect Henry Woodyer, who introduced plenty of his original mouldings. The church is a Grade II listed building. Milton is an abbreviation of the original name of the parish, Middletune, which means 'the middle tun', the middle village of a group of villages. The earliest recorded reference states that in 956 King Edwy gave fifteen hides of land in Milton to his thane Alfwin, who gave them to Abingdon Abbey. The church is dedicated to St Blaise, the patron saint of wool combers, Milton once being a centre of the wool industry. There are only three other churches in England dedicated solely to St Blaise. THE PORCH This charming little porch was built in the 14th century. The stone roof originally had no tiles on the outside, like the Treasury roof at Merton College, Oxford, which is of the same date. It is not known what the 14th century entrance-arch from the churchyard was like; the present one dates from the 16th century. Hand-made glass was put in the windows in 1959. THE TOWER This also dates from the 14th century. In the north-west corner is a tombstone to William Heath. d. 17 April 1651. The Register of 1758 states the fee for burying in the tower was (4/6), so presumably it was customary to bury there. THE CLOCK The original clock was made by a neighbouring blacksmith and had only one diamond-shaped face. It was bought by money paid in fines by pheasant poachers, and when the clock struck the hour villagers used to say, 'Hark to the old pheasant crowing!'. The present clock, an exceptionally good example of its kind, was made by Gillett & Johnston in 1923 and was a gift to the church from Sir Mortimer and Lady Singer of Milton Hill House (and of Singer sewing machine fame). THE BELLS The 1552 Inventory shows that there were four bells in the tower: Richard Keene of Woodstock recast these into five in 1682. One of these was either damaged or became cracked, as Robert Wells of Aldbourne recast the third of five in 1747. These five bells were hung in a wooden frame which dated from around 1640, predating the bells. Following a public subscription. a sixth bell was cast by Mears & Stainbank in 1906 and was hung in an upper frame, made of softwood designed and constructed by a local budder. In the summer of 1999 there was concern about the go of the bells. A decision was made to replace the six bells with a new and lighter peal of eight bells hung in a new frame on one level in the tower. Of the previous bells, the old second has been retained on display in the church, the remaining five have been sold via the Keltek Trust to Hackthorn in Lincolnshire where they have become the back five of a new ring of six. The eight new bells were cast by the Whitechapel Foundry in London and form the first complete ring cast to Gillett and Johnston profiles since the closure of the Croydon foundry in the 1950's. The new tenor weighs 6 cwt, 3 qrts and 26 lbs (348kgs) and is in the note of B. The new bells were hung in the tower in 2002 and were first rung on 2 July 2002. Full details of the bells are given in the tower.
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