The Benefice

Within the Wheatley Benefice the cluster of Albury consists of four parishes which are cared for by a House for Duty priest. Only one parish has a Warden and Parish Secretary. Two have a Treasurer. All have open Churchyards. Relations between the parishes have been good, with the vicar of St Mary’s and the Duty Priest occasionally swapping roles for services. Whilst it is possible to make changes to the current setup, the congregation and PCCs of all the Parishes are keen for it to continue. 

The Parish of Albury and Tiddington – St Helen’s

The parish includes the villages of Albury and Tiddington which are documented in the Doomsday book but the only church, St Helens, is in Albury, while the majority of the population now live in Tiddington. There are out-lying farms and some houses on Milton Common. The village lies on both sides of the A418 with frequent buses to Thame, Wheatley and Oxford but there is no public transport to the other churches in the cluster. It has a well-used village hall and well supported pub, the Fox and Goat and a flourishing Cricket club. The population is a little under 1000. The church has three regular services a month with the house for duty priest, and a service on the other Sunday when a lay reader is available. The regular services include BCP, Common Worship and a family service. On the fifth Sunday, there is a combined service within the cluster. The regular congregation is small, about 10, and at Festivals, Christmas, Easter and Harvest it may be up to 100. After the Harvest festival service, we organise a “bring and share” Harvest supper in the village hall which is attended by many of the residents of the village. There are eight on the PCC including two church wardens. 

The Parish of Holton – St. Bartholomew’s 

Holton is on the northern border of Wheatley. The village is recorded in the Domesday book. Holton church, dedicate St Bartholomew, dates from the 12th century. General Fairfax the leader of the Parliamentary forces used Holton Park’s moated manor house as his headquarters during the final siege of Oxford and in 1646 General Ireton married Bridget Cromwell at Holton Park in the presence of her father Oliver Cromwell, whose signature is in the church register. The current population of the village is about 400 but that number will balloon with the building of about 500 houses on the old Oxford Brookes site that falls within the parish. There are no shops or primary school in the village with the nearest being at Wheatley. The large secondary school, Wheatley Park School, is in Holton Park and has pupils from many south Oxfordshire villages.  St Bartholomew’s dates from the 12th century and in recent years services have been held there at 11am on two Sunday mornings each month, both Common Worship. On the other Sundays there are shared services with the other churches in Wheatley and on fifth Sundays, when these occur, with the other churches in the cluster. The regular congregation is small but more villagers attend services at the main festivals. No children attend services regularly but there is a Sunday school and youth club in Wheatley. The regular organist retired recently and since then recorded music has been used for the hymns. Visiting organists play for special services. 

The Parish of Waterperry – St Mary the Virgin 

Waterperry village has an adult population of approximately 120, and flanks a cul-de sac ending at Waterperry House and the Church. A handful of properties on Waterperry Common and the small settlement at Thomley are also in the Parish. There has been limited building development in the village in recent years - mainly alterations to old properties, and barn conversions. Waterperry House dates from medieval times and was partly rebuilt in 1713. The house is now owned by the 'School of Economic Science' (SES). The School maintains courteous contact with the village and provide facilities in Waterperry House for Parish and PCC meetings and occasional social events. 

There are four farms in the Parish, though few in the village are involved in farming, but a few of the adult population are employed part or full time at the Horticultural Centre and Waterperry Gardens which surround Waterperry House. These gardens attract thousands of visitors monthly and there is an annual Opera Festival. The village has no shop, pub, or village hall, thus making few opportunities for villagers to meet. The Church of St Mary the Virgin, situated in Waterperry Gardens, is small but is one of the loveliest in Oxfordshire, with medieval glass, box pews, a carved Jacobean two tier pulpit and a rare palimpsest brass. Restoration has been carried out on a 14th century 

tomb effigy, but no major work is currently required on the fabric. There are two services a month, both BCP at which attendance is normally 3-6. There are well attended Harvest, Christmas and Easter services 

The Parish of Waterstock – St Leonard’s Church 

The parish of Waterstock is the smallest in the cluster with a population of about 58 people. It was historically an estate village and a farming community, and it is still an active and close-knit community where almost everybody knows and cares for each other in a very Christian way. There is an equestrian centre with a transitory community which has in the past included visiting Olympic teams. There is no village hall, pub or shop; there are regular bring and share events in houses or gardens over the course of the year that allow the village residents to meet each other following the Harvest Festival or the Carol service. The village sits between Wheatley and Thame.  The Church records date back to 1190; the church was later rebuilt with additions at different periods and a sensitive restoration in the 19th century. Overhead heating is used for services in the building. The church is the only building for larger gatherings and it attracts active support from most of the residents, even those who seldom or never attend services. They perform duties such as flower arranging, cleaning, and mowing the churchyard. The building is used for secular parish meetings, and other village events. There is a rota of 10 people who lock and unlock the church daily. There are Sunday services on the first and third Sundays of the month, both BCP. On a regular basis around eight to ten people attend but many more attend for festivals and other special occasions.