The Benefice of Blenheim
Begbroke, Bladon, Shipton, Woodstock & Yarnton
History of St Mary Magdalene, Woodstock
The Church was built in the 12th century, in the reign of King Henry II, as a Chapel-of-Ease to the Parish Church of St. Martin, Bladon, for the convenience of the Court since the King was often in residence at his
Royal Manor of Woodstock. In 1200 King John provided an endowment to provide for a priest and to build the chantry chapel. The chancel was built in the 14th century but rebuilt at a later period. In 1453 Henry IV licensed the rectors and churchwardens to acquire land to provide an income for the repair of the building and to pay chantry priests to celebrate daily services. This was done because the people of Woodstock were too poor to maintain the church themselves.
After the Reformation Woodstock suffered as did many other churches around the country. Some carvings and paintings were destroyed by the puritans. The 17th century saw the church considerably altered to suit ideas of worship at the time.
The Woodstock rectory was built in 1686 and the first rector to live there was John Hersent. Rectors were appointed by the King until 1764 when patronage was transferred by the crown to the 5th Duke of Marlborough (1766–1840). The 7th Duke of Marlborough (1822–1883) was the paternal grandfather of the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, who was born at nearby Blenheim Palace.
By 1759 the church tower was in dangerous state and £700 was donated for a new one. In 1783 a committee was appointed to rebuild the tower and enlarge the church. The new tower was built in 1784; originally it was surmounted by a parapet with pinnacles and balustrade.
Although largely reconstructed in 1878, the Church still has a number of important and most interesting features from earlier times, for example the south door.
The Church was built in the Norman style, characterised by round arches. The south door, from about 1150, is a survivor from the original church; to see it, go into the churchyard. The doorway is decorated with two rows (orders) of a zigzag pattern, separated by a roll moulding; the inner order is the more elaborate. The zigzag (chevron) pattern is thought to be an English invention and is found in many Cotswold and Thames valley churches where work of this period survives.
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