England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Shenington Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Shenington is one of the most northerly in Oxfordshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Warwickshire. Shenington is located roughly 6 miles west of the town of Banbury and stands a mile west of the A422 road which links Banbury through to Stratford upon Avon. Shenington is a compact ridge-top settlement overlooking the valley of the infant Sor Brook, a single main street runs through from west to east, on its southern side a highly picturesque triangular village green, with most cottages, built in the local umber coloured ironstone usually lining that street or dead-end extensions either side. The ample plateau to the west of the village is home to a gliding club and a former ironstone quarry being returned to a mixture of productive farmland and nature. Shenington was and is a farming parish that always concentrated on the arable sector with cereals and root crops its main products, the local ironstone was quarried extensively for local building stone. Shenington is drained southeastwards by the Sor Brook which passes south of Banbury to meet the River Cherwell, that river heads more southwards to reach Oxford & the Thames, the latter head back east through Reading, Windsor & the capital to reach the North Sea. Shenington is sited on its hilltop at around 170 metres above the sea, land continues rising westwards summitting at Shenlow Hill at 227 metres, the highest local ground. Shenington parish was typically sized for a southern English farming parish, covering just over 1,400 acres it would have supported a population of close to 450 parishioners. In Domesday times Shenington was held directly by King William, its assets of 12 ploughs and a mill typify its arable nature and size.

The Church

Holy Trinity church sits almost centrally within the village at the eastern side of the village's principal asset, its large village green. Whilst the church undoubtedly was first constructed in the 12th century, the only viably identifiable fabric from that era is the former chancel arch which has been moved from its original position and now forms the entranceway to the late Victorian vestry. Also remaining from the earlier medieval period is the southern arcade of the 13th century Early English Gothic period, again modified in Victorian times when given new bases. The church received a substantial rebuild in the early 14th century which gives much of the exterior a Decorated styling, the southern porch and adjacent window are both early Perpendicular, however. The final medieval content is the western tower in a more mature Perpendicular style, will bequest of 1504 give some indication of the period in which it was erected. Two distinctive phases of Victorian restoration are noted by Pevsner, that of 1867 replaced most of the windows of the northern face but keeping the Decorate styling, the second of 1879 has already been outlined. The best parking is on the Rattlesden Road to the north of the green from where it is a picturesque walk to the churchyard gates, views of the western tower from the south are impeded by a large tree but all other angles are readily available for the photographer.