England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Standlake St Giles

The Parish

The parish of Standlake lies in southwestern Oxfordshire forming a short stretch of the border with neighbouring Berkshire. Standlake is located about 5 miles southeast of the market town of Witney and sits just under a mile east of the A415 road which connects Witney with Abingdon. Standlake sits on the western banks of the River Windrush shortly before its confluence with the Thames, a position which forms the structure of the village which largely lies on the three arms of T-junction, the major limb paralleling the course of the Windrush. Despite the extensive water-meadows which provided pastures much of the parish was set to arable farming of mostly cereals. As already stated the Windrush drains the parish southwards to the nearby Thames from where matters turn east to eventually pass through the capital and on to the North Sea. Standlake is sited at around 60 metres above the sea in rather gentle terrain where land fails to rise more than 10 metres higher for some considerable distance. Standlake parish was fairly typically sized for ita area, covering just over 2,200 acres it would have supported a population of close to 700 parishioners. In Domesday times Standlake was junior to nearby Brighthampton, a position reversed today, Brighthampton was shared by Earl William, with the largest share, and Bishop Odo of Bayeux; collectively their assets amounted to 10 ploughs, the usual meadows & pastures and there was a mill.

The Church

St Giles' church sits on the northern edge of the village on the western side of The Downs, the limb of the T-junction heading northwards. St Giles has its origins in the brief Transitional period of the late 12th century, Pevsner identifies a round-headed northern door and chancel arch from that early period and speculates that the northern arcade also is from this period. There were clearly major improvements and additions made to the church in the 13th century, the mid 13th century saw both transepts added and the chancel rebuilt, the lancet windows being typical of this Early English Gothic period. Much else within the main fabric dates from the Decorated period of of the early 14th century with this styling shown also in a number of replaced windows in early portions. A lengthy restoration from 1880 to 1891 is mentioned as replacing the southern doorway but otherwise was fairly restrained leaving much unchanged. Immediately north of the site is a substantial car park making extended visits simple. The churchyard has a low local stone wall surrounding and an entrance directly from that car park. Strangely the church does not follow the standard east to west layout being orientated more southwest to northeast, this presents the full profile to the favoured photographic angle, a bonus made easier by an open and uncluttered churchyard.