History
Church and chapels
The conversion of the Thames Valley from paganism to Christianity dates to the early 7th century and to the missionary work of Birinus, an Italian priest. Minsters were founded in Aylesbury and Bicester in the 8th century and pilgrims were attracted to this area, helped by the Roman roads, which made it very accessible. During Alfred’s reign and into the 10th century, parishes (spheres of labour assigned to a local priest) were defined, often with similar boundaries to those of the Anglo-Saxon manors. Ambrosden Parish corresponded to the Anglo-Saxon manors of Ambrosden, Arncott and Piddington.
By 1152 ‘Ralph the hermit’ had established Holy Cross chapel on Muswell Hill about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the village. Until the English Reformation, Piddington villagers used to process to the chapel on Christian feast days. The chapel of St Nicholas in Piddington, now Piddington's Church of England parish church, is known to have existed by 1309. In 1428, Piddington, which had previously acted as a chapel to the manorial family, was given full parochial status, and in the reorganisation in 1977 was incorporated with Merton and Ambrosden into a new (Upper) Ray Churches Parish.
The present belltower was built in the 16th century. St. Nicholas' parish church was repaired in 1826 and restored in 1855 and again in 1898. A 14th century wall painting of St Christopher on the north wall of the nave was discovered in 1896 and restored in 1935.
During the 19th century the effect of rapid population increase, pastoral neglect and the growing independence of religious life in the hamlets was a revival of noncomformity. The Congregational chapel in the village was founded in 1825 and enlarged at a later date. The Congregationalists believe that the voluntarily assembled congregation is the chief expression of the Christian church and reject any church hierarchy. This must have appealed to Piddington villagers, who for so long had grumbled about paying tithes to the vicar of Ambrosden. The chapel was still used for worship in 1951 but has since been converted into a private house.
With the advent of motor transport, Gospel vans toured the hamlets in summer as venues for open-air worship.
Visit St Nicholas' Church webpages for more information.
By 1152 ‘Ralph the hermit’ had established Holy Cross chapel on Muswell Hill about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the village. Until the English Reformation, Piddington villagers used to process to the chapel on Christian feast days. The chapel of St Nicholas in Piddington, now Piddington's Church of England parish church, is known to have existed by 1309. In 1428, Piddington, which had previously acted as a chapel to the manorial family, was given full parochial status, and in the reorganisation in 1977 was incorporated with Merton and Ambrosden into a new (Upper) Ray Churches Parish.
The present belltower was built in the 16th century. St. Nicholas' parish church was repaired in 1826 and restored in 1855 and again in 1898. A 14th century wall painting of St Christopher on the north wall of the nave was discovered in 1896 and restored in 1935.
During the 19th century the effect of rapid population increase, pastoral neglect and the growing independence of religious life in the hamlets was a revival of noncomformity. The Congregational chapel in the village was founded in 1825 and enlarged at a later date. The Congregationalists believe that the voluntarily assembled congregation is the chief expression of the Christian church and reject any church hierarchy. This must have appealed to Piddington villagers, who for so long had grumbled about paying tithes to the vicar of Ambrosden. The chapel was still used for worship in 1951 but has since been converted into a private house.
With the advent of motor transport, Gospel vans toured the hamlets in summer as venues for open-air worship.
Visit St Nicholas' Church webpages for more information.
Gospel van near Piddington in the 1920s. Photo: Hilda Jones
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Piddington's Congregational chapel being converted into a private dwelling, July 2005. Photo: Stan Hearn
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Sources
David Green (2000) In the Wake of Ambrosius: An Illustrated Rural History Focusing on the Upper Ray Valley, D.R. Green, Ambrosden.
Wikipedia, 'Piddington, Oxfordshire'.
A more detailed history of Piddington is available from British History Online. This consists of material taken from A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 5: Bullingdon Hundred, ed. by, Mary D. Lobel, Victoria County History, 1957.
Wikipedia, 'Piddington, Oxfordshire'.
A more detailed history of Piddington is available from British History Online. This consists of material taken from A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 5: Bullingdon Hundred, ed. by, Mary D. Lobel, Victoria County History, 1957.