This
decorated poster lists the Rectors and (Patrons of the living) of
St Mary the Virgin since 1219. They are as follows:
1219
Andrew de VitrŽ (Alianore de VitrŽ)
1232 Walter de Norton (Countess of Salisbury)
1255 Artaud de Sancto Romano (The King)
1257 Lovel (on death of Artaud) (The King)
1258 Aubrey de Fiscampis (The King)
1256 Simon (The King)
1275 Henry de Wodestok (The King)
1278 Joseph de Loveria (Vicar) (Prior-Convent of Mont Cenis)
1316 Richard Hoyl (Vicar) (Prior-Convent of Mont Cenis)
1400
John Durant (Clerk) (Prior-Convent of Mont Cenis)
1400 William Felip (Priest) (Prior-Convent of Mont Cenis)
1413-22 Sir John Burley (Vicar) (The King)
1461 Sir Robert Sybford (Vicar) (The King)
1470 Matthewe Pole (Parson) (The King)
1472 William Browne (The King)
1472 Palet Paulet or Pauledd (The King)
1472 Dr Arnold (The King)
1502 Sir Thomas Kyrry (The King)
1526 Willelmus Blakden (The King)
1527 Thomas Harris (The King)
1529-58 The Reformation - William Barley (The King)
1532 John Walker (also Rector of Tackley) (The King)
1549 John Chapman (The King)
1575 John Taylford (The King)
1607 John Lee (Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley)
1609 Thomas Johnes (Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley)
1641 Edward Fulham (The King)
1655 John Hoffman (The King)
1687 Richard Rowlandson (New College, Oxford)
1692 Robert Bowsher LL.B. (New College, Oxford)
1720 Thomas Lee LL.B. (New College, Oxford)
1756 John Cary M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1764 John Banks M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1786 Thomas Rowland Berkeley D.D. (New College, Oxford)
1825 Launcelot Charles Lee M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1836
William Blackstone Lee M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1874 Frederick Peers Wickham M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1879 Arthur C. Robinson M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1884 Thomas John Hearn M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1900 Frank Ransome Marriott M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1945 Harold Archibald Timson Bennett M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1953 Vincent Struan Robertson M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1960 Leslie Charles Perfect M.A. (New College, Oxford)
1971 Gordon Henry Wilkins (New College, Oxford)
1977 Joseph Biddlestone (New College, Oxford)
1985 Leonard Wallace Doolan M.A. (St Andrews), M.A. (Oxon) (New
College, Oxford)
1992 Robert Joseph Farman (New College, Oxford)
Among
the Patrons of the living through the centuries have been the Crown,
the Prior and convent of Mont Cenis, Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley, and
New College, Oxford in which the patronage is still vested.
The arms
of Bishop Williams of Wykham of Winchester, founder of New College,
are on the west wall of the porch above the window in the shield held
by an angel. It came to them in 1642 through the will of their warden
Dr Pinke, who acquired it from Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley for £500.
The activities
of the incumbents have from time to time merited special mention in
reports. In 1520, the curate in charge, Sir Thomas Philips,
was charged before the Bishop of Lincoln with caring more for his
animals than his human flock. It was stated in the presentation that
every day before he celebrated Mass, he went to his sheep in the
field and, on St Matthews day, when a parishioner came to make his
confession, he found the parson shoeing his horse. Finally it
was stated, He is a common buyer and seller of sheep and oxen and
he puts sheep in the churchyard.
At the
end of the 1500s, the Puritan enquiry into dumb dogs (those
who did not preach for at least an hour) found that Mr John Taileford
of Wootton was non resident and preacheth only sometimes.
John
Chapman, the rector for much of the 16th century, was a veritable
Vicar of Bray. He was rector during the reigns of Edward VI, Queen
Mary and Queen Elizabeth and accommodated his conscience to the changes
that took place. In contrast, the Reverend Edward Fulham, an ardent
Royalist in the next century, suffered imprisonment, sequestration
and exile to Italy for his support of the Church of England.
The Reverend
Frank Marriott was rector from 1900 until his death in 1945 - the
longest tenure of any rector. To him the church is indebted for the
new oak door and reopening the rectangular side window in the chancel.
