St Mary's Church, Iffley and Court Place Gardens
Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4EG
The church of St Mary the Virgin, Iffley is described by Pevsner as ‘one of the best preserved twelfth century churches in England’. It is a place of extraordinary beauty and peace. Recent redevelopment of its ancient neighbour, Court Place Gardens, has opened up its historic setting. Tours and trails round the two sites.
The church stands above the River Thames just over a mile downstream from Folly Bridge. Its medieval rectory shares its lawn, and the 17th-century successor of a much older manor house peeps over the churchyard wall. During the 1160s the lord of the manor and his family played a crucial part in the building of Iffley Church. They paid for it. Indeed, it is likely that every single detail of its design was minutely planned by the benefactor.
The ‘Mansion House’ sits at the heart of Oxford University’s new graduate housing complex at Court Place Gardens. Visitors will approach through the main gateway into the churchyard at the end of Church Way. From there they can walk into Court Place Gardens, see the new graduate houses, enter the Mansion House and explore the lovely garden with its wildlife-friendly planting and adventurous play equipment for children. During daylight hours public access links the garden, Rivermead Nature Reserve, the River Thames and St Mary’s Church.
Drop-in. Volunteer guides will be offering informal tours of the Church from 2.00-4.30. Tours of the common rooms in the historic Mansion House at Court Place from 4.00-5.00.
Timings
- Sunday 13 September:
- 1400-1700
Location & directions
Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4EG
- Contact on day:
- Anna Clark
- Telephone number:
- +441865242918
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
The church and Court Place Gardens are accessible with a wheelchair. Grass areas around the churchyard and the gardens are bumpy. A disabled toilet is available in the Church Hall, 100 yards from the church. Please ask one of the volunteers on site to unlock the Hall. No onsite disabled facilities.
Additional information
Talks in Iffley Church Hall. Free. No booking required. 2.30 ‘The Lady who built Iffley Church’, by Penny Tyack; 3.10 ‘Colourful Characters at Court Place in the 16th and 17th centuries’, by Susan Walker.
