Oakley, St Mary's Parish Church 1952
Photo ref: O65007
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Photo ref: O65007
Photo of Oakley, St Mary's Parish Church 1952

More about this scene

The parish church of St Mary was left high and dry about half a mile to the south as the settlement migrated to the new market in the 13th century. It thus feels more like a country church than a town one, with a large pond between it and the footpath to town. The scene is little changed, except the gates from the 1871 lychgate have gone. Behind is the Manor House, mostly rebuilt by George Devey in the 1870s, and now a school.

Memories of Oakley, St Mary's Parish Church 1952

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. These memories are of Oakley, St Mary's Parish Church 1952

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I recall as a boy living in Thame Road having to pass the church at dusk, having been in the village playing field until late. We had an old lady who had lived next to us, a Mrs Honour, who we called Gran Honour, who had died and was buried just inside the gate of the churchyard. On passing the graveyard in the dark I would call "Goodnight Gran" and run past as fast as I could for fear she might rise up and chase me.