Parish Church
The Church of England parish church of Saint James the Apostle is known to have existed by 1074. A Norman carved doorway in the nave dates from this period. Much of the building, however, including the bell tower, is Decorated Gothic from the first half of the 14th century. St. James' also has features from the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries. St. James' is a Grade I listed building.
The tower has a ring of eight bells. Henry I Bagley of Chacombe, Northamptonshire cast the tenor and seventh bells in 1635. One of these bells was paid for by John and Isabel Aston. Henry I Bagley cast also the fourth bell in 1646 and the fifth bell in 1670. His descendant Henry III Bagley cast the sixth bell in 1707, completing the set of five bells noted in The Gentleman's Magazine in 1827. John Taylor & Co of Loughborough cast the third bell (which then would have been the treble) in 1896, making a ring of six. In 1974 the Whitechapel Bell Foundry added the present treble and second bells, increasing the ring to eight. At the same time all eight bells were also rehung.
St. James' parish is now part of the Cherwell Valley Benefice along with five other parishes: Ardley, Fritwell, Lower Heyford, Souldern and Upper Heyford.
Read more about this topic: Somerton, Oxfordshire, Churches
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