Perched on a hillock overlooking the river, St Mary's Church is an early 12th-century church full of historic interest. A narrow crenelated square tower at the west end is an odd Georgian addition to the Romanesque and early Gothic exterior. Illuminated through clear glass windows, a simple but spacious interior feels very light. Notice the two sets of effigies on the south side of the chancel. Stacked as if on shelves, the monuments to the male members of the Fettiplace family are a striking reminder of how powerful and wealthy this family once was. In the churchyard you'll find the graves of the four Mitford sisters. Arrange your visit to St Mary's Church and discover more family-friendly attractions in Burford using our Burford route planning tool.
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St Mary's Church reviews
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This is a lovely church in Swinbrook in the Cotswolds, fairly typical of the churches in the Cotswold villages in its age and peaceful charm. However, it is also notable for having the ornate tombs..... more
This is a lovely church in Swinbrook in the Cotswolds, fairly typical of the churches in the Cotswold villages in its age and peaceful charm. However, it is also notable for having the ornate tombs..... more »
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I visited this church with friends we had walked from The Swan Inn and we initially studied the graveyard noting the ages on the grave stones. The church is small but attractive and interesting. The..... more
I visited this church with friends we had walked from The Swan Inn and we initially studied the graveyard noting the ages on the grave stones. The church is small but attractive and interesting. The..... more »
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The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin dates from about 1200. Its unusual open-sided bell-tower was added in 1822.The church is noted for its 17th-century Fettiplace monuments. David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale had Swinbrook House built 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the village. Four of his six daughters (the "Mitford sisters") are buried in the parish churchyard: Nancy, Unity, and Diana are buried side by side, while Pamela is buried northwest of the tower. There is a tablet in the church commemorating their only brother, Tom, killed in March 1945 in Burma. St Mary's also has a monument to the officers and men of the Royal Navy submarine HMS P514, and especially its commander, Lieutenant W.A. Phillimore, whose parents lived at Swinbrook.
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Beautiful old church building in the village of Swinbrook, just outside Burford. The main building days from the 12th century and there is a rather peculiar memorial to a local family of dignataries, descended from the Normans called the Fettiplace family.
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