Saint Thomas of Canterbury  -  Stratford Road, Wroxton

The Catholic Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is the only thatched church in Oxfordshire. Its story has its origin in the conversion to Catholicism in 1867 of William Henry John North, the future 11th Baron North.  His parents were staunch Anglicans. Once William had acceded to the title, on the death of his mother in 1884, regular Catholic worship began in Wroxton Abbey.  A village church was opened in 1887, converted from a former wash house or laundry, and was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. This was replaced in 1894 by an ‘iron’ church, built by North’s youngest daughter, Christina, in memory of her late husband, Thomas Yate Benyon. 

Opened 30 December 1894, it was dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury.  The church was largely rebuilt 1947-8, substantially in its present form.  All the stained glass windows were introduced at the same time. Most were given by the antique dealer Joseph ‘Shirley’ Brown, and were war salvage after World War II. This explains their randomness and also the fact that there are two separate windows depicting the Transfiguration of Christ. The front windows are very different in style, but must have the same varied origin. They show rural occupations within borders of bible text, and are the work of Charles Alexander Gibbs (1825-77).​

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Services

Mass is celebrated here at 8.30am on the First Sunday of each month.
​8.30 am on Christmas Day and Easter Day.

Weekly Holy Hour at 11-12 on Mondays

Church is open daily for all (9.30am - 5.00pm)