THE CHURCH OF ST GEORGE HATFORD

 ILLUSTRATED HISTORY  &   SHORT GUIDE OF THE CHURCH 

HATFORD’S TWO CHURCHES

HOLY TRINITY & ST GEORGE’S

Hatford is but a small village of some 90 people. Mentioned in the Doomsday Book, Hatford translates as 'a ford beside a headland or hill'. Visitors coming from Oxford leave the main road to drive through Pusey and Gainfield and will see the 19th century church of Holy Trinity standing prominently with its tower. On arrival in the village, however, visitors soon realise that the church is now a private residence. The conversion has been tastefully done, the graveyard has not been disturbed and its gate bears the name Church House.

South side of St George’s church

Only a few yards away, between former Rectory and the Manor House, set back from the road behind its own churchyard is a low building with no tower, but undoubtedly a church. It consists of a chancel and a nave of but one aisle, making it narrow in comparison with the 67 feet of its length. This is Hatford’s ancient parish church of St George, and Mr Bill Baylis who lives at the nearby Manor House will delight in telling visitors how such a small village came to have two churches. St. George's Norman Church which is 'chapel like', having no tower or spire, stands on the site of a much earlier building, dating from Saxon times. Early English architecture is interspersed with original Norman craftsmanship which is rather resplendent in the fine, carved doorway on the south side, the nave and chancel arch.

The move from St George’s to Holy Trinity took place in the year 1874, but the story began earlier with a piece of typical 19th century nepotism when a certain Mr Francis Paynter purchased the advowson, that is, the right to be patron and appoint the Rector of Hatford. In 1825 he appointed his son, or perhaps grandson, the Revd Samuel Paynter, aged 24 and only just old enough to be a priest in the Church of England.