St Helen's Church, Benson, Oxfordshire

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Details

Accessibility

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/33/facilities/

Baby Changing Facilities

Disability Toilet

Toilets

Ramped entrance

Brief description

"The Church of England parish church of St Helen is partly ancient. John Marius Wilson described it: "variously late pointed Norman and decorated; has a modern tower; contains a Norman font and two [monumental] brasses; and is very good."[11] The church parish includes the hamlets of Fifield and Crowmarsh-Battle or Preston-Crowmarsh. The village is often confused with RAF Benson, which is a well-known RAF station and airfield. The airfield boundary is adjacent to the village, and the aerodrome's construction closed the former "London Road". The RAF buildings are on the opposite side of the airfield to Benson village, adjacent to the village of Ewelme.

The church tower was rebuilt in 1794. It has a single clock-face on the east-facing side, with hours displayed in Roman numerals. The clock face erroneously has the nine o'clock marker marked as "XI", as is the eleven o'clock marker correctly. This mistake gained fame in the Second World War when Germany's English-speaking propaganda broadcaster, William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) promised an air raid on "an airfield near the village whose clock had two elevens". RAF Benson was bombed soon afterwards.

The bell tower has a ring of eight bells.[12] Six, including the tenor and treble, were cast in 1781 by Thomas Janaway of Chelsea.[13][12] The current second and third bells were added by Whitechapel Bell Foundry: the second was cast by Charles and George Mears in 1852 and the third by Mears and Stainbank in 1922.[12] In October 2009 White's of Appleton replaced the original oak bell frame of 1794 with a modern steel frame.[12] White's refurbished the bells and fitted new headstocks for the new steel frame.[14]"

Address

St Helen's Church

Church Road

Benson

Oxon OX10 6SF

Email

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/33/get-in-touch/

Phone

01491 838535

Website

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/33/

https://bensonandewelmechurches.co.uk/benson

Directions


Opening Times

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Transport


Amenities

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/33/facilities/

Baby Changing Facilities

Disability Toilet

Toilets

Travel Information

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