The Church of St Mary the Virgin consists of a Chancel measuring internally 29-ft by 16-ft, Central Tower 17-ft Square, North Transept 24-ft x 17-ft, South Transept 23.5-ft by 16.5-ft, Nave 40-ft x 19-ft, North Aisle 15-ft. wide, South Aisle 9.5-ft-. wide & North, South & West Porches. It is Built of Limestone and Roofed with Lead & Tiles.
The Church dates from the 12thC, but the only remains of this Period are the lower parts of the Lateral Walls at the West end of the Nave & the Head of a small window reset in the West Wall. The Chancel, Tower, Transepts & Aisles, with the Nave Arcades, were Built during the 13thC. The North Aisle was widened, the North part of the North Transept rebuilt & the North Porch added in the 1st-Half of the 14thC. The South Porch dates from the 15thC, when the South Transept was rebuilt. About 1510 the West Porch & the Upper Stages of the Tower were added and the West Wall of the Nave was rebuilt. The Fabric was restored by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1890/1 & the Transepts have since been repaired.
The Chancel is lit by 2-Original Lancets on the North, 3 on the South & a modern 5-light window on the East, while in the South Wall are a square-headed Doorway, which is probably Original & a Trefoiled Piscina with a Sexfoil Bowl. On the East Wall is a 15thC Bracket & in the East Jamb of the middle window on the South is a Mask Corbel. The Upper part of the North Wall is thinner than the lower part, the Offset occurring externally at a Line midway in the height of the Lancets.
The Central Tower opens by 4-13thC Arches to the Chancel, Nave & Transepts & is of 3-Stages with an embattled Parapet; the Tower Arches were restored in the 16thC, when the Upper Stages were built & again in 1632 & 1633, these last dates being Carved on the Piers. The Bell-chamber, which is reached by a Stair Turret on the North-west, is lit from all sides by Pairs of 16thC windows, each of 2-Transomed Lights with Tracery in the Head. The Tower contains a Ring of 8–Bells, all by Lester & Pack of London, 1768, & a Small Bell by George Chandler, 1719. Five of this Ring are said to have been brought from ‘Notley’ Abbey about 1540, 3 were added in 1632 & the whole Ring was Recast in 1768.
The North Transept has a large 14thC Traceried Window in the North Wall of 5-Cinquefoiled Lights, 2-13thC Lancets in the East Wall, one of which is Blocked & a 14thC Arch to the Aisle on the West; the Walls were raised in the 15thC & finished with a plain Parapet. Under the large window is a Moulded Tomb Recess. The South Transept is lit from the East by 2-17thC square headed windows & from the West by a 15thC Traceried Window of 3-lights. In the South Wall is a 15thC window of 4-lights, now Blocked by the Dormer Monument. The present Roof of this Transept dates from the 15thC, but above the Tower Arch can be seen the Lines of the original High-pitched Roof.
The Nave has on either side a 13thC Arcade of 2-Arches, the North Arcade having a Quatrefoil Pillar & Responds with Moulded Bell Capitals & the South similar Responds, but an Octagonal Pillar with a Capital of the same character. High in the Wall on the South are traces of circular Clearstory Windows. In the West Wall is an early-16thC Doorway with Moulded Jambs, & above it a contemporary window of 4-lights under a 4-Centred Head. The Jambs of this window are continued to the Floor & the Recess so formed is flanked by 2 other Recesses, the Jambs of which fall upon Stone Benches. Above the West window is the Head of the 12thC light already mentioned. The North Aisle is lit by 2-14thC windows, one in the North Wall and the other in the West Wall, both of 2-Trefoiled Lights with Tracery & in the North wall is a Doorway of the same Period, while at the North-east are a low blocked window and a 14thC trefoiled Niche with a crocketed Label. The North Porch, though considerably restored, retains the original Entrance Archway. The South Aisle has a 13thC Doorway with Jamb Shafts and a richly moulded Arch, above which are traces of a Gable; to the East of it is a 15thC traceried window & there is a similar window in the West Wall. The Roofs of the Nave & Aisles, though much repaired, retain a considerable amount of 15th & 16thC Work. The South Porch has an Original Entrance Arch of 2-Orders, the Inner Order springing from Corbels & the West Porch has a moulded Archway with foliated Spandrels & a quatrefoil light in each side wall.
The Octagonal Font dates from about 1380; the Sides of the Bowl have Quatrefoil Panels, and at the Angles are Angel-heads with outspread Wings, which form a Rich Band round the Rim; the Base is enriched with Foliated Panels & Lions’ Heads.
In the South Transept is a 17thC Communion Table with Rails. Below the Northern Tower Arch are parts of a 16thC Screen & in the South Transept is an Open Screen of about 1680. The Stand of the Wood Lectern is of the late-17thC.
On the East Wall of the North Transept is a Brass with Figures Commemorating John Canon, who died in 1460 & Agnes his wife, 1468, with groups of 3-sons & 8-daughters. There are also 18thC Monuments to the Canon Family. In the South Transept, surrounded by an Iron Railing, is a large Monument Commemorating Sir John Dormer (d.1627) & Jane his wife, daughter of John Giffard of Chillington, Staffordshire (d.1605). The Inscription records that they had 4-sons (Robert, John, Gyford & William) & 2-daughters (Elizabeth & Dorothy). Their Recumbent Figures, the Knight in Armour, are placed in a panelled recess flanked by Tuscan Columns & surmounted by an Entablature & Shield of Arms. In the Chancel are Floor Slabs to Jane wife of John Burnham (d.1686) & William Langbaine (d.1672).
The Family of Dormer
The Plate consists of a Cup of 1590 and a Flagon & Plate of the 18thC.
The Registers begin in 1559.
Advowson: The Church of Long Crendon, now dedicated in Honour of St Mary the Virgin, appears to have been originally Granted by the 2nd Walter Giffard to St Faith, Longueville, (nr Rouen) but later resumed and given by his son to the Abbey he had Founded at Nutley, remaining in its possession until the Dissolution. The Church afterwards followed the Descent of the Manor of Crendon, once of Nautly Abbey (q.v.), remaining in Lord Churchill’s gift after he had parted with the Manor. He was patron until 1883; from 1884 to 1888 the Advowson belonged to the Executors of R Cottman, from 1889 to 1891 to D B Chapman. The Rev F E Ogden, Vicar from 1887 to 1901, was also Patron from 1892; from 1901 to 1903 the Living was in the Gift of Miss Ogden & Mrs Barclay Chapman; from 1904 to 1906 of Mr W Toone, since which year the Bishop of Oxford has been Patron.
Lands given for the keeping of Lights in the Church of Crendon & for the maintenance of an Obit were included in a Grant to Sir Edward Bray & others made in 1552.
Charities: The following Charities are Regulated by a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners, dated 24th July 1906, namely:-
Charity of Sir John Dormer, Founded by Deed 1st May 1620, consisting of a Rent-charge of £30 (less Land Tax) Issuing out of Land at Piddington, Oxon.
Thomas Westbrooke’s Charity, will 1630, being an Annuity of 15s Issuing out of Downe Lane Close at Littlemore, Oxon.
Thomas Canon’s Charity, Deed 23rd December 1648, Trust Fund £40 2½%, Annuities, arising from the Redemption in 1902 of Rent-charge of £1.
John Hart’s Charity, Will Proved in the PCC 15th May 1665, being a Rent-charge of £5 (less Land Tax) Issuing out of Land at Easington, Oxon.
The Income of John Hart’s Charity is to be applied in Apprenticing or in Prizes or Exhibitions for children attending a Public Elementary School, the residue of the Income of the Charities being applicable for the benefit of the Poor of not less than 60-yrs of age during the Winter Season. The distribution is usually made in Coal.
Trott’s Charity, being an Annuity of 10s issuing out of North Down Field, date of Foundation unknown, but mentioned in the Parliamentary Returns of 1786.
It is Directed by the Scheme that out of the Income of Sir John Dormer’s Charity the yearly sum of £2-10s shall be applied in keeping in repair the Tomb & Monument of the Founder & the Aisle of the Church in which it is situated, & payment of a yearly sum of 12s to the person so Employed; also a Sum not exceeding £6 to be applied every 3rd year towards the cost of a Dinner on the day kept as the Court day for the Lord of the Manor, with 15s to the Steward.
The Church Lands, the Origin of which is unknown, consist of 16-acres, Let at £15 a year, which is applied in aid of the general Church Expenses.
The Poor’s Allotment, also known as Deiman’s Charity, consists of 12-acres, Let at £12 a year, which is applied in the Distribution of Coal.
The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, comprised in Deed 2nd July 1829, was by an Order of the Charity Commissioners, 6th January 1911, Vested in Trustees thereby Appointed upon the Trusts of the Skircoat Model Deed, dated in 1832.
Aston Rowant & Chilterns Spring Line Villages 