The Assumption, Twyford, Buckinghamshire

Description

The church of the Assumption is an ancient edifice of stone of the 12th century, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower containing a clock with chimes and 6 bells: the chancel retains sedilia, piscina and an aumbry: the south doorway is a rich example of Late Norman: the font, restored in 1877, is also Norman, and has a circular basin resting on columns: in the south aisle is an altar tomb: in a slab on the top is a brass to Thomas Gifford, 1550, and his wife; this brass is palimpsest; the Giffords held this manor from 1340 to 1550, when it passed to the Wenmans; by this tomb is the marble effigy of a knight, c. 1230: in the chancel is a brass with demi-effigy to John Everden, rector. 1413; besides a fine monument to Sir Richard Wenman, 1st Viscount Wenman, of Thame Park, Oxfordshire, d. 1640: under a Decorated canopy in the south wall is a heart tomb: the tower was rebuilt and the nave and chancel restored in 1887 at a cost of £1,448, and in 1897 the south aisle and porch were restored at a cost of £587: in 1901 an ancient oak screen between the chancel and nave was restored in commemoration of the reign of Queen Victoria: a new organ was provided in 1915: a bronze tablet on the wall of the nave records the names of those men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18, and in the porch is a framed parchment bearing the names of all from this parish who served. The church affords 230 sittings: all the seating is of oak and is pre-Reformation.

Church Records

The parish register dates from the year 1558; marriages and burials, 1561.