St Faith’s is a lovely old church holding pride of place at the crossroads in the quiet village of Newton Longville. Newton means ‘new farm’ as it must have been when noted in the census of 1086 (not a typo). Wikipedia and other sources say that "Longville" was added in the 13th century when this area was owned by the Cluniac priory of Longueville, Calvados, in Normandy, France.
What I like best about the church is the way that the front door remains unlocked throughout the day, so that anyone may enter at any time for prayer and quiet contemplation. Also, that they allow the plants in the churchyard to grow long, to support pollinating insects.
Inside the church, you will find a quiet space, protected from the occasional sounds of passing traffic by it’s thick stone walls. Lovely stained glass windows, added in the 1890s or early 1900s by English craftsmen, mainly show scenes from the New Testament. There are two exceptions, one window which shows St. Vincent and one of the church’s patron, Saint Faith.
Saint Faith, or Saint Foy, was a 13-year-old Roman girl martyred in the time of the Emperor Diocletian for refusing to renounce her faith. She is also known as a saint who likes sparkly donations and, beware, will take revenge on anyone foolish enough to break their promises to her.
One story tells of a dying woman who promised St. Faith she would will her most precious ring to the abbey. Even though he was aware of the promise, her husband decided to use the ring as his second wife’s wedding band. His new wife’s ring finger swelled and became unbearably painful. The couple hurried to St. Faith’s shrine. There, when the lady blew her nose, the ring flew off her hand with such force that it left a crack in the pavement.
So there you go. Don’t try to weasel out of your vows to a saint. At least not to Saint Faith.
In 1066 (again, not a typo) Walter Giffard was Lord of Longueville, Normandy, and a key supporter of fellow Norman William the Conqueror when William successfully invaded England. For his support, which included 30 ships for the invasion, Giffard received a barony in England which included the manor of the village that would become known as Newton Longville. Giffard then gave the lands to the priory of St. Faith, Longueville, in Normandy. The Norman priory built a cell in Newton, known as Newton Longville Priory. The current St Faith’s was rebuilt in the 13th century from the remains of a previous structure, which some believe might have been that priory.
At times the Newton Longville Priory was considered an alien (i.e. foreign) entity due it’s French connections and would be confiscated by the English Crown in times when England was at war with France. Eventually, in 1441 the church was given to New College Oxford. Rent for the church consisted of one red rose, to be paid to the Crown at Midsummer. The congregation remains part of the Diocese of Oxford of the Church of England to this day.
But enough history. Let’s go back to the church and its surroundings. If you start from the crossroads by the church and follow Whaddon Road north, you will soon reach Whaddon Chase. This is an ancient (and still royal) hunting forest which is now a protected nature reserve. As you might be able to tell from the name, fox hunting did once take place in the Chase. Click here for a short 1930s newsreel of riders gathering for the hunt.
South the road named Stoke takes you to the ancient village of Stoke Hammond, noted as an Anglo-Saxon place of worship in William the Conqueror’s census of 1086. It is also one of the 53 Thankful Villages; which means that none of its residents were killed in the First World War.
The road that winds west-southwest of course takes you to Drayton Parslow, a hilly, traditionally agricultural village which once hosted a strong temperance movement. And the eastern road will take you to the town Bletchley, known as the home of the code-breakers of Bletchley Park. From there, you can head on into the new city of Milton Keynes and take the train on to London or Birmingham.
I get to St. Faith’s by walking up Bletchley Road, often pausing for a cup of coffee at the lovely Newton’s Coffee Shop just across Whaddon Road from the church. Sometimes I choose to head a little further up Whaddon Road to the Crooked Billet Pub for lunch. You can reach St. Faith’s by driving up Buckingham Road from Bletchley, or, if you are traveling on the A421 /Standing Way, turn south onto Whaddon Road at Bottledump Roundabout.
Open : ) yes!