We had an excellent guide, Nigel who detailed the fascinating history of this beautiful church.  St Andrew’s has been a Pilgrim Church since 2012; Nigel has walked the Camino Francais to Santiago de Compostela in order to raise money for the restoration of the church.

St Andrew’s dates back to the 10^th century when a Cistercian Monastery was founded in Oddington.  There are many historical features in the church, a medieval bell frame, bells dating back to 1600’s and a Preaching Cross in the churchyard.

The Hamsterley brass forms part of the floor in the chancel, this was commissioned by Ralph Hamsterley (1499-1507) who was a fellow of Merton College and later Master of University College.  The brass depicts a skeleton wrapped in a shroud with worms crawling out from various parts of the body.  It appears that the brass was commissioned before the death of Ralph Hamsterley.

There is a unique connection with the Māori community through Makereti Papakura, who was a Māori Princess and lived in the village.  She is buried in the churchyard.

In 2025 the University of Oxford awarded a posthumous degree to Makereti Papakura.  This was in relation to her studies of the Māori customs, which she completed in 1930, but as she died suddenly the same year, she did not receive her degree.

The stained-glass window (left) in the Lady Chapel was installed in 2025 and is the the work of Jude Tarrant.  The theme is The Creation, depicted by the wildlife of Otmoor.

There is a guidebook available in the Church outlining it's long and rich history.