St. Mary the Virgin Freeland
St Mary the Virgin Freeland is a wonderful historic church building in the heart of Freeland Village and central to the community it serves. The services blend perfectly traditional Anglican and contemporary styles of worship.
​
The congregation represents a cross section of the community it serves and are delightfully welcoming to newcomers and visitors alike.
​
The church has a very close relationship with the local school and is the centre point for their celebration of the Christian festivals.
History
St. Mary’s is a wonderful example of Victorian Gothic Revival architected by John Loughborough Pearson (the architect of Truro Cathedral). The church was consecrated in 1869 and was formed out of the parish of Eynsham with the funds provided in the main by the Taunton family. In 1957 the patronage transferred to St. John’s the Evangelist Trust Association
​
The church's magnificent stained glass and decoration was by Clayton and Bell along with the 13th-century-style paintings of Jesus' Passion and Transfiguration. Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast four bells for St. Mary's in 1896. The same foundry cast a new treble and second bells in 2010, completing the present ring of six.