St Margaret of Antioch is a beautiful and peaceful church serving the hamlet of Binsey. It has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries, and today it is an oasis of prayer. We continue to worship here as we have done for generations, using the timeless liturgy of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. In the churchyard is a holy well and a recently planted Psalm 23 garden to aid meditation and prayer. All are most welcome to join us.
St Margaret of Antioch,
Binsey, OX2 0NJ
Worship with us
The church is always open for personal prayer.
9.00 am (Last Sunday of the Month) Holy Communion
4.30pm (Sundays end of March to end of October BST) Evening Prayer
All services are according to The Book of Common Prayer (1662).
Please see the Prayer & Worship page for information about worship at our sister churches. The last section of the monthly benefice newsletter found on the News and Events page contains the full schedule of worship for the month ahead , including seasonal services.
History
Christians have worshipped on this site for more than a thousand years. Medieval texts indicate that the well in the churchyard was the site of Frideswide’s first healing miracle and so the current building dating from the 13th Century became an important site for those seeking healing and wholeness. In the 19th Century Lewis Carroll incorporated the well into his Alice in Wonderland stories as the Treacle Well.
Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals
Please contact the Rector if you would like to arrange a baptism, wedding or funeral at St. Margaret’s (contact details at the bottom of this page). Please note that St Margaret’s is not licensed for weddings, however, if you have a qualifying connection you can apply for an Archbishop’s Special Licence to be married here. The Church of England’s wedding site contains a lot of helpful information on arranging a wedding in church.
A funeral led by a Church of England minister can be held in church, in a churchyard, by a graveside, or at a crematorium.
Pilgrims
We warmly welcome Christians of all denominations who wish to make a pilgrimage to this Holy Site. If you wish to organise a parish or congregational pilgrimage please contact the Rector who will work with you to make the arrangements you need.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities, running water, electricity or parking provision.
Giving
God so loved the world….that he gave his only son
(John 3.16)
The Parochial Church Council raises funds to maintain the church building and support the mission and ministry in this parish. We rely on the regular generous giving of our congregation, visitors and supporters to do this. We receive no regular financial support from any other source.
If you would like to support this church please go to the giving page for our parish.
