The Causeway runs for almost a mile from northeast to southwest through Steventon, from The Green in the east to the church in the west. The Raised Causeway is an embankment, probably dating from the 14th century, with a gravel path and stone steps. The combination of the village’s main axis and this structure offers a distinctive introduction to its history.
The Causeway and the Village Layout
The banks of The Causeway are planted with bulbs that flower in spring. Together with the Village Greens, The Causeway forms one of Steventon’s two conservation areas. The historic route and the green spaces are therefore part of the same aspect of the village’s character. A view of Steventon thus focuses not only on individual buildings, but also on the relationship between the built-up line and the open spaces.
Steventon Priory: Building History in Several Phases
Steventon Priory was founded in the early 12th century during the reign of Henry I. The Priory is Steventon’s largest medieval timber-framed building; its oldest part dates from the 14th century. The founding date and the oldest surviving fabric therefore mark different points in time. The parts of the building complex also span several construction phases: the southwest wing dates from around 1330, the northwest wing from around 1463, and the hall from around 1500. The service wing attached to the hall dates from around 1550, while the east range dates from the late 16th century. This makes the long building history tangible through specific parts of the building, rather than reducing it to a single date.
Church, Carvings and Cross
The Church of St Michael and All Angels dates from the early 14th century and was altered in the late 15th century. Its roof trusses are decorated with wooden corbels, including depictions of crowned heads and rabbits playing musical instruments. The church pews also date from the 15th century. North of the church stands a 15th-century stone cross on a square base with two steps; the shaft and cross probably date from the early 20th century. The church and cross thus reflect different periods: the building, its furnishings and individual components do not all belong to the same era.
Inn and Railway Bridge
The North Star Inn is a Grade II listed inn with fabric dating from the 17th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. It has been continuously owned by one family since the mid-19th century. Steventon Railway Bridge offers a different perspective on the village’s history: I. K. Brunel built it to carry a road over the main line between Paddington and Bristol. Alongside medieval timber framing and church architecture, the history of bridge and railway construction emerges as a distinct aspect.
Village Greens and Nature
Steventon is an important habitat for water voles. With a little luck, they can be seen in or beside the waterways in the allotments or on the Village Green. Under the community bylaw adopted in November 2023, community members and other people may use the Village Greens on foot every day as public open space for all lawful personal purposes; the bylaw may be amended. The bulbs on the banks flower in spring, while spotting water voles is a matter of luck. These offer two distinct nature experiences: seasonal blooms and the chance to observe wildlife.
Discover more destinations: Clare, Benson, Nettlebed, Minster Lovell, Bampton, Watlington, Thame, Drayton
For the broader travel overview: Oxfordshire.
