The Church House Story

St Mary’s Church, Church House and Oxfordshire CC
Church House was built in 1830 by the Revd Charles Baring as a Sunday School and was Adderbury Girls School from 1831 to 1962. When nationally the county councils became responsible for schooling, Oxfordshire County Council became owners.
In 1962 a new primary school in Adderbury, Christopher Rawlins, was built by Oxfordshire CC and Church House (together with the other school buildings in the village) became redundant.
The Church (Community) purchased the former girls’ school from Oxfordshire CC and funded the building of the flat roofed “back of house” area for Church and Community use.
In September1997, in response to a government “cap” on Oxfordshire CC spending it was announced that the library in Adderbury (and five other villages) would close.
Villagers taking the lead to retain the library in Adderbury soon discovered the county library service considered the library building next to the former Congregational Chapel, leased from Humphris, Funeral Directors as no longer suitable for library services. The book shelving was barely half that required, there were no service facilities and no space for computer systems
Following several meetings and consultations, Adderbury Parochial Church Council APCC) made an in principal agreement with Oxford CC for the refurbishment of CH for the shared use by the Church (Community), the Community of Adderbury and Oxfordshire CC Library Services.
Those who had been involved in the 1961 purchase sought and received reassurance that the library would not be “taking over” Church House.
Church House, a Grade II* building, is “owned” by the Diocese of Oxford with Adderbury Parochial Church Council having control of the building’s use and being responsible for its maintenance.
The Project to Refurbish Church House goes ahead
Following a well attended congregational meeting in church after a morning service on 28 February 1998 Adderbury Parochial Church Council (APCC) approved the project on 3^rd March 1998.
APCC appointed a Steering Group from their members plus Chris Wardley (pro bono) Project Manager (PM), Oxfordshire CC Library Service and representative users. This group managed practical aspects of the project.
Cherwell District Council (CDC) on behalf of St Mary’s Church, prepared and made the planning application (including layout and detail drawings) in August 1998 – approved on 2 June 2000.
“Friends of the Community of Adderbury Library” (FOCAL) was registered on 10^th August 1998 as a Charity with the immediate objective to raise funding for the capital works of refurbishment.
The Project Manager, with support of a volunteer Quantity Surveyor from the village, prepared tender documents for the design and build contract, invited tenders and recommended the award of the Principal Contract to W D C Page of Adderbury.
The Project Manager organised compliance with the “The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations” and supplied the information for the Land-fill tax grant application.
The Dioceses of Oxford, from Heads of Terms prepared by the Project Manager, negotiated with Oxfordshire CC a ten-year (renewable) licence for the shared use of Church House for 18 hours a week, including the -installation of shelving, other equipment and furniture, at no cost to APCC. With APCC remaining responsible for the running of CH and for the maintenance of the building.
FOCAL Story
FOCAL was registered with the Charity Commission on 10^th August 1998 to “Advance the education of the public by the promotion, support, assistance and improvement of Adderbury library, through the activities of the group of friends”.
Fundraising for the refurbishment of the building to accommodate the county library was undertaken over the next two years yielding the following

Gift aid was claimable on some of the £28,000 but a record of this is not available
The total cost to FOCAL of the refurbishment was £51,865
Oxfordshire CC paid directly for the supply and fitting of library equipment
FOCAL registration was removed on 16 September 2009 (“Does not operate”). FOCAL was re-registered on 6 October 2011. Fundraising since then has been for general support of library activities including opening hours.
Chairs of FOCAL since 2011 – Gail Cripps, Keith Mitchell and Liz Wingrove from 2018
By 11 June 2000 Church House was cleared ready for the refurbishment to start
The Swift’s Story
When the dilapidated fibre-tex ceiling inside Church House was taken down – to be replaced by a plasterboard one and insulation – recently in use birds’ nests were found above it. The holes for their access were blocked up and some nesting boxes provided.
David and Jill Boss at “Morey House”, whose garden this wall bounds, have over the years fixed a lot more – mostly for swifts.
The VAT Story
In 2000 VAT was administered by HM Customs (the Revenue service was not involved) and the regulations were usefully different.
With W D C Page appointed Principal Contractor, HMC was engaged and persuaded that the project was largely the fitting out of an empty shell thus most of the several thousand pounds VAT budgeted could be reallocated to special elements not at the time included.
Lighting – Scottish international lighting designer Marianne Krige, working for dpa lighting consultants of Clifton, had in 2000 moved to Wren Cottage, Adderbury just in time to support (pro-bono) the project by designing the main hall lighting.
The system is called “Satelite Pendant” with 400mm Louis Poulsen Wohlert globes. It is zoned and dimmable. The system has been updated to accommodate LED bulbs.
Oxfordshire CC had expected the lighting to have been fluorescent tubes and were a little reluctant to accept another idea.
Carpet – Steel’s Carpets, still then making carpet at Bloxham Mill, (though production had been moved to Stockport by the time it was made), recommended the carpet and supplied a large sample piece.
This was taken to Blackbird Leys Library for trials with the shelving on wheels, which had just been introduced. As a result, slightly reluctantly, it was approved by Oxfordshire CC.
Chairs – Thirty chairs were required for community use stacked on wheeled trolleys for storage and easy dispersal. The specification was a hardwearing fabric and with a good ergonomic shape. They were supplied by Race Furniture of Bourton-on-the -water
Opening Day 30^th September 2000.
The Rt Rev Richard Harries DD, Bishop of Oxford; officiated at the opening ceremony outside the front of Church House accompanied by Rev John Holbrook and Keith Mitchell, Leader of Oxfordshire CC and many others for the Church, Local Politicians and the Oxfordshire Library Service
Lots of villagers also came – and so did “Mr Punch” and Adderbury Morris
Some key people from 1997-2000

Church and Village Community use and the Story since 2000
Sunday School was the original purpose of the building and has continued to be a regular user. Other users after 1961 were Mother’s Union, Coffee and Chat, Family entertainment following Christenings, Weddings, Funerals plus church and villagers group parties. Those needing a place to prepare for or support church activities such as concerts and performances have continued to use Church House as an ante and dressing room.  With the refurbishment of 2000, groups such as the choir and bellringers have made more elaborate use.
The design of the facilities and services for the 2000 refurbishment had been driven by the library service, leaving the community users to work around and/or move and replace library furniture as necessary. Experience had shown that this was not always feasible.
HM Government in 2011 had launched “The Big Society Fund” to help with community projects and in 2012 the Church House Management Committee applied for funding on the basis that the reconfiguration of Church House would help support the community with for example Village coffee mornings during library hours and establish the Lunch Club. The successful application was formally approved by Oxfordshire CC on 10 September 2012. W D C Page was appointed principal contractor.
Wardens of Church House Enid Frost 2000 – 2004, Chris Poole 2004-2009 and Richard Davis 2009 – present