Bi-Centenary 1773 - 1973
The Saxon village of Binley derives its name from the Anglo-saxon biln - a settlement or dwelling, and œ - water; thus Binley, or Bilnei as Doomsday has it, meant the settlement by the water.
In the Middle Ages, the village was divided among the Rokeby (Rugby) family, the Coventry Benedictine Abbey and the Cistercians at Combe. By Henry VIII's time, however, the whole parish has become the property of Coombe Abbey, and at the Dissolution of the Monastries, the Abbey came first into the posession of the Earl of Warwick, was later acquired by Sir William Harrington, and finally, in the 17th century, by the Earl of Craven. The Abbey and the village of Binley remained in the hands of the Craven family until 1923, and was largely populated by their estate workers.
The present Church of St. Bartholomew's was built on the site of an old church, demolished in 1771, of which little is known save that it was almost certainly dedicated to St. Swithin, and was depicted by the eminent cartographer, Samuel Beighton, as having a square tower topped by a short spire. The cost of the building was borne by William, Lord Craven, whose son, the Revd. Mr . John Craven, conducted the opening service in 1773.
It is believed that the church was designed by the Adams Brothers but, though the style of the interior is unmistakable, no record of this exists. Other features of this almost unexpectedly elegant interior are the marble slab altar table and the East Window painted by Pecket of York, designer of some of the windows in York Minster.
Today, Binley presents a picture which typifies the vast transition our country is going through. The population of the Parish has galloped upwards from about 200 at the turn of the century to 7,000 ten year ago, and to over 15,000 now.
Can Binley Church effectively serve and minister to this growing area? These are not easy times for the Church, for, like all national institutions, its past strength can be a hindrance as much as a help to it when it has to address itself to new situations and new tasks.Let us hope that, as we celebrate Binley Church's Bi-Centenary,
so we may together learn something of what He wants us and His
Church to do for Him in the years ahead.
Taken from Notes compiled for the Bi-Centenary Celebration in 1973 by members of the Congregation.
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