St Mary's

Puttenham is a tiny village with an ancient church.  St Mary's is the church for those who want a beautiful village setting with the timeless beauty of the Book of Common Prayer, or the spirituality of Taize.  

There is an excellent hall next door to the church which makes St Mary’s ideal for weddings.  

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St Mary's is also ideal for retreats.

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Puttenham is also renowned for its hospitality, whether that is the glorious afternoon tea served at Choral Evensong, the infamous trifles at the Harvest supper, or the lethal Puttenham punch at the Lessons and Carols.

Worship

The worship is varied in form but always at 3.30pm.

On the first Sunday of the month is Holy Communion BCP

The second Sunday is the new Service of Light.

On the third Sunday is Taize Worship.  

The fourth Sunday it is Choral Evensong BCP when the congregation is joined by a choir, largely (but not exclusively) from Tring who lead the singing at evensong.  

On the fifth Sunday it is the Service of Light..

Finding us

Off the beaten track it is easy to miss St Mary's.  We are found at the end of a short lane.

Facilities

Underfloor heating

Excellent hall

Good Parking

History

Puttenham Church is a magnificent medieval building

Early C14 nave and aisles (proportions 1:2 suggest fabric of narrow nave may be older); early C15 W tower, nave clearstorey and elaborate nave roof; chancel largely rebuilt 1851 for Rev Thomas Holme retaining older features; S porch rebuilt 1869 and again in general restoration 1888-9 by Carpenter & Ingelow for Rev Robert Merrick when the chancel floor raised and relaid, roofs repaired and tower parapets and

turret-top rebuilt.

The Grade I listed church is built on clay and is in the Aylesbury Vale. Consequently this has meant drainage has been poor and the church has suffered with damp problems. A few years ago, swales, or drainage channels, were cut in the churchyard round the church perimeter to improve drainage This was achieved and in 2017 major restoration works were completed with the new nave floor raised to that of the chancel and new heating and lighting systems installed.

Puttenham is one of the 51 Thankful Villages in England and Wales that suffered no fatalities during the Great War of 1914 to 1918.