St Peters Church

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The Parish Church of Bumham has played an important part in the history of this locality for over a thousand years. Burnham was mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1086) and forms part of the Chiltern Hundreds, which comprise Burnham, Desborough and Stoke.

The first church on this site was probably built by the Romans in about 500 AD. Some early references to Burnham are to be found in the registers of the Bishops of Lincoln as Burnham was in this Diocese until the formation of the Diocese of Oxford in 1835. It is likely that the Saxons replaced the Roman church in about 700. The Saxon Archbishop Aelfric refers in his will to lands in Burnham.

It is probable that the present building was started in the reign of Stephen (1134-54). King John presented the earliest known incumbent to the Rectory of Burnham in 1202. Various additions and improvements have been made to the building over the centuries. A major restoration was carried out in 1863-4 under the supervision of the vicar, the Revd. Thomas Carter, and churchwarden, Mr Samuel Christie-Miller.

If you would like to know more about about the history of St Peter’s or indeed Burnham Village, please contact the Burnham Historians.

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