1. On Neale’s bells the letter N is reversed in each instance.
2. ^†These bells have been recast by Gillett & Johnston since F. Sharpe noted the inscriptions.
3. ^‡ Black Gothic script, on bell 5 where the founder's surname is written as 'carter'.

The market town of Burford is situated on the edge of the Cotswolds about 20 miles west of Oxford. Its wealth came mostly from the wool and cloth trade from which much of the profit was spent on the parish church of St. John.

The church hosts a number of chapels and memorials the most elaborate of which is the tomb of Sir Lawrence Tanfield and his wife in the North Chancel Chapel.

Lower part of the tomb ©KMC 19 Oct 2002

Upper part of the tomb ©KMC 19 Oct 2002

Another notable memorial in the Nave North Aisle is to Edmund Harman, Henry VIII’s barber and courtier:

Outside in the Churchyard

In the church-yard there are many bale-tombs with carved representations of bales of cloth, cherubs and skulls: ©KMC 19 Oct 2002

On the wall of the church is a monument to the Levellers, erected by the Victorians some 200 years after the event. ©KMC 19 Oct 2002

The Levellers were originally part of Cromwell's army in the Civil War but they mutinied against Cromwell because they wanted more democracy than Cromwell was prepared to countenance.

About 340 of them were imprisoned in Burford church for 3 days and nights, harangued by Cromwell himself before 3 of the ringleaders were taken out to be shot standing against the wall of the church, while the rest were herded up on to the roof to watch the executions, together with a regiment of loyal troops.

A few days later the church warden accounts record a payment of 3 shillings and 6 pence for cleaning of the church after the Levellers were taken. Later still when Cromwell's forces had left the area, the vicar recorded the three deaths in the parish burial register with no details.

Simon Jenkins lists Merchants' guild chapel, Red Indian memorial, Kempe glass.. On the wall outside is a plaque commemorating three ‘Levellers’ of the 17th Century; several hundred were imprisoned by Cromwellian forces in the church during the Civil War. One carved his name on the lead of the font. Three others were shot just outside the church.

• Swinbrook church is a few miles East and well worth visiting for the many marble Fettiplace family monuments inside and the graves of the 20th century novelist, Nancy Mitford, and her sisters.