A LECTERN dedicated to the memory of the late Major and Mrs. Moir, of Old Place Yard House, has recently been returned to St Edburg’s Church after being on loan for several years to St Edburg’s School. Both had been heavily involved in the life of the church and Mrs Moir had served on the Parochial Church Council.

They had donated the white and gold frontals used in the church during festivals, and they generously allowed their extensive grounds to be used for parish events such as the Patronal Festival (St. Edburg’s Day).

Major Moir had given the lectern in memory of his wife after her death.

It bears the following inscription:

‘To the memory of Betty Moir, d. 5 July 1956. She possessed the unfading loveliness of a calm and gentle spirit, a thing very precious in the eyes of God.’

These words are taken from the Holy Bible, 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 4.

After the Major’s death, a second plaque was added, which reads:

‘To the memory of Leslie Gordon Moir, d. 25th August 1962. This above all be true to thyself (And it shall follow as the night the day) Thou canst not then be false to any man.’

This quote is from William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, words spoken by Polonius to Laertes in Act 1 scene 3.

Major Moir had served in the RASC in Egypt during the First World War and as sub-controller of Civic Defence for the Bicester area in World War Two.

During the years between he worked for the Stock Exchange in London. The couple moved to Bicester in 1936, where the Major became President of the Bicester Sea Scouts (who used one of the outhouses on his estate) and of the Bicester branch of the British Legion.

He was a member of the Bicester Hunt and Kirtlington Park Polo Club. When he died his memorial service at St Edburg’s Church was conducted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

But there was a question mark over what would now happen to his beautiful house and grounds. On January 4, 1963, it was featured on the front page of the Bicester Advertiser with the headline, ‘Council to buy Sixteenth Century House?’

The Bicester Urban District Council did indeed go ahead and buy the house and grounds, but could not then agree on what to do with it.

By November they were even considering demolishing the house, which would have been a tragedy for the history and heritage of the town. While most of the house probably dates from the 16th century – with additions from the early 20th century – it’s left gable wall is medieval and may have been part of the gatehouse to Bicester Priory, which stood in Old Place Yard from its founding around 1182 until its dissolution in 1536.

The townspeople fondly referred to it as ‘the old place’ and the name stuck.

Eventually, in December 1964, the B.U.D.C. sold the estate on to Oxfordshire County Council, who had the house converted into four flats for teachers.

It later became the Chapter & Verse guest house and is now once again a private residence. Along with the 17th century dovecote close by, it is grade II listed.

The other buildings have changed. The original idea of a Home for the Blind was dropped, to be replaced by St Edburg’s Home. The other buildings were a health clinic, branch library, houses and bungalows.

The clinic is long gone, and so now is the library, but the homes remain in this lovely and historic area of the town.

Major Moir very kindly had allowed St Edburg’s Church to use one of his barns as a meeting room after they sold their church hall in London Road.

In the redevelopment following his death, they were allowed to buy some land on which to build a new church hall.

When this became too expensive to manage, some of the land was sold (now Dove Court flats) and a smaller hall built. But it means the church still has a strong presence in Old Place Yard.

I think the Moirs would have been pleased about that.