It is impossible to say how long there has been a church in Bodicote. The name of the village itself, probably meaning the settlement of somebody called Boda, has a Saxon ring, though being on the edge of Salt Way, a very ancient road older even than the Roman occupation of Britain, the settlement could be older still. If there was ever a Saxon Church on this site, there is no sign of it, unlike Swalcliffe Church, for example, which has the remains of Saxon windows. But we can be sure that people have worshipped here on the same spot for at least eight centuries. Each generation will have treasured its church and adapted it to its use, adding to it, modifying it and embellishing it. The congregation 160 years ago greatly changed the appearance by enlarging it, while restoring its crumbling fabric. Indeed, the church was virtually rebuilt and entirely refurnished. It was, and is, a cause for celebration. Since then, there has been no comparable alteration, though additions and modifications have been made to both fabric and furnishings, and, of course unremittingly the church has had to be kept in good repair. For today's parishioners, the restoration of the stonework, an expensive operation, constantly needed, is the strongest possible reminder of the age of their church.

Evidence that there has been a church on this site since the early 13th century is provided by the chancel arch with its massive semi-circular pillars and moulded capitals. The tub font, much abused since it was discarded but later restored, is probably as old. The church was rebuilt in the 14th century and an embattled tower was built over the north aisle. Beneath the chancel arch, the church had a medieval rood-loft on which stood the crucifix with its figures of the Virgin Mary and St John on either side, and at the west end a singers 'gallery' was built in 1766.

In 1843 the tower was declared unsafe and the whole church was in poor repair; it was also too small for the congregation. So the work on virtual rebuilding and re-pewing was put in hand. The north tower was demolished and replaced by the present tower at the west end. The north aisle was rebuilt and extended to the length of the south aisle and a small vestry was built on the north side of the chancel. The rood-loft was removed, so was the singer's gallery to be replaced by an organ loft, and some windows were removed and others modified. The church was repewed much as it is seen today, creating 200 additional seatings, giving a total of 390, of which 218 were free, including 54 for children. The architect was John Plowman of Oxford who had much experience of such work in various churches and colleges; and the builder was Robert Franklin of Deddington, a highly esteemed firm with an international reputation in church furnishing. The cost of the work amounting to some £1575 was met by private subscription, grants from New College and the Incorporated Church Building Society, and from other sources.

Unti1 1855, St John the Baptist, Bodicote, was a chapel-of-ease to the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Adderbury, as was Barford St John. In that year, by Order in Council, Bodicote became a separate parish with its own vicar, for whom a vicarage had to be built. (The curate at the time of the rebuilding, and until 1854, had been Revd George Warriner, Bloxham Grove).

There were further changes to the Church itself. In 1866 the north porch was added and in 1878 the present vestry was made at the base of the tower,new seats were put in the chancel and a new pulpit was built. At the same time, the organ was moved to the chancel from the west end. In 1914 that organ was replaced by one from Bodicote House, being, the gift of Mr J F Starkey in memory of his wife who had played it. He also largely met the cost of building the organ chamber which meant removing the earlier small vestry and building the arch in the north wall of the chancel. This organ, having been restored in 1956 and 1978 and carefully maintained, is in use today. In 1918 the original medieval font was discovered and restored and installed in its present position by the vestry door, replacing the Victorian font which can be seen near the south door.

Since then, no significant alteration has been made to the church fabric, but there have been numerous alterations and additions to interior furnishing and decoration. Very much greater change has been seen in the parish itself. Until 1966, the ecclesiastical parish had extended up to the southern edge of the properties on Hightown Road, Banbury and had therefore included land occupied by the Cherwell Heights/Bodicote Chase estate; it had also taken in part of the Timms estate on the opposite side of the Oxford Road. To accord with pastoral reorganisation of the neighbourhood of Banbury, these two areas were yielded to Banbury parish in 1966 and 1971. The most recent change was in 1998 when the boundary was altered to include Bankside and Cotefield House.

About the same time, however, the very extensive Red House estate was built in the parish itself and had the effect of trebling its population in five years. Practically, the parish increased even further numerically, as many from the seceded Banbury areas looked to Bodicote Church and also to Bishop Loveday School built in 1967 close to the norther. boundary of the parish. The building of the C.E aided school was a church initiative, as were the formation of the Church Housing Association to build and maintain Dillon Court and Dillon House for the elderly, and various other initiatives to serve the community.

Chancel - The east window is a memorial to George Warriner Esq., of Bloxham Grove (died 1845), father of the curate who was responsible for the restoration of the church. The other windows are in memory of George Warriner's wife Sarah (died 1860), the Revd George Warriner's first wife Agnes (died 1869), and their baby daughter Bertha (died 1861 aged 7 months). This is the small window which has been illuminated to mark Richard Stevens' twenty-five years as organist (1964 -89).

North West corner – The window of the Good Shepherd was originally made in memory of the Hartley family in 1860 and restored on the 22^nd of June 2003 to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of George Graham Walker as a Lay Reader in our church.

South aisle - Windows in memory of William White Coleman (died 1863), and Joan Snow (died 1987), wife of Col. Michael Snow of Manor Farm. The window in the east wall was installed in appreciation of the dedicated service of the Revd Donald Bishop on the 25th anniversary of his induction as Vicar of the parish on 30th December 1985. He retired in 1987.

Stone wall tablets include memorials to James .' Barnes (died 1819), chief engineer for the Grand Trunk Canal, and the Revd Richard Nicholl D.D., (died 1813) Chancellor and Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Wells and Chaplain in Ordinary to King George III.

A tablet was erected by the Banbury and District Burma Star Association (who have made this their church) in memory of those who died and those who served in the Burma Campaign 1941 -45. The names of those from the parish who died and served in the Great War 1914-18 are listed on an illuminated scroll hanging on the south wall. Then names of those who died in both world wars are given on the war memorial (erected 1920) in the churchyard.

The most recent celebrates our link with Holy Trinity, Sunny Hill, Australia forged when our vicars swapped jobs for 6 months.

After a petition, Bodicote was given its own churchyard in 1754, this was enlarged in 1865 and again in 1893. It is now closed and maintained by the Parish Council.

The west tower's original peal of five bells was enlarged to eight and, with the sanctus bell (dated 1624), rehung in 1974.

Tower Clock This is one of the oldest turret clocks in Oxfordshire. It bears the date 1700 and the name of the maker John Wise, London, who was related to the Wise families of Bodicote. Richard Wise is named on the frame as one of the church wardens of 1700. Modified, restored, electrified and repaired over the years, it is now maintained by the Parish Council.