The Benefice is now 24 years old. It lies to the north west of Banbury, in the delightful North Oxfordshire countryside on the border with Warwickshire. It is a rural benefice, yet within commuting distance of London, Oxford and the West Midlands. Consequently, the communities here are a mix of working age and retired people.

The villages are small. The largest has no more than about 600 residents, but some of the parishes are set to change. There are a number of new housing developments being established on the southern and eastern benefice boundaries – within the Drayton and Hanwell parishes - and these will in due course double the benefice population overall.

We have eight Grade 1 or 2 listed churches, one in each of the parishes: Alkerton, Balscote, Drayton, Hanwell, Horley, Hornton, Shenington and Wroxton.

The Reverend Alicia Baker, Rector of the Ironstone Benefice was licensed on Tuesday 4th May 2021 and her contact details can be found below,

Details of all Churches in the Ironstone Benefice can be found at their individual Church Near You websites.