Church of the Holy Cross, Durley
Church of the Holy Cross in Durley is a welcoming congregation with an ancient 13th-century building of great charm, which is located on the edge of the village and is surrounded by a beautiful and peaceful churchyard. The intimate building seats around 100 people and is a lovely place to have a wedding or baptism. The Church location is at SO32 2AQ
The Church holds its main Sunday services at 10 am.
Following on from the success of our online services during the Covid pandemic, there is a joint Zoom service with Botley and Curdridge at 10am on the first Sunday in the month. There is no service in the church building on these Sundays.
The Church is reaching out to young families by having one Sunday Service a month (in term time) at 10 am at Durley C of E Primary School, usually on the fourth Sunday in the month. This is a Family Communion Service or Morning Worship in the school hall, with Sunday Club activities for the children in one of the classrooms.
We join with Botley and Curdridge churches to run Messy Church for primary aged children, once a month in term time at 3.30 pm on a Friday afternoon. Fun, crafts and a hot meal for all.
The Church has a small but faithful congregation across the various services and is supported by the Friends of Durley Church - a committed group which includes many villagers who are not churchgoers.
There is an amazing Church Fete every year in the beautiful grounds of Wintershill Hall, Sciviers Lane, on the third Saturday in June.
The Parochial Church Council oversees the management of the church
Find Us
The Church Building location is SO32 2AP
Durley Village covers an area of 14 square miles with a population of about a thousand and with a strong community identity. The housing is mixed and includes some social housing and bungalows for the elderly. Although some residents work locally, the proximity of Durley to all the major conurbations in south Hampshire means that most commute to work outside the village. Durley has an excellent C of E primary school and an excellent pre-school (Durley Ladybirds). Both are rated as “outstanding” by OFSTED. There is a large village hall, two pubs, at least two car repair workshops, a small business park, recreation ground with pavilion, and a village green. There are a number of farms, a large equestrian centre, and a horticultural nursery.
Community life is mostly centred on the village hall, the church and the school. There are many village organisations and activities including a luncheon club for the older folk, a care group, a thriving WI, a local history society (jointly with Botley and Curdridge), The Friends of Holy Cross Church, musical events and quiz nights. More active pursuits include the football club, short mat bowls, yoga, table tennis, martial arts and fitness. Annual church events include the Church Fete, Harvest Supper and Burns Night Supper, all of which are well supported by the village, as is the Annual Duck Race organised by the Friends of Holy Cross. There is a very good monthly parish magazine (financed by the church) delivered to over 60% of the houses in the village. Click here to read about The Durley Parish Magazine.
A second smaller hall in the centre of the village, and adjacent to the village green, is the Thresher Room (built in 1896). This hall is held in trust and the trustees are the Rector and Churchwardens. The pre-school meets there and it is also used for church and other small group meetings. It is hoped over the next few years to initiate a refurbishment and extension of the Thresher Room.
For more information about the village, you can also visit www.durleyvillage.com