The following is an extract from the village publication -"WELCOME TO FRINGFORD"
The extract has been edited for the purposes of this site - view the full text

"BRIEF HISTORY OF FRINGFORD
Fringford is an ancient site and seems to have been inhabited for most of the past 2000 years. The name is thought to mean "ford of the people of Fera", a Saxon tribe or family group, who were here well before the Norman Conquest. In 1993 traces of an earlier Romano-British settlement, from the late 2nd century to the 4th century, were found in Crosslands in the centre of the village. More recent evacuations in Farriers Close revealed a series of Iron Age Romano-British boundary ditches overlain by Saxon and medieval settlements.

Fringford lies in a loop of a tributary of the little Ouse, with Fringford Bridge on the north-west and the old cornmill and Fringford Mill Bridge to the east. Rectory Lane used to run from the village green down to the stream, where in the late 19th century there were still traces of a ford and a stone paved way up to Willaston. There may have been a second ford on the site of Fringford Bridge, which was used after the hamlet of Shelswell became depopulated in the 16th century and its traffic diverted to Hethe and Cottisford. Towards the middle of the 19th century the present Fringford Bridge replaced the narrow single arch bridge, of which some traces still remain............

There has been a church on the present site since Saxon times, although the earliest part of the present church of St Michael and All Angel's dates from the early 12 th century. The south door dates from this period as do the northern arches of the nave. On the south side of the nave, there are some men's heads carved on one pillar making faces at some grotesque women's heads on the opposite pillar. These seem to be a 13th century carver's joke! The roughly carved medieval screen dates from the 16th century. The church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century by the three wealthy rectors who are all commemorated in the church. The new chancel was built, the north aisle was rebuilt, the present tower was built to replace the wooden belfry and the south aisle was enlarged. In 1905, the north chapel was rebuilt by the Chinnery family and two clearstory windows were added. The old rectory was also restored and enlarged. There have been few alterations to the church since then. Not suprisingly restoration is now much-needed and funds are being raised for this purpose.

Martin Greenwood 10.1.01"