I’m reading a terrific book at the moment – Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by Church by Peter Ross. This is hot on the heels of his previous book – A Tomb with a View: The stories and glories of graveyards. Dedicated followers of Hidden Wiltshire will know that we love a good church so it should be no surprise that I’m reading this book. So I thought I’d write a blog about some of the wonderful churches I’ve visited in Wiltshire over the years.
It's thought the term “church crawling” was coined by John Betjeman or his friend artist John Piper. It seems Betjeman used it in a radio broadcast in 1948. But it perfectly sums up an activity I’ve pursued for years. Whilst I’m not religious in the conventional sense I would describe myself as spiritual. I like little more than the sense of history and connection to previous generations going back many hundreds of years that can almost uniquely be found in old churches. Doorsteps worn smooth by centuries of footfall. Grooves cut into lintels from the sharpening of arrows by the lord of the manor's retainers before entering the church for prayer. The mark of the mason on stone to ensure he is paid appropriately for his work. Witches' marks to ward off evil and the graffiti left long ago perhaps by a local youth wishing to make his own mark on the world. All of these little touches provide a direct, personal connection to our ancestors and when combined with the glorious architecture, art and craftsmanship there is almost nowhere I’d rather be. And as a photographer the quality of light and profound tranquillity is hard to beat. To borrow a quote from Peter Ross "... the sweet ache of nostalgia mingled with melancholy..." perfectly captures my feelings towards these wonderful places.
But there can be no doubt that the title of supreme church crawler must go to ecclesiologist John Vigar who, over the last 50 years, has visited around 13,000 churches in England and Wales. That’s about 700 a year. It’s well worth spending some time on his website and perhaps subscribing to his blog:
And if your sense of nostalgia is piqued you might consider watching this wonderful film John Betjeman made for the BBC in 1974:
But you’ve come here to read about Wiltshire. Looking back over the blogs we’ve written, the vast majority that are based on a walk have included a visit to a church or two. I’m not going to mention all of them, just those for which I have a particular fondness. I’ve included links to the relevant blogs throughout this article. So where to begin?
I think the best place to start is a church that must win the award for the most outrageous kitsch. A church that only just sneaks into Wiltshire at its northernmost extremity – Inglesham. My long suffering walking buddy Stu and I made the long trek from south Wiltshire to Inglesham almost exactly three years ago in November 2021. I contrived a route that would take us into three counties – Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and of course Wiltshire. But there was only really one objective that day and that was the stunning Medieval church in the tiny hamlet of Inglesham.
Approaching across water meadows alongside the River Thames the sense of anticipation as we first caught sight of the simple little tower with its single exposed bell was palpable. The photograph at the top of this blog is of the exterior. I’d read so much about St John the Baptist church. As I pushed at the crude plank outer door, which stuck on the stone step below it, I was presented with a more substantial inner door around which were remnants of the original coloured plaster. I lifted the latch, pushed gently and peered inside. I gasped at the sight before me. Nothing prepares you for what lies within. The interior was bathed in Autumn sunshine flooding through the handful of plain glass windows. Local resident William Morris famously saved the church from the worst excesses of the Victorian restorers. Everywhere there are the remains of the original Medieval wall paintings and 19th century wall inscriptions which survived not only the Victorian restorers but also, as far as the paintings are concerned, the 16th century Protestant Reformers. Everywhere there are box pews and wooden lattice screens, and in one wall a Saxon carving of the Madonna and child. St John the Baptist is a tough act to follow. You can read more here:
Next we are going to West Lavington. This church is remarkable for a much more modern work of art. The Whistler Window. I’ve lived near to All Saints West Lavington for around 30 years but it’s only relatively recently that I discovered the treasure that lay within. Which shows how unobservant I am since it is full view of the A360 which passes within a few metres. There is a narrow tortuous bend in the road where the traffic frequently grinds to a halt if anything other than two normal size cars meet on the bend. Sadly it’s a busy truck route so it’s not long before you will find a Mexican stand-off as two trucks meet head on in the narrowest part of the road. So next time you are stuck here, or better still pass by on the number 2 bus, look up to church window that overlooks the scene and you will see Simon Whistler’s magnificent etched window quietly looking down upon you.
The window couldn’t be more different to the works created by the Norwich church glass makers many centuries ago. It is the creation of Simon Whistler, nephew of artist Rex Whistler, and it was installed in October 2002 just three years before his untimely death in 2005. Simon Whistler created several other church windows including one in his home church of St Mary’s in Alton Barnes. The view of the window from inside the church has the perfect backdrop of the trees which stand by the boundary wall outside. This dark background enables the white etchings to glow, highlighting every small detail. It’s worth taking a pair of binoculars with you so you can study every little scene close to hand.
Not dissimilar in ambience to St John the Baptist church in Inglesham is the unusual little Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Old Dilton, just outside Westbury. Beautifully maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust it is kept locked but the key is available from a cottage a short walk along the lane where the key hangs in the porch. There is a note on the door of the church with instructions. What first catches the eye from the outside is the stunted conical tower. Most of the church was built in the 15th century and whilst not large it is larger than one would expect for this small hamlet, the legacy of a once thriving community whose wealth was founded on the wool trade. It is now little more than a backwater as the centre, and new church, moved up the hill to Dilton Marsh.
The stonemason Andrew Ziminski (who we interviewed at Steeple Ashton in podcast number 18) wrote about this church in his fascinating book The Stonemason, and it was his words that prompted me to visit. What attracts me to this church is the furnishings inside. Just as with Inglesham it is filled with box pews, cobbled together in the 18th century from much older wood including Medieval benches. But that is not all. Above the communion table you will find a gallery, for the church also doubled up as a school room and the gallery was where the children would sit. A charming and unusual feature. And again, just like Inglesham, some of the original wall art was saved from the enthusiastic Victorian church restorers (we’re looking at you T H Wyatt). The Lord’s Prayer painted in the 18th century and the remains of a post Reformation painting survive. I would urge anyone to visit Old Dilton Church as it nestles quietly in a bowl in the Wiltshire countryside below the railway line.
Where next? I think we’ll remain in this part of Wiltshire and travel over to the Wylye Valley to the church of St Nicholas of Myra in Little Langford. This is a church I’ve passed countless times as I’ve driven or more often cycled along the valley road. It’s set back across fields from the road so requires a detour down a track that ends just after the church in order to reach it. So until early January 2023 I’d never bothered to make the effort. I had no idea what I’d been missing. I love the squat, boxy nature of this little church which its classic Wiltshire checkerboard walls. I once lived in a thatched cottage that looked very similar. If you visit you will find the church locked and it’s necessary to phone for the key (the instructions and phone number are on the noticeboard). When I went the keeper of the keys was 92 year old Andrew Lunt who announced that this was his final week in the role. Having entertained me with stories of ghosts and how he had restored the church with an old workmate he handed me the key.
The first thing I love about this church is its location. It’s close to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve of Langford Lakes so throughout my visit I could hear the honking of Canada geese in the nearby meadows. You may be lucky enough to the see a white-tailed eagle or an osprey both of which have been recorded at the reserve on many occasions. The church is built on the site of what was once a hermitage before the Saxons built the first church here. Before entering the church take note of the remarkable tympanum above the door dating to 1120 with a carving of a hunting scene depicting dogs, a huntsman and a wild boar. However legend has it that the boar is actually a giant maggot! Once inside what strikes you is the light. The warm colours of the stained glass windows filter the harsh sunlight from outside, apart from in the south chapel where large plain leaded windows provide a view of Grovely Wood on the hills above and allow the light to enter unfiltered giving the chapel a bright airy atmosphere. Sadly the walls did not escape the hand of T H Wyatt in 1864 and have been plastered and whitewashed. But to be fair he probably managed to preserve the structure for a few more centuries.
To the north-west we find a little church which was a recent discovery for me – St Christopher’s in Ditteridge. You could be forgiven for not knowing Ditteridge but it is a tiny village a kilometre or so south of Colerne. I just loved the way it was hunkered down in a deep fold in the landscape. Coming down the hill across the fields from Colerne it was slow to reveal itself, hiding away up a narrow lane close to Cheney Court where P G Wodehouse spent much of his childhood. But a little like Inglesham it’s open bellcote finally emerged from the landscape. For such a small church there is so much to see inside, but sadly when I visited in July 2024 I didn’t really have the time to do it justice. But what caught my eye was the number of commemorative stone wall tablets dating to the 17th century. The church itself dates all the way back to 1097 but its origins are Saxon.
However, the most memorable feature is what confronts you the moment you enter – a colourful full sized Victorian reproduction of a huge wall painting of St Chistopher found in the church during restoration. Not everything the Victorians did was bad, although one must question how the original was lost! However, it’s the setting of this church that wins it a place here.
We will now venture to the east of the county to visit three churches a stone's throw from each other. The first two have a particular connection in that the delightful Andrew Rumsey, the Bishop of Ramsbury (who has been known to follow Hidden Wiltshire), has recorded or performed in these churches.
On occasions Andrew performs his beautifully haunting folk songs live and he has done so on at least one occasion in St Michael’s church, Tidcombe including on Christmas Eve 2021. This is another church that lies at the end of a narrow lane before it becomes a track climbing up to the Roman Chute Causeway. Its isolation is the first thing that appeals to me about this squat little church with its truncated tower hiding deep in the countryside. But once inside it’s the light that strikes me. It is very subdued but when the sun comes out the richly decorated stained glass filters it, casting multi-coloured rays which highlight the altar and strategically placed vases of fresh flowers.
As well as being a talented musician Andrew is also a terrific photographer and I know the light here appeals to him as well. There are many memorials in the church to wealthy and influential families of old but that’s not what attracts me.
The next church to provide an Andrew Rumsey connection is All Saints in Ham. This is where he recorded his first album, Evensongs, which he recorded in one day in 2023. A remarkable and almost unique approach in this day and age. From the outside the church, which stands at the end of lane next to Ham Manor, is unassuming and faintly ugly with its pebble dash walls containing the porch. It has seen some fairly clumsy restoration over the years with other walls being a hotch potch of pebble dash and red brick.
But once inside its charm shines. Naturally the acoustics are outstanding. Dating back to at least 1171 I doubt the builders had that in mind. As an ex-musician I can appreciate the acoustics but as a photographer it is again the light that strikes me. For once the whitewashed walls have enhanced the building and it glows with a bright fresh natural daylight. I can see why Andrew loves it. Appropriately enough under the tower can be found a minstrel’s gallery. And to finish with a little bit of more recent history, in the churchyard is buried Sir Robin Darwin, great-grandson of Charles Darwin.
And finally in this part of the world we come to what I think is my second favourite church in Wiltshire. If you were to Google it you may find yourself at the other end of the country. You are unlikely to discover it whilst en-route elsewhere as it really is on the road to nowhere. It’s on the edge of a tiny village reputed to be the highest in Wiltshire if not the whole of Wessex, so presumably this church bears the same accolade. I am of course referring to the church of St James the Great in Buttermere. An ironic name for such a small church, one of the smallest in Wiltshire.
I just adore the remoteness and isolation of this place. I doubt very much you’ll find anyone else here if you visit. Stu and I came upon it when we were seeking refuge from a torrential rainstorm in February 2024. The church yard was a sea of snow drops and its tiny pointed spire looked like a rocket ready for launch. On the outside of the western end wall hung the church bell, its rope pull threaded through to the inside of the church. The church you see now was built in the 1850s but looks and feels so much older as it was built from the rubble of its predecessor, there being a church here from at least the 13th century and possibly Saxon times. And whilst not quite book ending this article, as there is one church to go, like St John the Baptist Inglesham, St James the Great lies very close to the border of three counties - Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire. That just adds to the sense of the remoteness. This is true frontier land and explains why I love this church so much.
Postscript - A few days after writing this I returned to St James the Great. As I sat drinking coffee on a bench in the sunshine a young guy came into the churchyard and sat on the neighbouring bench. He was the farmer's son from the farm by the church. We chatted about this and that and it transpired we shared a love of Andrew Rumsey's music, someone he had also met. He clearly loves the church and its tranquility. I told him how lucky he was to live there. He did not disagree. If you read this Bob, it was a pleasure to meet you.
I’ve saved the best until last. (Probably) my favourite church in Wiltshire… so far. One that is very close to my heart partly because it is one of the smallest but also because I could see it from my house during my first few years in Wiltshire. I am referring to St Andrew’s Church, Rollestone. Forget the fact it is within earshot of the busy A360. Inside the church St Andrews manages to maintain an air of tranquillity standing on a small hill overlooking the River Till. The churchyard is the final resting place of many people I once knew including a few close neighbours with whom we spent many a happy hour. I now spend many a happy hour in quiet contemplation inside the church as it is still only 10 minutes walk from where I live now. I just love the perfect shape of this little building which, like St Nicholas Church of Myra in Little Langford, is a classic Wiltshire checkerboard construction containing stone, brick and flint, almost a mirror image of the thatched cottage we lived in just below it. St Andrew’s was built in the 13th century by the Knights Hospitaller.
Inside the Victorians have completed their usual make-over but in such a tiny church it just gives it a bright airy feel, its simplicity removing any earthly distraction. On this occasion I’ll forgive them. However, I would urge you to stay away. You’d hate it. After all it’s my church and I don’t want to share it!
One final thought. I believe all the churches mentioned here are in Andrew Rumsey’s benefice so he has a connection to all of them. Certainly his presence runs through several of them. I can think of worse places to work, especially as he only has to work on Sundays.