All Saints' Church, Manningford Bohune facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Closed
Year consecrated	1859
Location
Location	Manningford Bohune, Wiltshire, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	Whitley C. Clacy
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Early English

All Saints' Church is a former Church of England church located in Manningford Bohune, a village in Wiltshire, England. It was designed by an architect named Whitley C. Clacy and built between 1858 and 1859. The church was closed in 1973 and is now a private home. Since 1952, it has been recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historical building.

History of All Saints' Church

All Saints' Church was first built as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church built for people who lived far from their main parish church. It helped people in Manningford Bohune attend services without traveling too far.

Why the Church Was Built

In 1857, people realized that a new church was needed in Manningford Bohune. The village was quite far from the main parish church of Wilsford, about two to three miles away. This was a long walk for many villagers. Also, the number of people living in Manningford Bohune had grown, so more space for worship was needed.

How the Church Was Funded

Building the church cost money, and people worked together to raise it.

• A piece of land for the church was given by Mr. Henry Jenner.
• Money was collected through donations and special grants.
• Rev. George Ernest Howman, a church leader, gave £700.
• Rev. W. T. Wyld donated £155 and helped raise another £245.
• The Incorporated Society gave a grant of £110.
• The Diocesan Society also provided £100.

Building the Church

Whitley C. Clacy, an architect from Devizes, drew up the plans for the church. A building company called Messrs. May and Sons from Bath was hired to construct it. The architect also watched over the building work.

The first stone, called the foundation stone, was laid by Mrs. Howman on May 14, 1858. During construction, they found they needed to dig the foundations deeper than planned. This caused some unexpected extra costs.

The church was finished on October 1, 1858, costing £1,350 in total. Its official opening, called a consecration, was planned for November 1 (All Saints' Day). However, it was delayed because the Bishop of Salisbury wanted the church to be able to hold two services every Sunday. The Bishop, Right Rev. Walter Kerr Hamilton, officially consecrated the church on March 1, 1859.

Later Changes and Closure

In 1924, some changes were made to the church areas. All Saints' Church and its surrounding land were moved from the Wilsford parish to the Woodborough parish. This created a new church area called Woodborough with Manningford Bohune.

Later, in 1973, the Church of England decided that All Saints' Church was no longer needed for regular services. It was officially closed on April 3, 1973. In 1975, the building was sold and changed into a private home.

Architecture of All Saints' Church

All Saints' Church was built using a type of stone called Twerton blue lias. This stone was joined together with grey mortar. The decorative parts of the church were made from freestone, and the roof was covered with slate tiles.

Church Design

The church had several main parts:

• A nave, which is the main area where people sit.
• A chancel, the part of the church near the altar.
• A south porch, which is an entrance area.
• A north vestry, a room used by the clergy.

At the west end of the church, there was a bellcote, a small tower holding a single bell. A stone cross was placed on the east end. Inside, the open roof was made of stained wood.

Interior Features

The church had several original features:

• Benches for seating were made of stained wood.
• A font (for baptisms) and a pulpit (for sermons) were made of stone.
• A prayer desk was made of oak wood.
• The floor was covered with black and red tiles.
• Rev. Howman, who helped fund the church, gave the beautiful stained glass windows for the east and west ends.