Church of St Thomas à Becket, Box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Thomas à Becket |
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| 51°24′54″N 2°15′21″W / 51.4151°N 2.2558°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Thomas Becket |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Box |
| Deanery | Chippenham |
| Archdeaconry | Malmesbury |
| Diocese | Bristol |
The Church of St. Thomas à Becket is an old and important church in Box, Wiltshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is one of many named after Thomas Becket, a famous archbishop who was killed a long time ago. The church building started in the 1100s. Over the years, it has been changed and rebuilt many times, especially in the 1300s, 1400s, 1700s, and 1800s. It is a very special building, listed as Grade I, which means it's historically important.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Past
The Church of St. Thomas à Becket stands near the remains of an ancient Roman villa. This area has a long history! It's believed that St Aldhelm, a very early English bishop, worked here. An Anglo-Saxon church was built first, then replaced by a Norman church. This early church was known by the parish name of Ditchridge.
How the Church Began
After the Normans took over England, King William I gave the land and church to a person named William De Ow. The church was rebuilt between 1158 and 1169. Builders used stone from the nearby Hazelbury quarry to create the new church.
From Mary to Becket
At first, the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. But after Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was killed, a small chapel was built for him in 1190. Box was on the route for pilgrims traveling to Becket's shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. Because of this, by the end of the 1200s, the whole church was rededicated to St. Thomas Becket. The small chapel was then renamed the Hazelbury Chapel.
Changes Through the Centuries
Many parts of the church show its long history. The main arches of the tower and the north side of the church were built in the 1300s. The two-story vestry, which might have been a priest's home, and the chapel roof with its special ribbed ceiling are also from this time.
In the 1400s, the church tower was made taller, and a bell was added. Later, in 1713, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was rebuilt.
Victorian Era Updates
By 1831, the church was too small for everyone who wanted to attend. So, during the Victorian era, it was made much bigger. A new south aisle was designed by an architect from Bath named John Pinch the Younger.
More changes happened in 1896–1897, led by Harold Brakspear.
- A porch was added to the vestry.
- Inside, the tall pews were made lower, and the floor was changed.
- Old plaster was removed, revealing hidden memorials and special 14th-century encaustic tiles in the chancel. These tiles were also repaired.
- Brakspear designed the reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) and added a stone pulpit.
The Hazelbury Chapel was also restored in 1926. In 1960, the Church of St Thomas à Becket was officially given its Grade I listed status, recognizing its important history and architecture.
Special Features Inside
The church has an octagonal (eight-sided) font from the 1400s, used for baptisms. The tower holds four bells. One bell is from the 1400s, and another from the 1500s. The church also has an Ellacombe apparatus, which lets one person ring all the bells without a whole team. You can also see the royal arms of Queen Anne, dated 1714.
One interesting monument is a large decorated urn and obelisk for Margaret Blow, who died in 1755. It's thought to be the work of a famous sculptor named Henry Cheere.
Exploring the Churchyard
The churchyard has grave markers dating back to the 1600s. You might notice many mounds where bodies were buried one on top of another. In medieval times, these double burials were often on the south side of the church. This was because people believed no one wanted the church's shadow to fall on their grave.
There's a local story about a pyramid-shaped tombstone in the churchyard. Legend says it was designed to stop the deceased's wife from dancing on his grave!
Box Cemetery
Burials in the churchyard became less common after the Box cemetery opened in 1858. The cemetery has a chapel built in 1857. It's described as an "unusually elaborate Gothic" building. It uses different colored stones and has detailed window designs. The lodge at the cemetery entrance, built at the same time, has a similar style.
The Church's Parish
The Church of St. Thomas à Becket is part of a larger group of churches called the Lidbrook Group. This group also includes St John's church at Colerne.
For a time, the church's leader, or vicar, lived in a large house called Box House. This house was built around 1810–1820 by a vicar named Rev. I. W. W. Horlock. His son, Rev. H Horlock, continued to use it as the vicarage until 1874. Today, Box House is used as offices. A different house on Church Lane, built in the mid-1800s, is now used as the vicarage.
Notable People Buried Here
- Sir Hugh Speke, 1st Baronet (died 1661)
- Sir George Speke, 2nd Baronet (died 1683)
