St Denys' Church, Warminster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Denys', Warminster
The Minster Church of St Denys
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OS grid reference	ST869455
Location	Church Street, Warminster, Wiltshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Denis of Paris
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Style	Perpendicular
Years built	14th century (rebuilt), 1887–9 (restored)
Administration
Parish	Warminster Saint Denys
Deanery	Heytesbury
Archdeaconry	Sarum
Diocese	Salisbury
Province	Canterbury

St Denys' Church, also known as the Minster Church of St Denys, is a very old church in Warminster, England. It's the main church for the local community, called a parish church. This church started being built way back in the 11th century! It was rebuilt in the 14th century and fixed up again in the 19th century. Today, it is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a really important historic place.

Discovering St Denys' Church History

This church has a long and interesting past. Even though the Domesday Book from 1086 didn't mention a church here, the name Warminster was used in the early 900s. This suggests there was an Anglo-Saxon minster church in the area. By the 1100s, the church was dedicated to Saint Denys.

The church is located in the northwest part of Warminster. The town has grown quite a bit since the Saxon times. The building you see today is made of limestone. It has a cross shape when you look down from above. The oldest parts of the church are from the 11th century. These can be found where the main parts of the church meet and at the bottom of the tower.

How the Church Changed Over Time

The church was rebuilt or greatly changed in the 14th century. In the 15th century, a small chapel was added on the south side for the Maudit family. The tower in the middle of the church is not very tall and has two small staircases. The main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in 1723 and 1724.

The church got a big makeover between 1887 and 1889 by Sir Arthur Blomfield. This was part of a common trend called Victorian restoration. During this time, the nave was rebuilt again, making it longer. It was built in the Perpendicular style, which has many tall windows. The chancel, the area around the altar, was also made longer. Because of all these changes, only the tower, the south wall of the chancel, and the south porch are left from the much older church.

In 1881, the church's bells were increased from six to eight. All of them were melted down and remade, except for one bell from 1737. The bells were being fixed up again in 2019.

The building was officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building in 1952. This means it's a very important historic building.

What's Inside St Denys' Church?

The inside of St Denys' Church is just as interesting as its history.

The Organ and Its Story

The church's organ was put in place in 1792. It was built by G. P. England for Salisbury Cathedral. However, it wasn't powerful enough for the cathedral, so it found a new home here. The famous historian Pevsner described the organ's case as "a delightful piece."

Beautiful Victorian Decorations

Historic England, an organization that protects historic places, says that the Victorian makeover of the church was "exceptionally elegant." This means the church was decorated in a very fancy and beautiful way. The decorations in the chancel are especially impressive. They include a reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) and choir stalls made by the company of Harry Hems. There are also metal screens and gates, and tiles made by William Godwin. Harry Hems also made the benches in the nave and the eight-sided pulpit, which has marble designs.

Colorful Stained Glass Windows

The church has many beautiful stained glass windows from the 1800s. These windows were made by famous artists like Burlison and Grylls, Henry Holiday, and Clayton & Bell. A newer window from 1950 in the south aisle was created by Christopher Webb.

Important People: Vicars of St Denys'

Many important people have served as vicars (church leaders) at St Denys' Church.

• William Dalby (1825 to 1841): He held church services for people living in Warminster Common. He also helped build Christ Church in that area in 1831.
• Arthur Fane (1841 to 1859): He was known for being talented and enthusiastic. He started a special school for young people in 1856. He also helped fix up St Lawrence's chapel between 1855 and 1856.
• Sir James Erasmus Philipps (1859 to 1897): During his time, the church started having three services on Sundays. About 1,400 people would attend the evening service! He raised money for the big church restoration in the 1880s. He also helped build St John's Church on the other side of town. He founded St Boniface Missionary College and a group called the Community of St. Denys. This group ran an orphanage and a school for girls.

The Church's Role in the Community

St Denys' Church has played a central role in the Warminster community for centuries.

St Lawrence Chapel

Since at least 1290, the chapel of St Lawrence in the market place has been a smaller church connected to St Denys. In 1574, the people of Warminster bought the chapel. This made it a special church that was not under the usual rules of the Church of England. Since then, it has been managed by trustees, called feoffees, on behalf of the town. They invite the vicar of St Denys' to hold services there.

Changes to the Parish Area

For a long time, the church at Corsley (about 2.5 miles northwest) was part of Warminster parish. But by 1415, Corsley parish became fully independent.

As Warminster's population grew in the 1800s, two new churches were built. Christ Church was built in 1831 for the south part of town. St John's was built in 1865 in the southeast. Christ Church got its own parish in 1863. In 1956, the area around St John's was added to Bishopstrow parish. So, today, the St Denys parish covers parts of the north and west of Warminster.

In 1974, a group of churches started working together. This group included all three Warminster churches, Bishopstrow, and Upton Scudamore. This partnership continues today as the River Were benefice. However, Christ Church is now a separate church again.