St Mary's Church, Wilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Location | Wilton, Wiltshire, England |
| Built | 15th century |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Church of St Mary | |
| Designated | 4 August 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1355781 |
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St Mary's Church is a very old church in Wilton, Wiltshire, England. It was built way back in the 1400s! Today, it's a special building that is protected because of its history. It's looked after by a group called the Churches Conservation Trust, which helps save old churches that are no longer used for regular services.
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A Journey Through Time: St Mary's Church History
St Mary's Church stands on the spot where an even older church once stood. In 1229, a bishop named Robert de Bingham was made a bishop right here! You can still see a statue of him on the church's west side.
Hundreds of years ago, around the 800s, a Benedictine convent (a place where nuns lived and prayed) called Wilton Abbey was connected to this church. Over time, other old churches in Wilton closed down. Their communities joined St Mary's. This meant St Mary's was rebuilt and made bigger in the 1300s and 1400s. By the 1500s, it was the only main church for the area.
Records from 1441 show that a huge bell was bought for the church. Later, around 1628, a beautifully carved pulpit (a raised stand for the speaker) was put in. In the early 1800s, people in the town paid to fix up the church. They even bought a fancy chandelier and special lights for the pulpit so that evening services could be held.
Why Was a New Church Built?
In 1845, a brand new Church of England parish church was built nearby. This new church was also named St Mary and St Nicholas. It was built because the Countess of Pembroke and her son, Baron Herbert of Lea, wanted it. The famous architect Thomas Henry Wyatt designed it. It looked very grand, with an Italianate Romanesque style and some Byzantine influences.
When the new church was ready, many things from the old St Mary's Church were moved there. This included the church bells and many of the special memorials (plaques remembering people).
What Remains of the Old Church?
Because the new church was built, the old St Mary's Church was partly taken down. Only the chancel (the area around the altar) and one section of the nave (the main part of the church where people sit) were left standing.
Today, you can still see parts of the old church. There are three arches from the south side, and some pieces of the north side. You can also see the changed eastern arch of what was once the west tower or a large window. These ruins are still in the churchyard.
Who Helped Save the Church?
Between 1933 and 1939, the church was restored. This work was led by Robert Worth Bingham, who was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom at the time. He believed he was related to Bishop Robert de Bingham, who was consecrated at the church centuries ago!
On May 30, 1972, St Mary's Church was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for regular church services. Then, on November 15, 1977, it was officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust. This group now takes care of the church, making sure this important piece of history is preserved for everyone to see and learn from.
See also
