St Mary's Church, Wilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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St Mary's Church in July 2022
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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 located in the Market Place of Wilton, Wiltshire, England. It was built a long time ago, in the 1400s. Today, it is a special building protected as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's an important historical site. The church is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, which cares for old churches that are no longer used for regular services.
Contents
A Look Back at St Mary's History
St Mary's Church stands where an even older church once was. In 1229, a bishop named Robert de Bingham was made a bishop at this spot. This happened before his big cathedral church in Salisbury was finished. You can still see a statue of him on the church's west side.
How the Church Grew Over Time
By the 800s, a group of religious people called Benedictine nuns had a convent (a special home for nuns) connected to the church. Over the 1300s and 1400s, other old churches in Wilton closed down. Their members joined St Mary's. Because of this, St Mary's was rebuilt and made bigger. By the 1500s, it became the only main church for the area.
In 1441, church records show that a large bell was bought. Around 1628, a beautifully carved pulpit (a raised stand for the speaker) was put in. In the early 1800s, money was collected from the local people to fix up the church. A fancy chandelier (a hanging light) and lights for the pulpit were bought. This allowed people to have church services in the evenings.
The New Church and Changes
In 1845, a new Church of England parish church was built nearby. This new church was dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas. It was built because the Countess of Pembroke and her son, Baron Herbert of Lea, wanted it. The new church was designed in an Italianate Romanesque style, which means it looked like old Roman buildings, but with some Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) influences.
When the new church was ready, the bells and many memorials (like plaques remembering people) from the old St Mary's Church were moved to the new one.
What Happened to the Old Church?
Because of the new church, the old St Mary's was partly taken down. Only the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) and one section of the nave (the main part of the church where people sit) were left. Today, you can see parts of the old church. These include three arches on the south side and pieces of the north side. You can also see the changed eastern arch of the west tower or a west window in the churchyard.
Protecting St Mary's Church
Between 1933 and 1939, the church was repaired. This work was done by Robert Worth Bingham, who was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom at the time. He believed he was related to the earlier Bishop Robert de Bingham.
The church was officially declared "redundant" on May 30, 1972. This means it was no longer needed for regular church services. On November 15, 1977, the church was officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust. They now take care of it, making sure this important piece of history is preserved for everyone to see.
See also
