News: Friends explore Wiltshire Churches.

16 members of the Friends of Romsey Abbey were treated to a guided tour of a range of churches to the west of Salisbury at the end of August. Travelling by minibus, their guide Brian Woodruffe took the group first to the stunning Italianate church in Wilton, then four mediaeval churches in the Wiltshire Downs.

Their first call was an hour well spent at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary and St Nicholas at Wilton which is probably unique in Southern England at least. It was opened in 1845, thanks to the generosity of Countess Yekaterina Semyonova Vorontsova, a Russian noblewoman who married the 11^th Earl of Pembroke (of Wilton House). Her husband died in 1827 and she funded the construction of this superb edifice in his memory, replacing an earlier church in the town centre. Built with local Chilmark limestone, it resembles many of the churches of Tuscany, with a 33-metre high campanile, richly coloured mosaics and imported stained glass. The church certainly was well deserving of the visit.

The group then continued on to see the outside of Dinton Church, a typical cruciform church with chancel nave, two transepts and a central tower, before calling briefly at the tiny Baverstock church with its beautiful modern stained glass window. After lunch at the Barford Inn their day was completed with visits to the churches at Broad Chalke (with the grave of Sir Cecil Beaton) and Bishopstone. Both these churches date from around the 13^th century and display many interesting features both from those times and later.

Brian’s insights into the architecture and history of churches is always highly illuminating, and his knowledge of stained glass windows and monuments enhances the visits. The stories about past clergy and architects add a further gloss to what is always a fascinating tour of some of our most beautiful local churches.

Text by Dick Hewett

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