Church of All Saints, Norton

This is a small church, with the nave and chancel believed to date from the 12th century.
There is also a west vestry and bellcote. There had been a Malmesbury Abbey chapel at Norton in 1151, so it is presumed the church grew from the original chapel. The font is from the 12th century and is presumably from the building of the first church..

There seems to have been a steady stream of additions to the small church over the centuries; the east window dates from the 13th century, the west window and south doorway are 14th century, various windows were built in the 15th and 16th centuries and the porch and roof of the chancel were erected in the 16th century. The pulpit is Jacobean. The church had been dedicated to All Saints by 1763.


The Rectory estate was part of Malmesbury Abbey until the Dissolution. The advowson was with the Abbey until this time, although the King did present the rectors in 1283 and 1332. In 1547, it became part of the manor of Norton and so became owned by John Brydges, who was given Norton by the Crown. The vicarage at Norton only ever received small tithes and remained quite badly off.

From 1675 most vicars here were pluralists and were not resident in the parish. Curates were often used to take services here and in other local parishes. Census Sunday in 1851 saw 46 people attended the afternoon service.

In 1858 the west wall of the church was entirely rebuilt and a chancel arch was put in in 1866 when a wall dividing the chancel and nave was removed. There are three bells at All Saints; two were already hung in 1553 while another was added in the middle of the 18th century but was re-hung in 1926. This bell was cast by James Burrough.

The parish registers from 1663, other than those in current use, are held in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre at Chippenham.