Church of St. Michael, Little Bedwyn
Little Bedwyn church has been used for Christian worship for nearly 900 years, and lies in the Pewsey Deanery in the Sailsbury diocese. Little Bedwyn church served a thriving agricultural community when it was built 1158, and was originally a chapelry of Great Bedwyn. It was named the church of St. Michael in 1405, when it became a parish church with its own vicar.
The Church of St. Michael is built of knapped local flint and ashlar with a slate roof and freestone dressings of Bath stone. It consists of a chancel with a north vestry, a 13th century aisled nave with a south porch, with Tudor arched doors, and a 15th century west tower with a stone spire. It is the only instance of a spire in the neighbourhood; the next instance westward is Bishops Cannings. The north arcade, with rounded arches, is the oldest part of the church, believed to be built in 1160, and the south arcade, with pointed arches, is believed to have been constructed slightly later. The north aisle has short cylindrical columns with capitals of early stiff leaf form, similar to those in Great Bedwyn. It also still has its original 15th century timber roof lining, built of oak on trusses with arched braces supported on corbels. The chancel ceiling is boarded in oak with the nave and south aisle in pitch pine, all of which were reroofed in 1841.
The Church of St. Michael is built of knapped local flint and ashlar with a slate roof and freestone dressings of Bath stone. It consists of a chancel with a north vestry, a 13th century aisled nave with a south porch, with Tudor arched doors, and a 15th century west tower with a stone spire. It is the only instance of a spire in the neighbourhood; the next instance westward is Bishops Cannings. The north arcade, with rounded arches, is the oldest part of the church, believed to be built in 1160, and the south arcade, with pointed arches, is believed to have been constructed slightly later. The north aisle has short cylindrical columns with capitals of early stiff leaf form, similar to those in Great Bedwyn. It also still has its original 15th century timber roof lining, built of oak on trusses with arched braces supported on corbels. The chancel ceiling is boarded in oak with the nave and south aisle in pitch pine, all of which were reroofed in 1841.
In 1868, the church was extensively restored, at a cost of £1,200, and a vestry designed by T.H Wyatt was added. The outside of the church was renovated and the seating capacity was increased by 25%, from 210 to 263. However, the seating was subsequently reduced in the 1980s to 120 in order to create space for a village hall within the church. A notable event in the church’s history occurred on Sunday 9th June 1963, when the spire was struck by lightning. The 70 foot spire was badly cracked, the cross fell into the churchyard and the roof was damaged.
The 19th century font, housed by the south door, is octagonal and constructed of limestone with brass fittings to the cover. The pulpit is also 19th century, and is made of oak on an octagonal stone base. The church also contains a small organ, made by Brygeson Bros. London and was bought new in 1870 as a hand blown instrument at a cost of £84 17s 6d. In 1898 the blower was paid ten shillings (50p) per annum, but was increased to seventeen shillings and sixpence (75p) in 1948. The organ was electrified in 1972. The clock, made by Smith of Derby, was presented to the church in 1906 by Mrs Cooke, the wife of a former churchwarden. The south aisle of the church houses two 19th century wall tablets, constructed of white marble on slate. One dates from 1859, in memory of Henry Rowland of Ramsbury, with the other from 1860 in memory of Jane Trothowan and Edward Potter of Chisbury. There is also a brass war memorial. Some of the oldest stained glass is situated in the north window of the chancel of the vestry door, however it remains undated. 19th century stained glass in memory of various members of the Hall family can be found in both the east and south windows of the church. The peal consists of four bells, two of which were cast at Aldbourne by James Wells in 1581.
At Little Bedwyn in 1812 one service was held each Sunday and a Communion service was held four times a year. There were 20 communicants. In 1932, when there was still only one service each Sunday, the church was being served by a curate who lived in the vicarage house. Services were increased to two each Sunday in 1851. In 1864 the two services were held with an average congregation of 70. Additional services were held in Lent and Advent, at great festivals and on 1st January.
Little Bedwyn is now part of the Savernake Team, which was formed on 1st December 2002. More modern events also include the Street Market, which began in 1980. It is a major annual fundraising event for the church, and is held in Church Street and Church Meadow every 3rd Saturday of June. The Millennium Map was commissioned by the village in 2000 and was painted by Angela Rawson, a local artist. It depicts the outline of the civil parish, using old field names and a cameo of every house as in the year 2000. The map also features notable village activities, including the Street Market, and the passing traffic on the several transport systems. An example of every kind of local animal, bird and flower and each of the fish that live in the canal are represented on the map. It was unveiled by Bishop Peter, the Bishop of Ramsbury, on 3rd July 2000.
Little Bedwyn is now part of the Savernake Team, which was formed on 1st December 2002. More modern events also include the Street Market, which began in 1980. It is a major annual fundraising event for the church, and is held in Church Street and Church Meadow every 3rd Saturday of June. The Millennium Map was commissioned by the village in 2000 and was painted by Angela Rawson, a local artist. It depicts the outline of the civil parish, using old field names and a cameo of every house as in the year 2000. The map also features notable village activities, including the Street Market, and the passing traffic on the several transport systems. An example of every kind of local animal, bird and flower and each of the fish that live in the canal are represented on the map. It was unveiled by Bishop Peter, the Bishop of Ramsbury, on 3rd July 2000.
The parish registers from 1722-25 and from 1731 (baptisms), from 1722-26 and from 1730 (marriages) and from 1741 (burials), other than those in current use, are held in the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre at Chippenham.