Church of St. Andrew, Wootton Rivers
St. Andrew’s Church in Wootton Rivers is an old building; some parts of it date back as far as medieval and possibly Saxon times. As Wootton was a substantial estate the early church is likely to have been of reasonable size. However, in 1861 it underwent a large scale restoration and much of it was rebuilt. The Domesday Book of 1086 shows that here were once two churches in the parish which was then simply called Wootton, there are two possible explanations for this. One is that the parish included some or all of Milton Lilbourne at some point so Wootton and Milton churches were recorded. Another explanation is that the second church was actually a private chapel for the manor, if this is the case it may have been built of wood so by now none of it would remain.
In 1860-61 architects carried out the restoration of St. Andrews, the layout and shape of the church before and the church after remain very similar but much of the medieval stone and timber was lost. In some ways the church in Wootton Rivers was lucky during the rebuilding because neither the north door nor the east window were blocked off, this did happen in many other parish churches around that time.
In 1860-61 architects carried out the restoration of St. Andrews, the layout and shape of the church before and the church after remain very similar but much of the medieval stone and timber was lost. In some ways the church in Wootton Rivers was lucky during the rebuilding because neither the north door nor the east window were blocked off, this did happen in many other parish churches around that time.
The door on the north side of the church is now unused but, in earlier times, it would have been used by superstitious villagers. It was believed that when the bride came into the church through the south door the devil would go out of the opposite north door instead of following the bride up the aisle! Other, more practical, uses of this door were for ventilation and for admitting the fuel that heated the church before electricity. Beside the north door is a list of names, those of the young men who did not return from WW1 (1914-18). The church registers show how much of an affect the war had on the villagers; between 1914 and 1918 there was no weddings in either 1915, 1917 or 1918 and only one wedding took place in 1916.
One of the older features of the church is the framing around the priest’s door near the organ. Although the wooden door is Victorian, the carved door frame is thought to be partly medieval. There are two scratch dials carved near the priest’s door; one could be Saxon. Scratch dials, or mass dials, were used on the south wall like a vertical sundial to find out when it was time for mass in the days before there was a church clock.
One of the older features of the church is the framing around the priest’s door near the organ. Although the wooden door is Victorian, the carved door frame is thought to be partly medieval. There are two scratch dials carved near the priest’s door; one could be Saxon. Scratch dials, or mass dials, were used on the south wall like a vertical sundial to find out when it was time for mass in the days before there was a church clock.
The 14th century font is ‘tub shaped’ on a circular base, it is still used for baptisms but it is rather damaged. It is widely believed that the pulpit was re-carved during the restoration, but a little of the old carving does remain in places. There are four niches in the walls that are thought to have once contained sacred vessels or relics. Many relics were sent to the Bishop of Salisbury’s house in Ramsbury to protect them during Henry VIII’s reign; these niches could have once contained relics that were sent to Ramsbury during Henry’s reign. The niches predate the current church and so they could have once belonged to the church that was replaced by St. Andrews in the 14th Century. There is a stoup by the south door and piscinas on both the south and north walls of the nave.
On the south wall there are some stones that could have once been part of an earlier porch. Also on the south wall, near the present porch, there is a stone carving of a Fleur-de-Lys marked with the date 1589 or 1539. Nobody knows why such an unusual piece of stone work is on the Wootton church.
In 1793 Robert Wells II and his brother James Wells made the set of 5 bells that hang in the church. An inscription says ROBERT WELLS and has the mark ALDBOURNE FECIT 1793. These bells were re-hung during the restoration of 1861. The set of bells at Wootton Rivers are the lightest set in Wiltshire but they haven’t been rung for many years as they are unsafe.
On the south wall there are some stones that could have once been part of an earlier porch. Also on the south wall, near the present porch, there is a stone carving of a Fleur-de-Lys marked with the date 1589 or 1539. Nobody knows why such an unusual piece of stone work is on the Wootton church.
In 1793 Robert Wells II and his brother James Wells made the set of 5 bells that hang in the church. An inscription says ROBERT WELLS and has the mark ALDBOURNE FECIT 1793. These bells were re-hung during the restoration of 1861. The set of bells at Wootton Rivers are the lightest set in Wiltshire but they haven’t been rung for many years as they are unsafe.