Church of St. James, Bratton

The present parish of Bratton is formed of several small early communities with the church belonging to one of these, Littlestoke, which has disappeared. It is possible that there was a Saxon church on this site as some of the surviving carvings are Saxon or early Norman and it has been shown that a central Norman tower could have been inserted into a Saxon church on the site. The church is built on the side of a green valley, on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain; Littlestoke was in a coombe below the church and seems to have disappeared in late medieval times, or slightly later. Although it is believed that there was a large house near the church, it was reported in 1640 that there were then no houses near the church and so the whole of the village had gone some time before this date. From 14th century records it is evident that there was at least one chantry chapel in the church, and parts of the present walls of the transepts could date from the medieval period and have been home to this chapel.

However in 1400 almost the entire church was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style, but on the plan of the earlier church. This church had plastered walls, with wall paintings, and was attended by people from Littlestoke, Melbourne and Bratton, the parts of the modern village. From 1545 there was a dispute as to whether Bratton was a parish in its own right or a chapel of ease to Westbury, which it always had been. The Bratton church remained annexed to Westbury, and the dispute continued, until 1845 when Bratton became a parish. Improvements and small alterations occured, a west gallery was added to accommodate more people and in 1822 another gallery was added for the Sunday School children. Some of the trees that surround the church were planted in 1829, but it was not until 1832 that a road was built to the church on one of the many tracks that led to the site.

The Rev. Charles Palairet made many improvements in the mid 19th century, one of which was the building of 208 steps, rising from near the steam of Salcombe Water to the church. When he arrived the chancel was in poor condition and he was responsible for it being rebuilt in the Early English style. The architect was George Gilbert Scott and the new chancel was the same size as the old and very similar to it apart from the roof being higher. In 1860 the roof of the nave and aisles was renewed under the direction of diocesan architect, T.H. Wyatt; the builder was Mr Barnden of Warminster and the cost was £700. In 1863 a new vicarage was built. More work was undertaken in the first part of the 20th century with new choir stalls in 1923 and a vestry in 1925. The latter contains 15th century carved stone heads that were the corbel heads in the nave, one of these is believed to be a re-used Saxon one and there are two more possible Saxon carvings in the porch. Both the west gallery and the one for Sunday School children were removed in 1925, while in 1937 the choir stalls were removed and the Scudamore organ restored and moved.

The six bells, dated 1587, 1617, 1793, 1858, and 1897 (2) were recast in 1934 and a modern Sanctus bell has been added. The font is either Saxon or early Norman but has been restored and mounted on a modern plinth. The original altar seems to have been removed during the Puritan period in the 17th century and replaced by a contemporary dining table. There are also two long 17th century wooden seats which brought from Imber church after the villagers had been evicted during the Second World War. The parish registers dating from 1542, other than those in current use, are held in the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre at Chippenham.