Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Brixton Deverill

The Domesday Book records that Brixton Deverill was held by the Abbey of Bec in Normandy. It held the role of Lord of the Manor for some 350 years until the title passed to St Nicholas’ College (later King’s College) Cambridge during the 1440s. The first Brixton church was probably of traditional wattle construction. The present chancel dates from the 13th century. The tower contains a fine medieval bell which was cast in Salisbury c. 1400.

Like many churches in Wiltshire, Brixton underwent considerable restoration in the mid 19th century. In 1860 it was given a new roof, the chancel was enlarged, a vestry built and the pews altered. This work increased the seating from 98 to 123. The church was also given a new east window.

Inside the church there are two features worthy of note. The first is the chancel arch, with its attractive mouldings and clustered shafts; the second are the beautiful carved panels fastened to the north wall. These came from the redundant church at Monkton Deverill and formed part of the magnificent pulpit presented to it in 1880 by Lord Charles Thynne, then Rector of Longbridge Deverill and Monkton Deverill. The pulpit is believed to have been of Belgian origin and the panels show Adam in the Deep Sleep; Eve being formed from his rib; Temptation and the Tree of Knowledge; and lastly the Angel driving Adam and Eve out of Paradise. The canopied Norman font was presented to Brixton church in 1951 by the Church of St Giles at Imber, when that village was finally absorbed into the military field firing area.

For many years the churches at Brixton Deverill, Monkton Deverill and Kingston Deverill were looked after by the same priest. In 1973 all the Deverills churches were merged with Crockerton. In 1996 the Cley Hill Team was created, joining the Deverills with parishes in Warminster St. Denys, Upton Scudamore, Horningsham, Corsley and Chapmanslade. The parish registers from 1653 (christenings and burials) and 1655 (marriages), other than those in current use, can be viewed at the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office.