Church of St. Mary, Alderbury

The earliest reference to a church at Alderbury is in the Domesday Book (1086) although there is mention of a Saxon priest, Aethelsin prior to 1000. The yew tree in the churchyard, an ancient sign of religious worship, is estimated to be 1500 years old. In the early 12th century it is recorded that a church and dependent chapels were granted by Henry I to the Bishop of Salisbury. At the Inquisition of the Ninths in 1341 Alderbury is mentioned as comprising a church and 2 chapels. The medieval church was referred to in the 15th century as St. John of Alwardburie. By 1754 it was known as St Mary’s but the date when the dedication changed is not known. It was a plain building with a wooden turret, perpendicular windows in the chancel and a post-Restoration south porch with a belfry at the west end. In 1552 a Commission records the church as having 2 bells and a 10oz chalice. A copy of a water-colour painting of the church hangs in the present Church. The church was demolished in 1857.

The present church, which is dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin, was built in 1857 on the foundations and walls of the previous church. It was consecrated by Bishop Kerr, the Bishop of Salisbury, on 24 June 1858. The date of construction of the church is interwoven onto a foliage boss to the east of the north doorway.

The church was designed in the Decorated style by the architect Samuel Sanders Teulon, who was best known for his designs of high gothic churches and restoration work, and was built to accommodate a growing population in the parish. The seating increased from 247 in the old church to 430 (the population of the Parish at the 1851 census was 744). The cost of the church was estimated at £2,500, the money being raised by private subscription, a grant, and donations from the Earl of Radnor and the Vicar, the Reverend Newton Smart (1843-1865). Unbroken flints and Bath stone were used for the construction and these, along with some quoin stones, were re-used from the previous church where possible. Existing oak timber was used to frame the stonework of the south porch. Tombstones were removed from the graveyard and used to pave the floor. The balusters supporting the rails in front of the choir stalls are believed to be early 18th century. The pulpit is made of Bath stone decorated with 4 mosaic inlays.

There are 24 stained windows produced by some of the most renowned glass makers of the time: Henry Holiday (1839-1927); Clayton and Bell; Heaton, Butler and Bayne; and, William Morris (1834-1896). The south transept window which is attributed to Clayton and Bell is unique in that it has a green serpent with wings representing the devil. In 1879 the altar window was replaced and dedicated to the Countess of Radnor who died in the same year.

The northwest tower has an octagonal spire constructed of timbers and originally covered with oak shingles. A violent storm struck the spire on Ash Wednesday 1897 and caused damage to the cross and weather vane, the tower and the roof of the north aisle. Repair work was estimated at £500. Further repairs to the tower and belfry were undertaken in 1940 at a cost of £9.18s.6d (£9.92½) by which time the spire had been re-covered with slates. In 1912 the architect Gambier Parry (1859-1948) remodelled the chancel in memory of the 4th Countess of Radnor and created a choir vestry under the bell tower. A new arch was made in the northern wall of the chancel and the organ, which had been installed by Sweetley of Bath in 1889, was removed to the south side. The old fireplace was removed from the vestry and a new window installed. The font was moved to the west of the church. The works cost £200 and were funded by the 6th Earl of Radnor. In 1949 the font was moved from the west end of the nave to the north transept when a baptistery was created. In 1960 wrought iron panels from the choir screen in Salisbury Cathedral which had been restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century were used for the communion rail. The roof was re-tiled in 1964. The organ was restored by Bishop and White in 1984.

The church was originally heated by a hot air furnace below ground to the north of the vestry which fed warm air to grills in the floor of the aisles. The furnace was removed in 1905 and replaced by a low pressure hot water system. This in turn was replaced in 1962 by an oil fired boiler and in 1980 seventeen infra-red radial electric heaters were installed.

In 1927 a review of bells in Wiltshire records the church as having one bell which was believed to be of medieval origin. The other bell may have been removed when the old church was demolished.

There are several memorials in the church including Rolls of Honour to the dead of World War I and World War II, a memorial tablet to William Foster of the Home Guard who threw himself on a live grenade to save the lives of 30 others and two memorial tablets to the Pleydell-Bouverie family.

Because tombstones were removed to pave the floor of the new church there remains only one in the churchyard which dates to before the 18th century. Location of plots has never been recorded but 3 surveys were carried out in the 20th century: A Survey of all Tombstone Inscriptions (1900); Faculty Petition to Remove Headstones (1960); and, Graveyard Plan and Listing (1985).

Details of vicars of the parish have only been fully recorded since the early 17th century. It is believed that they lived at Vicarage House which was located south of the church and which was known to be standing in 1765 and 1835. It was rebuilt in 1852 at a cost of £1500. In 1937 a new vicarage was built on the north side of Lights Lane but sold in 1982. Since 1985 No. 5 The Copse has served as the Rectory.

The parish registers date from 1606, and apart from those in current use, are held in the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre at Chippenham.