Church of St. George, Orcheston

The parish church of St. George in Orcheston was built in the late 13th century and later developed in the 15th century. The church was founded by Elyas Giffard who gave the church and its revenues to the church of St. Peter at Gloucester shortly after the conquest.

The church is built from flint and limestone and is very plain in style. It possesses a modest west tower with battlements and a pyramid roof with Welsh tiles. The only decoration includes some embellishments on the western exterior and panelled arch towards the nave. The church also has a north porch, a 12th century embattled chancel and a Norman door. The church does not possess either aisles or a chantry.

The windows in the nave and chancel and low tower date from the 13th century. A Tudor arched west door has above it a perpendicular window with 19th century tracery, hoodmold and a selection of carved ‘grotesque beasts’. St. George’s church also possesses some good late 19th century stained and painted glass which can be found in the east window, built in 1888, and others, found in the nave and chancel created by Jones and Willis.

The church underwent restoration in the years 1833 and 1858. The roof of the nave was raised and made flat in 1833 along with the fabric within the church being restored. Most of the fittings within the church date back to 1858, having been installed by Wyatt at this time. Some of these fittings include the pews, the pulpit and altar screen, the 15th style century font of 1833 and the royal arms of Charles I on the wall of the south nave dating back to1630.

The church possesses three bells; one was the John Warner bell which was cast in 1896 and another was the 1613 John Wallis of Salisbury bell which was inscribed with the words ‘PRAYSE GOD.’ The plate of the church included a later cup with an Elizabethan base and a flagon dating back to 1721.

Over the years St. George’s substantial numbers of marriages burials and christenings, reflecting its stability and popularity in the earlier years. Parish registers from 1656 to 1981 (baptisms and marriages) and 1989 (burials) are held in the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre at Chippenham.

In 1933 the two parishes St. Mary and St. George were united as the Orcheston benefice. In 1982 the church was declared redundant and was vested in the Redundant Churches Fund in 1985 as it still remains today in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.