Church of St. Mary, Chilton Foliat

The painted chancel ceiling.

The church is approached from the main street of Chilton Foliat village through a thatched lychgate and an avenue of lime trees which constitute a memorial to the inhabitants of the parish who lost their lives in the First World War. Other trees in the front churchyard commemorate men lost in the Second World War.

The church is built of flint, ashlar, and rubble and is partly rendered. It consists of a chancel, nave with south aisle, and a south porch and west tower. The long nave has a thick north wall and it is believed that this was built in the 12th century. Fragments of 12th century moulding have been located above the windows in the upper storey of the tower. The nave roof dates from the 16th century: In 1523 Katherine of Aragon held land in Chilton. In that year she wrote from Greenwich to her steward at Chilton to instruct him to cut down three oaks for the repair of the church roof. These oak timbers still form the roof although the beams are covered by later oak timbering.

The south aisle may date from the 13th century. Features of the 14th century include a window in the north, wall of the nave, dating from the early years of the century, and another in the north wall of the chancel, dating from the middle years of the century. Three 15th century windows in the north wall of the nave are known to have been replaced in the 19th century. An extensive reconstruction of the building which included the arcade, aisle and nave roof and tower took place in c.1629; added at this date also were a chancel screen and box pews. A west gallery was added in 1694. In 1845 further restoration took place to plans by Benjamin Ferrey, incorporating a wider aisle, new vestry and east window; the box pews were replaced by open pews and the gallery was rebuilt. The pew ends date from 1845 but the old box pews were adapted to form their backs; marks of the original fixings may be seen below the seats. The font dates from the 1850s and was designed by the Rev. Thomas Meyrick. The original 13th century font is now in the church of St. Thomas at Southwick, near Trowbridge.

Monuments in the church include the tomb of Sir Samson Foliat, who held land in the parish in 1249; it is believed that he may have been the founder of the 13th century church. Numerous other memorial plaques to members of the Popham family are on the church walls; several members of the Popham, or Leybourne-Popham family, served as rectors and held the advowson from 1598 to the 1920s. In the churchyard is the mausoleum of the Pearse family, of Chilton Lodge.

It is known that three bells hung in the tower in 1553. In 1844 two bells were added to those which had been installed in 1663, 1742 and 1771. These five bells were repaired and rehung in 1932-3 and 1962. The organ, in the west gallery, was given to the church in 1897.

On wooden boards hanging on the walls at the back of the nave are painted details of a number of charities endowed in the parish. One of these, Bethell’s charity, endowed a fire engine which now stands in Swindon museum. Chilton Foliat Parish Council continues to administer the historic charities, with the exception of “Churchwarden’s Acre” which was sold in 1932 for £10. The income from the charities in 1994 was £446.


The list of rectors hanging on the south wall of the aisle indicates that the first rector was William de Eton, in c.1297, the patron being Henry de Tyes. From 1598 to the early 20th century the patronage of the Popham family was interrupted only in the Commonwealth years, when James Hounsell is recorded as a lay preacher in 1649.

Parish registers for baptisms from 1568 to 1978; marriages for 1575 and from 1578-1994, and burials for 1575, and 1578-1990 may be consulted at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre. Later registers remain with the church at the time of writing (early 2013). The ecclesiastical parish of Chilton Foliat is now part of the Whitton team benefice.