Church History

Holy Cross Church,
Wilcot

Architectural History

1085 About this date a Norman Church, built by Edward of Salisbury, Sheriff of Wiltshire, stood on this site.

1200 The Church was re-constructed with a short Chancel. The Hagioscope, or Squint (not for lepers), together with the Pillars and Capitals for the Chancel Arch, date from this period.

1400 The Church was again re-built, this time with a long Chancel and a short Tower.

1825 A new Chancel was built by Col. Wroughton "in a substantial and handsome manner."

1876 On April 11th, the Church was gutted by fire, the walls and the Tower alone remaining. Re-building took place the same year.

Features of interest

The initials "A.G. I.E. 1718" over the main porch, stand for Anthony Gammon and John Edmonds, the Church Wardens. The Chancel Arch Pillars have water holding bases. These were tried between the years 1190 and 1220 (thus dating the Church) as an experiment to see if the water would have any interesting side effects. The idea was abandoned because the dust accumulated and made the water dirty.

The Jacobean Fruit Trencher (commonly called the "Wooden Paten") which is let into the south Wall of the Sanctuary, dates from about 1610. It bears the following inscription:

"Though hungrie meals bee put in pot yet conscience cleare keepe without spot.

Do the keepe the corpse in quiet rest Than hee that thousands hath in chest."

The tomb of the Berwick family, in the North Wall of the Chancel survived the fire (Cf. Patronage), as did the memorial on the Yes", Wall of the North Aisle. This is to Jane Brooke, her mother Ursula and aunt Janet Packer (Cf. Church Plate).

Two previous memorials in the Chancel were "Renewed in brass in 1877", as the inscriptions record.

There was apparently a gallery along the North side before the fire, for the school children: boys one end, girls the other, with a 'grinding organ' between them. The present Organ was given by the Vicar and his family in 1877. (It was restored in 1973). The Vicar, the Revd Henry Smelt, was the longest serving incumbent here, from 1856-1904. He also presented the Clock and Bell.

Comparison with photographs of the burnt-out church show that some windows were re-furbished to harmonize with the majority. (Observe the bricks on the Arch of the North Aisle East window.) No stained glass was used, though there is a record of an earlier stained glass East window having three lights: St Peter, Salvator Mundi and St Paul.

Church Plate

A Chalice and Paten, dated 1664. The Chalice bears the inscription:

"This Communion Cup and Cover was given by the parishioners of Wilcot to ye Parish of Wilcot, for ever. John Chandler, William Pyke, Church Wardens 1664."
The Paten has the text inscribed: "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life. Luke ye 6t. verse the 54th." (This should be John 6 v54!)
A Salver dated 1708/9. This bears the Coat of Arms of the Packer family A modern Chalice and Paten given in 1954. These were given in memory of Revd Percy Nash, Vicar 1924-34..

Church history