Holy Cross Church,
Wilcot
Wilcot
Admiral Sir George Montagu
It is recorded that, while in command of Portsmouth Dockyard, Admiral Montagu had a dispute with George III about payment of the navy. The quarrel appears to have been private, but the Admiral was so annoyed that he hauled down his flag, took his carriage and four, and drove to Wilcot for the night. The next day, the King sent a messenger to Wilcot, made peace with the Admiral, and, being himself at fault, granted increased payment. In commemoration of his visit and the settling of the dispute, he planted an Oak tree on the estate. The tree was there in 1906.
The Cross
There is a written tradition in existence that a cross, at one time situated on the green by the Vicarage, was for some unknown reason, buried at the garden at the Manor. The place was fixed by the cross point of certain lines from mark to mark. Unfortunately, some of these marks were trees; so whether it will ever he possible, to again locate the site is very doubtful. It is said to have had a shaft of 9 feet long.
The Tolling Bell
A story dating from about 1624 records the ceaseless tolling of one of the church bells, which could only be heard in the Vicarage itself. Anyone putting their head out of a window could hear nothing. This became so notorious that James I sent down a gentleman to find out the truth. These goings on much annoyed Sir George Wroughton at the Manor.
The story runs as follows:- One night a debauched person arrived at the Vicarage and demanded the keys of the church, that he might ring a peel. This request being refused, the fellow went away in a rage. Going afterwards to Devizes, he met one Cantle, or Cantelow, noted in those days as a wizard, and begged his help.
This he gave, saying, "Does he not love ringing? He shall have nough of it." And from that time the bell began to toll in the house until Cantelle confessed in Fisherton Jail, where he had been confined by the King, that he had caused the sound and that it would continue until his death.
Read the original version from the 17th century
Read the original version from the 17th century
Our thanks are due to two former incumbents, Messrs Sykes and Powell for their extensive work on the history of the Parish.
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