St Nicholas's Church, Berwick Bassett

St Nicholas's Church in Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire, England dates from the early 13th century.[2] It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building,[1] and is now a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[3] It was declared redundant on 30 June 1972, and was vested in the Trust on 12 December 1973.[4]

St Nicholas's Church
LocationBerwick Bassett, Wiltshire England
Coordinates51°27′39″N 1°51′35″W
Built15th century
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated27 February 1958[1]
Reference no.1365565
Location of St Nicholas's Church in Wiltshire

The church can only be approached by a pedestrian footpath.[5] The red brick chancel was built between 1199 and 1221, with the nave being added in 14th century and built of sarsen stone.[1][6] On the south wall is a scratch dial.[7] The interior includes a font from the 13th century and a rood screen from the 15th.[6] The pulpit, altar rail and pews are from the 19th century.[1] There is a trefoiled piscina, which is a shallow basin used for washing the communion vessels.[1] The monuments include four wall tablets including those to Henry Webb, who died in 1776, John Nalder, a 1794 death, and Elizabeth Nalder, dating from 1835.[1]

In the 1660s the church was visited by John Aubrey who described the memorials and tombs he saw.[8] In 1857 the church had a major restoration by Thomas Henry Wyatt.[1] This included replacement of the original wooden structure with the current stone tower which contains three bells dating from the 17th century.[6] At this point the walls were rendered and whitewashed.[1] The parish joined with Avebury and Winterbourne Monkton in 1970 and is now part of the benefice of Upper Kennett.[6]

See also
  • List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England

References
  1. Historic England. "Church of St. Nicholas, Berwick Bassett (1365565)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  2. "Berwick Bassett". A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 17: Calne. British History Online. 2002. pp. 9–17. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  3. St Nicholas' Church, Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire. Churches Conservation Trust. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. Diocese of Salisbury: All Schemes (PDF). Church Commissioners/Statistics. Church of England. 2011. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  5. "St. Nicholas, Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire, England". Duncan & Mandy Ball. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  6. "Church of St. Nicholas, Berwick Bassett". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  7. "The Marlborough Sundial Trail in Wiltshire, England". Sundials UK. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  8. "John Aubrey's Visit to St. Nicholas, Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire". Duncan & Mandy Ball. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
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