Description

SE 75 NE
2/11

BISHOP WILTON
MAIN STREET (north side, off)
Church of St Edith

26.1.67

GV
I
Church. C12 chancel, C12 nave with C13 aisles (rebuilt C14), early C14 north transept, late C14 west tower and spire, C19 south porch. Restored 1858-59 for Sir Tatton Sykes by J.L Pearson, with choir screen by G.E Street. Ashlar, tiled roofs. Three stage west tower (embraced) with recessed spire, four bay aisled nave with south porch and north transept, three bay chancel with north vestry.

West tower: high moulded plinth, western buttresses with offsets. Two-light pointed belfry openings. Crenellated parapet with crocketed corner finials, recessed octagonal spire topped with a weathercock. Pointed west window of three lights with Perpendicular tracery under hoodmould with face-stops. C19 clockface in carved surround to south side, second stage.

Nave: raised moulded plinth, buttresses with offsets. South elevation has three two-light square headed windows with cusped ogee tracery. Largely rebuilt early C12 south door, three orders on nook-shafts: the outer of beasts and human figures (including some zodiacal symbols), the next of masks with trails, the next of beakhead, and the innermost of a heavily stylised beakhead. Rosettes to abaci on scalloped capitals: moulded bases with pellets, to nook-shafts. North transept: high moulded plinth and angle buttresses. Pointed north window of three lights with reticulated tracery under hoodmould with face stops. Chancel: moulded plinth and pilaster buttresses. Three narrow round-headed windows. Three similar windows, more closely spaced, to east end. Coped gables with cross finials, all C19, throughout.

Interior: north and south arcades of double-chamfered arches: C13 to north, C14 to south. Both arcades however rest on identical piers - octagonal (one cylindrical to north arcade) with high moulded bases and capitals. West tower is free standing on pointed double-chamfered arches to north, south and east. The eastern arch has projecting grotesques to east sides of capitals. Similar, smaller heads project into the tower chamber. Semi-octagonal responds throughout. Pointed double-chamfered arch from north aisle to transept: deeply undercut oak leaves and acorns to capital of north respond. C12 chancel arch of three orders with nook-shafts on moulded bases. Scallop capitals to inner order, masks in sunk demi-lunette panels with intricate geometrical ornament to capitals of outer orders. Inner order of chevrons worked on a chamfer, central order of stylised beakhead, outer order of beakhead under a hoodmould with a running trail of stylised palm leaves. C19 font: octagonal tub with niches under nodding and crocketed ogees, each containing the effigy of a saint. Elaborate timber font cover in Gothic style: effigies of four evangelists alternate with those of the four doctors of the Western church under tall fretted spire with pinnacles.

Brass and iron chancel screen: frame and open arches in brass; lower section filled with foliate designs in wrought iron to each panel, the centre marked in each case by a glass bulls-eye. Similarly treated wrought-iron overthrow to gates. Fine mosaic floor of 1902, by Salviati: black pelta-shapes alternate with birds on a white background. This was copied from a floor in the Vatican which is itself a re-used Roman example.

Monuments: group of three to the south wall of the south aisle. 1) wall tablet with Latin inscription under a cross potent to William Hildyard, died 6th October 1632. 2) to the west is a white marble tablet to Richard Darley and his wife, one of William Hildyard's three daughters. Inscription in oval cartouche with drapes and putti above and below topped by an heraldic achievement. 3) to the east a wall tablet to Welbury Norton, the grandson of William Hildyard, died 1706. Oval wall tablet with black lettered inscription and the Latin motto 'Vive et Frui' (live and enjoy yourself).

Listing NGR: SE7982155213

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533896

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)