Here bounded on Berkshire sits the Wiltshire village of Chilton Foliat and its church of St Mary. Chilton Foliat is largely arranged round its main street, once a rival to the A4 as a main road to the East from Bath, the route through Leverton, Chilton and Ramsbury was known as the Plough Way. Alas planning decisions blighted prospects as effectively in the early 18'th century as they can today, so when the A4 route was turnpiked (improved and managed by a private trust who charged a toll, effectively an early 'Private Finance Initiative') through road traffic on this Northern route declined to almost nothing and Chilton Foliat lost its income from passing carters and stages.
The parish sits on the fertile lowlands of the Kennet valley and extends onto the harder chalk and flint of the surrounding hills. An area ideal for mixed agriculture and now, on the chalk, much prized for the management of Race Horses, where the free draining properties of the turf maintains a firm grassland.
(Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire, St Mary's from the South)
Chilton (effectively meaning the land or holding of the child) was held in the 13'th century by Sir Sampson Foliat, it is perhaps his effigy that lies as an unnamed memorial in the chancel of the current church, certainly his holding (1240-1280) would seem to coincide with the churches building.
(Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire, the church of St Mary's, Chancel with effigy of unknown knight to right)
Of this early church comparatively little survives unaltered, though the North Wall of the nave would appear to be contemporary with its building and some surviving stonework and window detailing (on the tower) also exists. The South Aisle, is somewhat more problematical, its current structure is largely the result of 19'th century restoration, however it may be supposed that this replaced a much earlier aisle. The doorway and porch also date from this restoration as does the chancel arch. Though the chancel itself would appear to be medieval. The tower probably dates from the early 13'th century.
But much of the charm of this church is its interior. The gallery, a welcome survivor from the 17'th century was restored in the 19'th and now provides a home from where the organ can speak into the church. The Wagon roof, again originally from the early part of the 17'th century (restored in the 19'th) is open to close inspection from the gallery and a few moments peering into its dark recesses provides a good appreciation of the elegance of this form of construction. The pews, whose current form dates from the 19'th century restoration would appear to be cut down from the 17'th century box pews and retain, in part, that original form.
(Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire, the church of St Mary's, South Aisle looking east)
(Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire, the church of St Mary's, view of nave from the west gallery adjacent to organ, showing wagon roof)
(Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire, the church of St Mary's, looking West along nave and South aisle showing gallery, pews and organ)
So this church, like the Christian faith it serves, is a much renewed structure. It has retained considerable charm and atmosphere, in many ways the model of the idealised country church and a welcoming structure to explore.
The church is usually open to visitors and was photographed in September 2010 for theChurchPhotographer by Nick Temple-Fry.
