Details
PITTON AND FARLEY CHURCH ROAD, Farley
SU 22 NW
(north side)
10/121 Church of All Saints (formerly
listed as Church of St Mary the
Virgin)
25.5.60
GV I
Anglican parish church. 1688-90 probably by Alexander Fort to
designs by Sir Christopher Wren, for Sir Stephen Fox, restored 1874
by Ewan Christian. Red brick in English bond with channel
pointing, stone dressings, and tiled roof. Nave with north and
south transepts forming Greek cross, chancel and west tower. Nave
and transepts treated symmetrically on elevations, with central
entrance to transept, a door with stone architrave, pulvinus and
cornice on consoles, all over 3 steps with wrought iron railings.
Moulded plinth and raised quoins to all corners, stone cornice at
eaves. Architraved oculus over door. Nave and chancel windows
round headed with stone architraves and small keyblocks. Square
paned leading but decorative leading to chancel, and small priest's
door under. Chancel has pediment over central section of cornice
and three light round headed window. Window of north transept
blocked. Tower of 3 stages, with stone bands at storey levels, and
architraved rectangular openings to bell stage. Square sundial
below. Low parapet over cornice and raised ball finials to stone
corner blocks, each surmounted with iron wind vanes with brazen
tails. Door on south side has rounded head, architrave and open
pediment on consoles. Bench mark on tower.
Interior: Wide nave, plastered, with panelled dado. Low plaster
vault over simple cornice, all refurbished C19. Limestone flagged
floor. Round arch to chancel with elementary capitals and key
blocks, similar arches to north and south transepts, and smaller
similar arch to tower. Chancel short, also with pointed plaster
vault. Reredos by W.F. Dixon, executed by Salviati in Alabaster
and Devonshire marbles framing mosaic panels. Base of tower on
same level as nave, tiled dado. North transept, the Ilchester
Chapel raised on step over vault below. Plaster ceiling and black
and white marble tiled floor. South transept contains organ and
entrance passage screened in C17 panelling. Transepts and Chancel
have oak screens, C17 and replicated in C19, panelled and with tall
turned balusters and pulvinated entablature. Fittings: Font,
under tower. Limestone, a lobed bowl on baluster stem, late C17,
with oak crown cover. Pulpit: C17, octagonal, panelled with
rusticated arches and turned handrail to steps. Lowered in C19 and
tester removed. Clergy desks constructed from C17 panelling from
pulpit, C19. Choir stalls 1874 with book stands on small turned
columns. Oak altar rail. Ilchester Chapel has C20 reredos and
Altar table by Noyes and Green, carved from oak from Downton
Church. Glass to east window by Dixon. Monuments: Chancel: Two
wall tablets. White marble on black slate by Soper of Sarum, to
Rev Thomas Henderson, died 1905, and a similar monument by Osmund
of Sarum, to Rev Hugh Stephens and wife, died 1843. Nave, north
side: C18, marble, by Sir R. Westmacott Jnr. A pedimented
catafalque with border containing long inscription to Henry Thomas,
Earl of Ilchester, died 1802 and his 2 wives. Sculptured panel
below with reclining grieving mother and naked children. Profile
portraits in spandrels. Angled end pilasters with pelicans under
honeysuckle. South side: A gothic marble panel on slate by Bossom
of Oxford. An angel ascending holding scroll. To Henry Fox
Strangeways, died 1837. Over tower arch an oval marble panel on
slate rectangle, to Charles James Fox, statesman, died 1806 and
buried at Westminster. In Ilchester Chapel, three outstanding wall
monuments on north wall. At centre, Carrara marble aedicule with
composite columns carrying segmental pediment. Coloured arms with
suspended garlands and lamps over. Gadrooned base on consoles, all
on limestone brackets. Inscription in antique French to Sir
Stephen Fox 1636 - 1716, and son Stephen, died 1718. To left, an
elegant aedicule, grey and white marbles. Corinthian columns
supporting a curved pediment. Flaming urn and lamps connected by
garlands over. Within, a curtained niche revealing swathed bust of
Dame Elizabeth Fox, died 1696. Gadrooned base. Inscription in
Latin on shaped apron, terminating in conjoined putti. To right, a
third marble aedicule. Open segmental pediment on Composite
columns. Coloured arms in spandrel with garlands. Gadrooned base.
Inscription in English in panel with reentrant corners with putti.
To Charles Fox, MP, 2nd son, died 1713, and his wife. All three
monuments protected by reset early C18 wrought iron railings across
transept. Also 2 simple marble panels, (a) to Hon. Juliana Fox,
died 1749, and (b) Charlotte Fox, died 1755. Nave and chancel have
numerous painted texts on metal panels mounted on walls. Four
hatchments: In Ilchester Chapel, (a) Henry Fox, Baron Holland of
Foxley, 1774, (b) Georgiana, Baroness Holland, 1774. West wall of
nave; (c) Charles James Fox (?) died 1806 and (d) Henry, 2nd Earl
of Ilchester, died 1802. Furniture: In sanctuary, 2 cane backed
chairs, probably C17. Late C17 Communion table in vestry.
(Pevsner, Buildings of England, Wiltshire, Colvin, H.M.A.
Biographical Dictionary. Information in Church. Summers, P.
Hatchments in Britain, 4)
Listing NGR: SU2244429592
