ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH

St Nicholas is the parish church of Wilsford and situated towards the East end of the village. Largely an unrestored building, it dates from the 12th century although the nave and chancel are Early English, built in the 13th century. The tower was built in the fifteenth century with a quatrefoil frieze at the base, a fleur-de-lys frieze below the battlements and pierced stonework windows in the belfry.

In the 13th century Wilsford and Manningford Bohune were owned by Henry de Bohun, Earl of Hereford. He was one of 25 knights appointed to enforce the terms of Magna Carta throughout England, and was excommunicated by the Pope for carrying out these duties.

In 1227 in de Bohun's time, St Nicholas Wilsford was appropriated to St Nicholas' Hospital Salisbury and its tithes were used to fund the salary of a Warden for the Hospital. Anthony Trollope based his novel "The Warden", part of the Barchester Chronicles, on St Nicholas' Hospital. Thus our small church played its part in English history and, via its fictional incarnation, in great English literature also.

OUR TEAM

Richard Curtis, Team Rector

Clarissa Reilly, Church Warden

Richard Lowe, Secretary

Sharon Prance, Treasurer