St Nicholas, Fisherton Delamere

This delightful and well concealed former estate village sits on a hill overlooking the Wylye Valley, and the church seems almost to be pegged to the hillside by its tower. The outside is built in a chequerboard pattern of flint and stone, typical of many churches in this area. There was a church here in Norman times and the font dates from that period. The present building is 14th century in origin but was substantially rebuilt in the 19th century, using much of the old stone and retaining the look of the mediaeval building. The elegant screen, which separates the nave and chancel, dates only from 1912. The architect F C Eden was commissioned to design it, as well as other woodwork in the church, and intended the screen to be painted. However, this was never carried out, mainly because the screen was tremendously unpopular with the people of the parish. To our later eyes, however, it is a very striking addition to the church. Among interesting monuments in the church is a poignant memorial to two babies of Thomas and Joan Crockford, showing one child in bed and the other wrapped in a shroud. Crockford was vicar here from 1613 to 1634.