Pilgrims and knights on Salisbury Plain

Explore the medieval heritage of Salisbury Plain in this tour of Wiltshire churches.

The first visit on this tour will be St Mary's Church, Old Dilton. Dating from the 14th-century this delightful little church lies on a main walking path to the Westbury White Horse. Inside little has changed since the 18th century, crowded with plain bleached box pews, it boasts a three-decker pulpit, two small galleries and a schoolroom.

The second stop will be St Mary's Old Church, Wilton. There are fascinating memorials to the people of Wilton in the remains of this church with a charming 18th-century ceiling which stands surrounded by the romantic ruins of its arcades and tower arch.

The third visit is St Andrew's Church, Rollestone. A compact church, built mainly in the 13th century, of flint and stone chequerwork with the addition of a tiny bell tower in the 19th Century. Inside, it has its original font and the oak benches with Jacobean carved ends come from St Catherine’s, Haydon, Dorset. It was owned by the religious crusading order of the Knights Hospitaller for 350 years.

The tour will end with a visit to St Giles' Church, Imber. A fascinating 13th-century church in the ghost village of Imber, which was evacuated for military training purposes in 1943. With the interior divested of its fittings , you can soak up the atmosphere and admire the wall paintings, including a rare depiction of the Seven Deadly Sins. The exterior has views of the empty shells of abandoned houses in contrast to the beautiful rolling downland.

Travel: Depart Westbury train station at 10:00, returning by 17:00.

Photo credit: Tim Rubidge