The Parish Church

The Church of St. George

The original building was Norman, and some remains of it still exist, but it is possible that a wooden church built by the Saxons, who founded the village, stood on the present site. The church however was rebuilt in the 15th century, when the Perpendicular style of architecture prevailed. The framework of the priests' door, leading into the chantry chapel, is a relic of the original Norman church. It was found in fragments in the south wall when the fabric was restored in 1863-4, and Mr Wyatt, the architect, reconstructed it and placed it where it now stands. Close beside it is a piscina.

R.C.C.C.
1928

The following description is from "History of Wiltshire – Vol 4" by Sir Richard Colt Hoare.

Fovant is a Rectory, valued in the King's Books at £17. Patron, the Earl of Pembroke.

The Church, dedicated to St. George, is well built of stone, with an embattled turret, and handsome open cornice. On the South side of this turret are two windows of pointed architecture, on the lowest of which are two niches, with canopies and pinnacles over them, and intended originally for images. The labels from which they spring on the West door-way are angels. The lower parts also of the niches in the tower are supported by angels; the tower is placed at the West end.

After having visited the little churches of Ansty, Swallowcliffe, and Sutton Mandeville, this church of Fovant assumed a great degree of interest, especially in its interior, which consists of a nave and two aide-aisles, with a chantry-chapel South of the chancel. The North aisle is separated from the nave by four pointed arches, springing from round columns. The South aisle presents only three arches, springing from octangular columns without capitals, and not so well formed. The windows in the aisles are chiefly of the flat pointed style. A pointed arch separates the nave from the chancel. There is nothing remarkable in the font.

Rede Brass.

Against the North wall of the chancel is a brass plate, with the figure of the Virgin kneeling at a desk, with a book open before her. On one side is an angel holding a scroll, “Ave gracia plena D'n's tecu';” on the other side a person in a priest's habit, kneeling, from whose mouth issues a scroll with these words: “O blessed Moder of Pete, pray to thi sone for me.” Beneath the figure is this inscription:

“Orate, pro a'i'a GEORGII REDE, quond'm Rector' Ecclesiæ de Ffovent, tempore edificacio'is nove turr' ib'm, anno Domini mill'mo ccccºlxxxxvº, cujus animæ p'piciet'r De Ame.”.

Content last updated
8 February 2004

© 2002 Design - dingo web design. Text - Fovant History Interest Group

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