England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Bishopstone by Wilton St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Bishopstone, a qualifier is required to distinguish this one from that near Swindon, lies in southern Wiltshire not too far from the joint border with both neighbouring Hampshire and with Dorset, indeed following the transfer of Martin parish to Hampshire it nowadays forms part of that county's border. Bishopstone is located, as the qualifier suggests, roughly 3 1/2 miles southwest of the market town of Wilton. Bishopstone sits within the valley of the River Ebble some distance from significant numbered roads, the closest such being the A354 road linking Salisbury with the Dorset town of Blandford Forum and which lies over 3 miles to the south of Bishopstone. Bishopstone is a rather lines village and quite large in its size, it extends along the valley of the Ebble for a half mile or so accompanied by the hamlet of Croucheston to the south of the river, a scatter of properties continues east to the site of the church. Like many parishes in this area sheep formed the background to the economy, the extensive grazing offered by the surrounding chalk downs providing grazing for many thousands, a few cattle grazed the richer pastures of the valley bottom. Today much has changed with the advent of modern machinery & fertilisers and most of the land is now arable. Bishopstone is drained eastwards by the Ebble which joins the Avon to the south of Salisbury turning south to eventually reach the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour. Bishopstone is sited at around 70 metres above the sea within its valley setting, land rises to both north & south onto rolling downs which top out at 193 metres on nearby Compton Down. Parishes in this chalk-dominated area are often extensive and Bishopstone was one of those, covering some 4,200 acres it would have supported a population of around 550 parishioners, Bishopstone is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St John's church sits over a mile to the east of the notional centre of the village on the eastern side of Church Lane and closer to neighbouring Stratford Tony than to its village. St John's is a cruciform church with origins in the Norman 12th century but rebuilt in the early 14th century using the Decorated style. Traces of the Norman Romanesque period remain, the southern arch of the crossing tower has a Norman style head evidence of the previous 12th century crossing tower that is replaced by the early 15th century version. Much else is from the early 14th century namely the core of nave & chancel and lengthy transepts which adorn the pair. The crossing tower is later and a date of c1406 is offered by Pevsner for its addition, it is Perpendicular in styling as befits its dating. A timber spire once adorned the tower, it was added in 1567 but later removed. Also Perpendicular in style is the western doorway as are a few of the windows of the eastern end. Victorian work of both 1844 & 1885 was largely light and sensitive but in doing such work added the southern porch. Church Lane is quite narrow but carries little traffic so careful parking is advised, an open lychgate grants entry to the churchyard which is mainly amenable to the photographer provided one can avoid the large tree in the southeastern corner.