England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Winterslow All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Winterslow lies in southeastern Wiltshire and forms an extensive part of the border with neighbouring Hampshire. Winterslow is located around 7 miles east of the city of Salisbury and consists of three distinctly separate villages, East, Middle & West Winterslow, today Middle Winterslow is the largest settlement. The villages sit between 1 & 2 miles south of the A30 road which connects Salisbury with London, Middle Winterslow, however, sits on an ancient Roman Road which linked the principal settlements of Salisbury & Winchester. The three settlements sit upon something of a local ridge with views across the surrounding downland and popular with ramblers. The economy of the parish would have been based upon sheep grazing the downland pastures, today a much more arable cropping predominates. The parish sits on porous chalk so there is little surface drainage, to the west, however, runs the dry valley which forms the headwaters of the River Dun which surfaces near Farley to then flow eastwards to the Test to the north of Romsey, thence to the English Channel through the port of Southampton. The three villages are sited at close to 150 metres above the sea and they form the highest ground for some distance, with land falling away to the dry valley at around 90 metres. Wiltshire downland parishes are large, covering extensive sheep-runs, Winterslow parish was typical of such parishes covering almost 5,000 acres it would have supported a population of just over 800 parishioners. In Domesday times Winterslow was held by 4 landholders, including two relicts of the Saxon age, Wulfric & Wulfward who held minor shares with the majority holding being held by Count Robert of Mortain; collectively the parish could offer 10 ploughs, the usual meadows & woodland but also possessed a mill.

The Church

All Saints' church sits at the western end of the three villages, at the northern edge of West Winterslow. The church tells two stories, externally a Victorian replacement but internally this is shown to be a facade as the building is clearly much older. The origins are revealed by internal features to be probably 11th century, the southern aisle being early Norman Romanesque in style whilst its opposite number to the north is 13th century Early English Gothic. The church is certainly unusual in its layout with a southern tower rather than the conventional western or central crossing styles. AS mentioned externally the church appears to be from the extensive restoration of 1866 in which the nave was lengthened from its original two-bay length and the external fabric completely replaced. As one leaves the village heading northwest along The Street the church is tucked away to the east accessed by a narrow winding track, it sitting behind the fronting properties, cautious parking in The Street is possible. The churchyard, once reached is free of photographic obstructions.