St Aldhelm's Church, Belchalwell

Church of St Aldhelm, Belchalwell
50°53.2305′N 2°17.7960′W / 50.8871750°N 2.2966000°WCoordinates: 50°53.2305′N 2°17.7960′W / 50.8871750°N 2.2966000°W
OS grid reference ST 792 097
Location Belchalwell
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Church of England
History
Dedication Saint Aldhelm
Architecture
Heritage designation Grade II*
Designated 4 Oct 1960[1]
Administration
Deanery Blackmore Vale Deanery[2]
Diocese Diocese of Salisbury

St Aldhelm's Church is a Grade II* listed Anglican church in the village of Belchalwell, Dorset. It is in the ecclesiastical parish of Belchalwell, which is part of the Benefice of Hazelbury Bryan and the Hillside Parishes.[2]

The church is situated on higher ground above Belchalwell village. The oldest parts of the church are of the 12th century; much of the building is of the 15th century.

Saint Aldhelm

The church is dedicated to Saint Aldhelm (c.639 – 709). He was a notable scholar in Wessex in the time of King Ine; he was appointed the first Abbot of Malmesbury c.675, and became the first Bishop of Sherborne in 705.[3]

History of the building

Part of the doorway in the south porch, showing the decorated Norman arch

The nave is the oldest surviving part of the church; the south wall dates from the late 12th century. There is no south aisle; the south doorway, which leads directly to the nave, is from this early period, having a well-preserved semi-circular Norman arch decorated with chevron patterns and terminating in head-stops.[1][4]

Most of the rest of the church is of the 15th century: the porch, the tower (built on the south of the church, adjoing the porch), the nave arcade, north aisle and the chancel. The tower has two stages and a parapet with battlements. It has gargoyles at the corners of the parapet string course, and a sundial (probably added later) on the south-west buttress of the tower.[1][4]

In the late 19th century the north aisle, the east wall of the chancel and the west wall of the nave were rebuilt.[1][4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Church of St Aldhelm, Belchalwell British Listed Buildings,accessed 12 Oct 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Benefice of Hazelbury Bryan and the Hillside Parishes, accessed 12 Oct 2014.
  3. ↑ St. Aldhelm (c. 639–709) Athelstan Museum, Malmesbury, accessed 12 Oct 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 'Okeford Fitzpaine', An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 3: Central (1970), pp. 200-207 British History Online, accessed 12 Oct 2014.