St. Mary & St. Nicholas, Wilton

St. Mary & St. Nicholas, Wilton

This has got to be one of the most stunning church buildings in this country. It also looks completely out of place! This Italianate building was created at the instigation of the dowager Countess of Pembroke and her son, Sidney Herbert. It cost £20,000 which was a huge sum in 1845. It is very well signposted by ‘brown signs’. It is open each day and they treat visitors seriously here and consider it a vital part of the church’s ministry.

Inside, I found a selection of laminated guides in various languages, some post cards for sale, a good guide book and a simple but effective leaflet which guides visitors around the church ‘with guiding words from Book of Common Prayer’. A lot of thought has gone into this.

There are some books for children.

There are some good things here for visitors. A switch by the door (clearly labelled) enables the visitor to light up the altar. The Lectionary Bible readings for the day had been printed out and were displayed in a folder in the middle of the aisle. A thoughtful thing to do.There is a votive stand to light candles and a place to leave prayer requests. Some folders from NADFAS detail the many things to be seen here and are worth spending time with. There is also a peace candle left alight – our world certainly needs that, and another for Church Unity, another thing needed. To remind visitors that this is not just a historic building there as a display of church events and another detailing a child they sponsor in Haiti.

All in all a very unusual and wonderful church which I rate as very good for this study.