This wonderful Italianate Church is more like a cathedral than a parish church. The Friends of Wilton Church exist to support this unique part of our heritage. The treasures of the building make a unique contribution to the life and ministry of the Church in Wilton. St. Mary and St. Nicholas is also a much-loved landmark and a personal part of the history of generations of those who have links with Wilton and the area.
If you would like to know more about ‘The Friends’, or might be interested in joining, please click on the link at the bottom of the page. If you would like to renew your acquaintance with the church, or indeed visit for the first time, the building is usually open daily between 09.30 and dusk.
St. Mary and St. Nicholas is an architectural gem, encompassing a myriad treasures and on many levels. Externally, the separate ‘campanile’ and linking cloister testify to the Italian style. Inside, Flemish wood-carving, marble Cosmato work, and stained glass (both English and continental) dating to as early as the fourteenth century, are just a few of the points of interest. There is a three manual William Hill organ and a series of stunning mosaics by Gertrude Martin.
Built between 1841 and 1844, to replace the medieval church of St. Mary which was then falling into serious disrepair, St. Mary and St. Nicholas is also unusual, in that it is built on a north-south axis. This was said to be the wish of the Dowager Countess of Pembroke, at whose instigation it was constructed. It is more likely however, that the restricted nature of the site actually resulted in this alignment. The architect was Thomas Henry Wyatt, diocesan architect for Salisbury.
Wilton Parish 