Stanton Fitzwarren
Encyclopedia
Stanton Fitzwarren is a village and civil parish 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Swindon
. It is historically in Wiltshire
, but is now part of the unitary authority
of Swindon
.
of Saint Leonard
is Norman
. The north and south doorways, the chancel
arch and a window in the north wall all survive from this period. The cylindrical font
is an important Norman sculpture depicting eight virtues, eight vices, the Church, the Evil One and a six-winged seraph
. The Norman building had an apse
, of which the foundations were discovered during restoration work in 1865. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century with a flat east wall and east window. The bell tower
was added in 1631.
St. Leonard's restoration
in 1865 was by the Gothic Revival architect
J.W. Hugall
. In 1891 the nave
was lengthened westwards and the south porch was added. During one of the 19th century rebuildings a new east window was inserted in the chancel and the 14th century one was re-used as the centrepiece of a folly
in the grounds of Stanton House. St. Leonard's parish is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the parishes of South Marston
and Stratton St Margaret
.
between Highworth Junction on the Great Western Main Line
and Highworth
was built through Stanton Fitzwarren in 1879-81 but the original company was unable to open the line and sold it to the Great Western Railway
(GWR) in 1882. In 1883 the GWR finally opened the line to traffic, with three intermediate stations including . British Rail
ways withdrew passenger services in 1953, apart from workmen's trains that it continued to run until 1962. Most of the line, including the section through Stanton, was then dismantled.
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. It is historically in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, but is now part of the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
.
Parish church
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Leonard
Leonard of Noblac
Leonard of Noblac or of Limoges or de Noblet , is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in the Limousin of France.-Traditional biography:According to the romance that...
is Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
. The north and south doorways, the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
arch and a window in the north wall all survive from this period. The cylindrical font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is an important Norman sculpture depicting eight virtues, eight vices, the Church, the Evil One and a six-winged seraph
Seraph
A seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
. The Norman building had an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
, of which the foundations were discovered during restoration work in 1865. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century with a flat east wall and east window. The bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was added in 1631.
St. Leonard's restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1865 was by the Gothic Revival architect
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
J.W. Hugall
John West Hugall
John West Hugall, FRIBA, was a British Gothic Revival architect. His dates of birth and death are unknown.-Career:Hugall's works span the period 1848-78. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1871....
. In 1891 the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
was lengthened westwards and the south porch was added. During one of the 19th century rebuildings a new east window was inserted in the chancel and the 14th century one was re-used as the centrepiece of a folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
in the grounds of Stanton House. St. Leonard's parish is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the parishes of South Marston
South Marston
South Marston is a village in north-east Wiltshire, England. The name Marston derives from the common English village name meaning marsh farm. It is part of the Borough of Swindon. Early in World War 2, a Ministry of Aircraft Production shadow factory and airfield were built for the Phillips &...
and Stratton St Margaret
Stratton St Margaret
Stratton St Margaret is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The parish covers north-eastern suburbs of Swindon including Stratton St Margaret itself along with Upper Stratton, Lower Stratton, Nythe and Kingsdown.-History:...
.
Railway
The Swindon and Highworth Light RailwayHighworth branch line
The Highworth Branch Line was a railway line in Swindon, England. It ran from the main Swindon railway station to the town of Highworth away.It operated a service for paying passengers from 9 May 1883 until 2 March 1953 and the section from Highworth to Kingsdown Road closed completely in 1962....
between Highworth Junction on the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
and Highworth
Highworth
Highworth is a market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about north-east of Swindon town centre. At the 2001 census it had a population of 7,996...
was built through Stanton Fitzwarren in 1879-81 but the original company was unable to open the line and sold it to the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) in 1882. In 1883 the GWR finally opened the line to traffic, with three intermediate stations including . British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways withdrew passenger services in 1953, apart from workmen's trains that it continued to run until 1962. Most of the line, including the section through Stanton, was then dismantled.