Listed Building record MDO16071 - Parish church of St Wolfrida, Horton

A medieval church remodelled in the early 18th century. The north tower built in 1722-3; there was further restoration in 1869 and the tower was repaired in 1900. It is thought that the church was associated with a Benedictine abbey at Horton, founded by Ordwulf son of Earl Ordgar in the late 10th century, which became a cell of Sherborne Abbey in the early 12th century. The walls of the building are constructed of brick, flint and stone, and it has a tiled roof.

The Parish Church of St. Wolfrida was extensively rebuilt and added to in the 18th century. The tower, north transept and nave belong to this period with some 15th century material incorporated. The core
of the chancel and part of the south wall of the nave contain flint and rubble masonry probably of the 12th or 13th century. <5>

<1> Brewster, T F, 1964, A short history of Horton Church (Monograph). SDO18160.

<2> Heap, E J F, 1967, A short history of Horton and The Church of St. Wolfrida (Monograph). SDO18159.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(SU 03020745) Ch (NAT)

<4> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 234-5 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 34-35 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(1) THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST WOLFRIDA stands in the village. The walls are of stone, flint and brick, with ashlar dressings; the roofs are tiled. William of Malmesbury (Gesta Pontificum Anglorum, Rolls Ser. Lii, 203) says that a Benedictine abbey at Horton was endowed by Ordulf, son of Earl Ordgar, the founder of the Benedictine house at Tavistock (961); early in the 12th century Horton became a cell of Sherborne. Little remains of the ancient walls mentioned by Hutchins (III, 156). In c. 1720 the mediaeval Chancel and Nave were remodelled; the E., W. and part of the S. walls were rebuilt and the remainder of the S. wall was cased in brickwork. The North Tower (Plate 3) was built in 1722-3 (churchwardens’ accounts books) to a design which betrays the influence if not the authorship of Vanbrugh, then engaged at Eastbury (TARRANT GUNVILLE (2), Dorset IV, 90). The North Transept was added in 1755. Restorations were undertaken in 1869 and the tower was repaired in 1900.
The tower is of some architectural interest, and among the fittings the medieval effigies and the 18th-century reredos are noteworthy. …’

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213089 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2025 5:18PM