Listed Building record MDO8898 - Parish Church of All Saints, Hilton

Parish Church, possibly of twelfth century origin. Tower and porch fifteenth century the rest of the church was largely rebuilt in the sixteenth century, incorporating material from Milton Abbey. Chancel restored and vestry built in nineteenth century. Walls mainly flint and stone banding; slate roofs with coped gables and parapets to aisles. Nave, north and south aisles of three bays, chancel with north and south chapels, west tower, south porch - projecting into aisle, vestry west of north aisle. Tower, ashlar stone, of three stages, with battlemented parapet, angle pinnacles and gargoyles. In tower two fifteenth century painted wood panels of four Apostles, from Milton Abbey.

A parish church, possibly of 12th century origin, but rebuilt during the 15th and 16th centuries and incorporating some material from Milton Abbey. The west tower and south porch are 15th century in date, while the nave, south aisle and chancel were rebuilt in the 16th century. The north aisle was added at the same time, creating the north chapel. The south aisle was widened in 1569, forming the south chapel, which was originally separated from the aisle by a north-south wall. This wall was removed in the late 19th century, when the chancel was restored, and the vestry added. Listed. <1-3>

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1908, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1908, 111-118 (Serial). SDO19.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR.
By the Rev. E. H. H. LEE, M.A.
(Read 20th February, 190S.)
When I have to inform you that the name of Hilton is derived from the Saxon " Hell," and that the larger of the two streams which rise in the parish is called " the Devil," it might perhaps be concluded that there is something foreboding about the neighbourhood. On the contrary the people are a quiet and homely folk, living in one of the most lovely spots in a beautiful county, which, fortunately, can still lay claim to be an old-world place. In the character of its inhabitants " Helton " has probably not changed much since the time when the parish was given by King Canute to Ore, his House Carle, who, with Dame Thole, his wife, gave it to " ye Church of S. Peter at Abbotsbury."
The parish stretches from Milton Park, close by the Abbey, over the ridge of hill, culminating in Bulbarrow, then drops down into Blackmore Vale, and reaches on its westward side as far as the churchyard of Bingham's Melcombe, its object of chief antiquarian interest being the Celtic encampment known as Rawlsbury Rings. The parish consists of three villages, Higher and Lower Ansty and Hilton, at the latter of which is the church, an interesting and fine example of late Perpendicular architecture. There are traces, however, of earlier workmanship, namely, a Norman font bowl, an Early English arcade between the nave and the south aisle, and a window of the Decorated period in the south-western angle of this aisle, besides fragments of stones (placed beneath the tower) of Norman and Early English workmanship. Two of the window arches in the north aisle suggest Transition Norman work, and internally they bear traces of colouring.
The Church of All Saints consists of a chancel, 24 ft. by 16 ft. a nave, 35ft. by 21 ft. ; north and south aisles, each 50 ft, by 10 ft. ; and a western tower, 12 ft. by l1 ft. ; there is also a small vestry, about 1 13 ft. by 9ft. 6in., at the north side of the tower. A remarkable feature of the Church is its width, the nave and the aisles together measuring 41 feet across, whilst in length the nave is only 35 feet.
The side aisles are divided from the nave by arcades, each consisting of three bays; both sides, however, differ in detail, that on the south being undoubtedly of older date than the other. The aisles have a common feature which is very unusual, for on both sides they are continued beyond the extent of the nave, without an archway, and are connected with the choir of the chancel by arches similar in detail to those in the nave. The piers of the south arcade are very slight, owing to the wall on this side of the church being very thin, only measuring 1 ft. 8 in., in comparison with the 2 ft. 2 in. wall on the north side.
The lean-to roofs of the aisles are of open timber work constructed of oak, and the ribs which support the panelling are very elaborately moulded ; the roof of the south aisle having this curious feature, that the ribs of each square run alternately north and south, and east and west. The east end of this aisle was perhaps formerly used as a chapel, and has a priest's door with several interesting details, and near it on the outside, and plinthhigh, is a large slab of stone supposed to have been used as a "Dole Table."
Two leaden plates which were formerly on the roofs of the aisles are now affixed to the walls of the vestry. They bear the initials I W S F 1722 and M A I D. 1741
The south porch, which projects into the Church in a very unusual manner, has a beautiful groined Perpendicular roof of Ham Hill stone, in the fan-tracery of which are the arms of the Abbeys of Milton and Abbotsbury. The present position of the porch may probably thus be accounted for : The aisle at some time has been widened since the porch was built, for at the time of the restoration of the Church in 1892 a short length of the moulding of the parapet was discovered which had been left inside the walls of the aisle at the west side of the porch. This moulding in every way corresponded with that on the outside, and had evidently at one time been outside the wall, and the point where the moulding stopped against the former wall could plainly be seen when the plaster was removed. The effect produced by this projection of the porch into the church is very peculiar. I think it not improbable that the widening of this aisle took place in the year 1569, as high up on the outside of the wall are three sets of initials W F, H W, T I, to the latter two of which this date is attached. If this is so, it is an interesting fact, as very little church building was done during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Hutchins thinks the initials H. W are those of Henry Williams, who was lessee of the manor in the time of Elizabeth. From the peculiar position of the porch it has been suggested that at some time it may have been a chantry, but this is untenable from the fact that it has wide doorway openings, both of which evidently exist as originally built, except that the outside opening was not intended to have any door ; and the double-moulded jambs and arch show that the porch was originally an open one. A niche and the pedestal and part of the base of the bowl of the holy water stoup still remain in the north-east angle of the porch. The niche in its exterior face is of the 14th century.
The pier on the south side of the chancel arch contains the steps which formerly led to the rood loft. Before the restoration of the Church the original openings at the bottom and top of the staircase were walled up (this was probably done at the time of the Reformation), and two more doorway openings formed one on the south side of the pier leading from the south transept and one on the west side, the sill of which is about 3ft. 6in. from the floor. This opening probably gave access to the pulpit. All four openings three at the bottom and one at the top of the pier are now left open to tell their own story.
The tower is a remarkably fine one and is in three stages finished with battlements and pinnacles and turret staircase. It is connected with the nave by a very handsome arch. Mr. W. J. Fletcher writes, "The panelled jambs and soffit of this arch bear a strong resemblance to the work at Sherborne Abbey and are very suggestive of the same designing hand." The belfry contains four bells varying in weight from 6 to 14 cwt. with the following inscriptions :
i. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis.
2. N.H: C.W: T.P. Anno Domini 1684.
3. R, P. 1637. Anno Domini.
4. O singe prayse vnto God. 1626. I.D. R.T.
On the north and south walls of the tower, where it is open to the interior of the Church, are twelve curious panel paintings of Apostles with their insignia, eight feet high, the names of each on a scroll over their heads. The oak on which they are painted has been smoothed with the adze, pointing to the fact that they were painted prior to the invention of the plane, so that their date would probably not be later than the early part of the fifteenth century. Hutchins says " that the painting is not ill done, and in tolerable preservation."
The six on the north side (from left to right) are :
1. Scus Matheus. 4. Scus Symon.
2. Scus Philyp. 5. Scus Mathias.
3. Scus Thomas. 6. Scus Petrus.
The six in the south side are :
1 . Scus Judas Tadeus. 4. Scus Johanes euagelist.
2. Scus Jacobs Minor. 5. Scus Andreas.
3. Scus Paulus. 6. Scus Jacobs.
Quoting again from Hutchins,
" S. Peter is fine, Sancta Maria (one of those which are missing) that is also fine. In the former there is much expression of countenance," but not more than is found in some of the others to which he has given no distinguishing epithet. The others, also wanting, are S. Martin, S. Benedict, S. Bartholomew, S. Nicholas, and S. Sampson. Hutchins gives as the possible reason for these being laid aside, that except S. Bartholomew they were not Apostles, and that S. Paul was given preference to him. A closer examination of the paintings I think suggests a different conclusion. The panel representing S. Peter is made up of two figures : the upper half belongs to the original S. Peter, but the lower part to one of the missing six; besides several of the panels remaining have defective parts made up presumably from portions of the missing panels. From this, I believe, the conclusion may fairly be drawn that at some time or another the missing six were used to repair those that remain. These paintings originally belonged to Milton Abbey; and were removed at first to the chancel of Hilton Church some time after the year 1774 probably at Wyatt's restoration of the Abbey in 1789.
On the west wall of the north aisle there is a piece of inserted Perpendicular stonework like a parapet of five intersecting diamonds moulded in quatrefoils, at the centres of which are these arms, according to Hutchins: "(i) A cross engrailed between four lilies, Cerne Abbey ; (2) A cross tau, on which is (?) a bird-bolt; (3) A lion rampant in a bordure bezante, Earl of Cornwall'' As to No. 2, 1 am inclined to think this is a symbolic coat, with the tau and a nail with the sacred heart super-imposed. In the east wall of the north aisle a coat of arms is inserted (owner unidentified). In the vestry there is an oak chest (with three locks) with the inscription " M. H. Anno Domini 1638" the initials of Martin Hewet, vicar, who died or resigned in 1639. There are also two old oak coffin stools.
Externally the Church has several features worthy of note. Besides the " Dole Table " already mentioned there is a sun-dial with the date 1690 at the south-east corner of the south aisle. In the angle between the exterior of the tower and the south aisle is a curious broken piece of masonry, which is difficult to account for. On the north aisle are some remarkable gargoyles, one representing a man blowing the bagpipes, of which I am told there is only one other instance in England, I believe, at Hereford Cathedral. The central gargoyle on the east side of the tower represents the devil flying out of a child after baptism.
There was formerly much stained glass in the Church which was "destroyed by some idle persons about 1730." A very beautiful east window has recently been placed in the Church through the generosity of two of the parishioners. The list of vicars dates back to Hugh or Walter de Pankeston, March 6th, 1313, and the Living has always been in the gift of the Bishop of Salisbury. The registers commence in 1604, and there are two interesting entries about the time of the Commonwealth. One " Will Snoke " was the intruder, and he seems to have had trouble with the parishioners, for we find during 1649 the following note :
" AT MY FIRST COMING TO THIS FLOCK.
About this time ther wer som maried, that livid in the parish, others buried, and especially more that had their children Baptised, partly out of contempt, or by reason of ignorance or willfulness against me Refusing to be Examined of the poorer sort. Whereof som ar living others are dead, the which they should live they would be made uncapable of any earthly inheritance this I note for satisfaction of any that do. Will Snoke. And so I left it in the clark's liberty."
Then in 1660 the returning Vicar entered a memorandum as follows :
" Memorand : Yt in ye time of Civill warre in England when King Charles ye first was murthered by his subjects I John Antram Vicar of Helton was by ye power of ye sword then prvaileing violently kept out of my foresd livinge from the yeare 1646 inJanuarie of tht yeare untillye cominge in of Charles ye Second or gracious sovereine web. was in ye yeare 1660 being the 12th yeare of his reigne rtly about Michaelmas of yt yeare I was by law restored for yt in ye rumpasse of the times this register has been kept very imperfect."
On first reading this memorandum I thought John Antram must have put the date 1646 by mistake for 1649, but on examination of the registers for the year 1646 I found that on January 3ist, 1646, they begin to be kept in a new handwriting, though not in that of Will Snoke. Thus a very interesting point arises, as it would appear that three years before the death of Charles I. this part of the country was so completely in the hands of the Parliamentary party that it could expel the rightful vicar and intrude its own minister.
Lionel Gardner, who succeeded Will Snoke, was apparently desirous but with ill effect to impress his knowledge of Latin on any who might inspect the registers, as in 1659 this entry appears :
" Hugh Pysing, the son of Hugh Pysing and Avis his wife, Natus ffuit ye 24th December ett Baptizatis fuit ye 25th."
When the parents of a child objected to its being baptised, this is the way the entry was made "Margarett the Anabaptist daughter of Richard Chacutt, Jan. 28, 1702-3." And then in the entry of the burial of poor little John Chacutt, who was born February 28, 1704-5: "John, the Anabaptist son of Richard Chacutt, was put into earth Aprill 6, 1705."
There are in all old Registers some rather remarkable entries. Robert Parsons, the parish clerk, who kept the registers from 1765 to 1804, in one instance signs himself as 'Rober' Parsons. Here are a few other instances of mis-spelling. For Amelia, we have Meliar, Melyar, Melyear, Meliah ;P eneloper (Penelope) ;Persilla (Priscilla) ; Miria, Meoria (Maria) ; Haiot (Harriet) ;Keria of Daile ; Lettechea. Among curious names in 1624, a boy was christened ' Bruen '; and an unfortunate girl had to bear
through life the title of Agnes Darkey Blagrave. In the time of my predecessor a man described himself as ' a proprietor of donkies '; and I should imagine that ' deceased 'is a record for the description of the rank or profession of a bridegroom.
I need only add, as one who had nothing to do with it, that it is a matter of much thankfulness that such a beautiful Church was restored by such capable hands. It was a real restoration and not a mutilation.

1980, All Saints Church Hilton (Monograph). SDO18157.

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 76 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

<1> DOE (HHR), 1987, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: North Dorset (Scheduling record). SDO17421.

10-Ooct-1985

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 228 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 110-112 (Monograph). SDO146.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1357265 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 28 2025 3:57PM