Berwick St James
St James' Church
(within the Lower Wylye and Till Valley Parish)
Patron Saint Day
25th July
Address
High Street, Berwick St James, SALISBURY, SP3 4TS
Churchwardens
Service Times / Types
First Sunday of the month: 9.30 Holy Communion
Third Sunday of the month: 10.00 Matins
Special services held at points throughout the year
History of the Church
The medieval village church is grade 1 listed.
The nave was built in the 1100’s in the Romanesque style and in the 1200’s a chapel, later rebuilt in the 15th century, was added on the north side of the church.
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The chancel is mid-13th century, but the chancel arch and tower arch are considered to be 14th century.
In the 15th century there was a major perpendicular re-modelling of the nave which involved the insertion of the clerestory in the 15th Century.
The present south chapel, which may replace an earlier chapel, was added around 1500.
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The medieval west tower fell down in 1650 and was rebuilt in 1670, still in a gothic style. The church was restored in the late 1840’s.
The font and pulpit are medieval.
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About Berwick St James
St James Grade 1 (pop 142). The village lies between Winterbourne Stoke in the north and Stapleford in the south. It is a very pretty and traditional village, with an active church-going community. It is the strength of the relationships within this community (reflected both in high church attendance, and regular projects undertaken jointly between church and village) which led to an unanimous decision by the PCC for it to remain a single parish.
At Christmas there is a candlelit carol service when all the readings are done by children. The congregation at the carol services over many years now has been in excess of 100. Mothering Sunday service is very much a children’s service (54 including 16 children in 2017).
A very successful pet service has been held for the last three years and this too is much orientated towards children. In 2017 we had our first Rogation Sunday service travelling to a field in a tractor and trailer and this attracted 27 adults and 7 children. Inevitably we have to hold fund raising events in order to support the village, the church and the reading room and this has been achieved in varying ways and include a fete, a duck race, and in 2015 & 2017 a very successful ‘Open Gardens’ event.
Much structural work has been done on the church; the nave roof was replaced after the lead was stolen back in 2010. Since then we have retiled the chancel and all other tiled roofs, and in 2017 our organ was restored.
A memorable party celebrating the Queens 90th Birthday was attended by 170 village residents, family and friends. We have a harvest supper attended by about 50 people and we have a Lent lunch on a date that doesn’t clash with Stapleford’s Lent Lunch. The village pub (The Boot) is popular and well-supported. There is a very successful farm shop, and the Wiltshire Girl-guiding Area Headquarters occupies the old school building, providing facilities for Guide and Brownie campers.