Milton Lilbourne St. Peter’s church
St. Peter's Church on High Ground
The towered church which we see at Milton Lilbourne today stands on a piece of high ground, probably chosen by visiting monks who needed a convenient hillock from which to preach their Christian message.
There is nothing left of the first wooden shelter built on this site long before the Abbot of Cirencester took an interest in Wiltshire's village settlements. Beyond the Domesday references which mention two manors but no church there is ample evidence from field names and tithings of Milton being an early feudal community.
As you look at the church from the road you see the East end chancel which seems to mark the site of the first stone chapel.
There is nothing left of the first wooden shelter built on this site long before the Abbot of Cirencester took an interest in Wiltshire's village settlements. Beyond the Domesday references which mention two manors but no church there is ample evidence from field names and tithings of Milton being an early feudal community.
As you look at the church from the road you see the East end chancel which seems to mark the site of the first stone chapel.
Recent Translations of the Original
Cirencester Abbey Records
In Milton Lilbourne church there is a list of clergy, tracing names back to about 1290. Above these names there is a brief reference to negotiations with the Abbot of Cirencester.
Using recent translations of the Cirencester Abbey records and making an effort to polish up on my scant Latin, it has been possible to discover clearly dated evidence of the earlier church buildings in Milton Lilbourne.
During the reign of Richard I (Coeur de Lion) in July 1195 enquiries came from Pope Celestine III concerning appropriated church buildings in Wiltshire. Milton near Pewsey is included in the list. Permission had been given earlier by Lucius III for proceeds from Milton, Avebury and other vicarages to go towards the support of infirm brethern. Given this connection with Lucius we have a date soon after 1179 in the time of Henry II for an established early church in Milton.
There are Saxon stones on the present site which confirm an early church almost wiped away by medieval and more recent rebuilding.
Part of the South facing stonework on the much renovated porch comes from these dates and still bears barely visible Saxon markings. Milton still has evidence of two scratch or Mass dials with other old stones reclaimed for use at various stages of rebuilding.
Cirencester Abbey Records
In Milton Lilbourne church there is a list of clergy, tracing names back to about 1290. Above these names there is a brief reference to negotiations with the Abbot of Cirencester.
Using recent translations of the Cirencester Abbey records and making an effort to polish up on my scant Latin, it has been possible to discover clearly dated evidence of the earlier church buildings in Milton Lilbourne.
During the reign of Richard I (Coeur de Lion) in July 1195 enquiries came from Pope Celestine III concerning appropriated church buildings in Wiltshire. Milton near Pewsey is included in the list. Permission had been given earlier by Lucius III for proceeds from Milton, Avebury and other vicarages to go towards the support of infirm brethern. Given this connection with Lucius we have a date soon after 1179 in the time of Henry II for an established early church in Milton.
There are Saxon stones on the present site which confirm an early church almost wiped away by medieval and more recent rebuilding.
Part of the South facing stonework on the much renovated porch comes from these dates and still bears barely visible Saxon markings. Milton still has evidence of two scratch or Mass dials with other old stones reclaimed for use at various stages of rebuilding.
Church history
