St John the Baptist

It is possible that there has been a church on this site since Saxon times, as it is known that there was an abbey in Tisbury in the 7th century.

Between 1180 and 1200 an impressive Norman church was built here, and parts of this remain in today's church. The chancel was rebuilt at the end of the 13th century, and the nave was rebuilt in 1450. In the 1700s the spire was struck by lightning twice. The second time, in 1762, the spire collapsed, destroying parts of the church. Restorations were carried out in the 1850s at the instigation of the vicar FE Huchinson. There are excellent roofs in the church, and the pulpit and some of the pews are from the 1600s.

Members of the Arundell family of nearby Wardour Castle are buried in the chancel, including Lady Blanche, who defended the castle against Parliamentary forces for nine days in 1643. She had 25 men; the Parliamentary force was 1,300. Saint John's church, having been a feature of Tisbury life going back centuries. Now it serves several purposes, from our regular services to children's workshops, exhibitions and concerts.

The medieval altar made of Chilmark stone was found in the crypt, and has recently been reset in the Lady Chapel. Some of the old woodwork in the church was taken from other churches in the area and reworked into our pews. St Andrew’s Chapel provides a more intimate setting for some services and smaller concerts, the acoustic in here is especially good.

Whatever your reason to step inside this lovely building, we hope you too will feel its peace and its welcome to all who come to join us here.