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Parish Church, Westwood
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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The parish church of Westwood is currently dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, although it was previously to All Saints. It was a chapel of Bradford parish, served by a chaplain, or later a curate, appointed by the Vicar of Bradford, who was also Rector of Westwood. Now it is part of the Benefice of Bradford on Avon Holy Trinity, Westwood and Wingfield which are together served by a Rector.
The oldest part is the rubble stone chancel, which may date from the 13th century. The battlemented perpendicular three-bay nave and north aisle of ashlar were added in the 15th century, probably partly on the foundations of older walls. The tower is the most notable part of the building, with its panelled upper stage and Bristol-style domed stair turret. It belongs to a distinct group of Wiltshire towers that may have been the work of the same masons- Yatton Keynell, Nettleton, West Kington and Devizes St James, inspired perhaps by towers in Somerset. It was paid for by Thomas Horton, clothier of Westwood, Iford and Bradford who died in 1530.
The pulpit is Jacobean, of 1607, but is not an original part of the church, having been brought from Tellisford church in Somerset in the 19th century by Canon Jones, the Vicar of Bradford.
The Old Vicarage (actually Rectory), a high Victorian building was built in 1877-1878 and was sold off in the 1980s. A modern house was built as a replacement next door, but this has also been sold.
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The 13th century priest’s door in the south wall of the chancel with a trefoil head and carved decoration
Westwood church has a wealth of carvings, such as this on the end of a moulding around a window of the aisle
Monuments on the exterior
Inside, the “Westwood Imp” or devil is carved into the corbel that supports the stair turret of the tower, so is presumably early 16th century. He looks down on the baptismal font.
A complicated coat of arms that involves several quarterings of the local families of Horton, Long, Bush and Rogers.