| Church of St Laurence | |
|---|---|
 St Laurence's Church from the south-west | |
  Church of St Laurence Location in Wiltshire | |
| 50°59′37″N 1°44′36″W / 50.9937°N 1.7432°W | |
| Location | Downton, Wiltshire, England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Laurence of Rome |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 23 March 1960 |
| Architect(s) |
|
| Style | Romanesque, Early English, Decorated Gothic, Perpendicular Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1147-1860 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 169 feet (52 m) |
| Bells | 8 + sanctus + clock |
| Tenor bell weight | 22 long cwt 3 qr 23 lb (2,571 lb or 1,166 kg) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Salisbury |
| Archdeaconry | Sarum |
| Deanery | Alderbury |
| Benefice | Forest and Avon |
| Parish | Downton |
The Church of St Laurence is the main Church of England parish church for the village of Downton, Wiltshire, England. An unusually long building for a village church,[1] the present structure dates from 1147.[2] Continually altered and enlarged until the mid-19th century, the church displays every style of architecture from the Norman to Victorian eras,[3] and has been designated a Grade I listed building.[4]
The church building is notable for showing the evolution of the dominant architectural styles used in Britain, from the Norman work in the nave to late Gothic work in the tower and chancel; numerous and high quality monuments, and a surviving 14th-century priests' doorway.[3] Despite the small size of the village, the building is the fourth-largest medieval parish church (by area) in the county, surpassed only by St Thomas, Salisbury; St Andrew, Chippenham; and the remains of Malmesbury Abbey.[5]
- ^ Child, Mark (1995). Wiltshire (3rd ed.). Princes Risborough: Shire. p. 85. ISBN 0-7478-0273-4. OCLC 33129934.
- ^ Baggs, A. P.; Crittall, Elizabeth; Freeman, Jane; Stevenson, Janet. H. (1980). "Downton". A History of the County of Wiltshire. Vol. 11: Downton Hundred, Elstub and Everleigh Hundred. Victoria County History. pp. 18–77. Retrieved 9 December 2022 – via British History Online.
- ^ a b "Architecture". St Laurence Downton. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St Laurence, Downton (1023875)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Downton: St Laurence". Church Heritage Record. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2022.