St Denys (the Minster Church)

Some 11th century and late 14th century fabric at the crossing and tower, nave rebuilt during a major restoration by Sir Arthur Blomfield, 1887-9. Materials: Various limestones, roughly coursed

South of the chancel, a late 15th century chantry chapel to the Maudit family, with four-light windows under broad arches

Interior: Visible evidence of the 11th century church is restricted to a round-headed opening in the north transept

although Norman masonry might be embedded elsewhere in the crossing and tower

number of sculptural fragments survive from the late 14th century rebuilding

one (a small figure of an angel now in the south aisle above the entrance) of high quality

Stylistically the crossing belongs perhaps to the late 13th century or early 14th century

The late 15th century south chapel has a good roof with four medieval angel corbels, a piscina, two-bay arcade to the chancel and a panelled arch into the transept

An opening in the north transept provides evidence for the existence of a former rood screen between the crossing and the chancel

The chancel fittings (1887-9) form an exceptional ensemble: reredos by the firm of Harry Hems, of Exeter, with gilded stone frame and seemingly, metal figures treated to appear like marble

choir stalls carved by Woolcott for Hems

by Hems also, the octagonal pulpit with tracery and inlaid marble

Square font on granite pillars with pretty mosaic floor surround with fish, all of 1889

Much noteworthy stained glass: South transept south, by O'Connor, 1840, still in the painterly early 19th century tradition, the colours almost psychedelic

Some 17th to 19th century wall monuments

including a pictorial brass to Elizabeth Carter

History: St Denys stands about half a mile north-west of Market Place, now on the fringe of Warminster, near the site of an Anglo-Saxon minster

There seems to have been a rebuilding (or remodelling) of the tower and crossing in the later 14th century, and the chamfered crossing arches may be somewhat earlier

The church sits on a low hillock, in a well kept graveyard with a good array of table and slab tombs, pitched paths and to the south, an enormous yew tree (probably 14th century) supported by numerous posts

externally notable for the long and regular aisled nave as rebuilt by Blomfield in 1887-9. * Significant surviving Norman and Perp fabric in the crossing

evidence of the scale and wealth of the medieval church. * Big late 15th century chantry chapel to the Maudit family. * Exceptionally high quality late Victorian fittings

particularly the chancel with its work by Harry Hems and several other important names. * A varied array of 19th and early 20th century stained glass. * On the site of a Saxon minster church of historic significance