The founding of the Church is attributed to Sir Henry de Haddon who founded the Manor of Stourton Caundle and was its first Lord from 1202 until 1248. The Chancel and Nave of the present Church are of the early 13th century. The Tower from the 14th century, and the Porch and South Chapel from the late 14th or early 15th centuries.

The building of the Church and its major additions took place during the first two and a half centuries of its history when the Lords of the Manor were actually resident in the village. It saw its greatest period of development in the 15th century under the Chideocks.

In 1461, the manor and estate passed to the Stourtons whose family seat was in Wiltshire and, while they contributed generously to the Church, it could not have been regarded with the same priority as it had while the Lords of the Manor had been resident locally.

Charles Ponting, FSA, was the Diocesan Surveyor in 1899 when the painstaking restoration of the Church began. He wrote "I wish we could have done the Chancel floor - there might have been a chance of finding the buried plate!".

The Reformation occured during the time of the staunchly Catholic Stourtons who suffered considerably for their faith, as did the Church at Stourton Caundle. It lost its plate, probably three of its Bells, and was fortunate in not losing more.

The middle of the 17th century was dominated by the Civil War and the Puritan Commonwealth which followed. The loss of the Church's stained glass and the alabaster tomb of Lady Agnes (the wife of the 5th Lord Stourton) can probably be attributed, as elsewhere, to Roundhead troops.

The early 18th century saw a revival in the Church's fortunes as the yeomen of the village such as the Biddlecombes and Whittles established themselves as independent, larger scale, farmers and took lead in the affairs of the church.

By the end of the 19th century, a combination of circumstances such as a general lack of care and maintenance, faulty foundations of the Tower and a lack of drainage almost caused the collapse of the building.

Local farmers came to the rescue with the generous support of the patron Sir Henry Hoare and help from the Diocese and County. The Church was restored by the turn of the 20th century under the guidance of the patron's architect and the Incumbents of the time.

The Chancel:   The north and south walls, including the two lancet windows in the north and one in the south, are part of the original 13th century structure.

The oldest object in the Nave is the base of a former Font which came to light when the floor was re-laid. It is regarded as 12th or early 13th century by the R.C.H.M. and is assumed to have been part of the original Font with which the Church was furnished when it was built although nothing has been found of the original bowl.

The Nave:   Nothing remains of the original 13th century nave excepting for the foundations. It was lamost completely rebuilt in the 14th century when the Tower was added at the West end and the Porch added at the South doorway.

The wagon roof dates from the 15th century. It has chamfered ribs forming panels and hollow chamfered wall plates. It has been restored and re-plastered but still retains its original form. The South Door is constructed of nail-studded planks with moulded ribs and strap hinges. Nothing is know about the origin of the present Font excepting that its classic early 18th century style may indicate that it was made as part of the revival at that time.

A gallery was erected at the West end of the Nave in 1709 and, in 1864, the Vicar recorded that it accomodated 20 persons. It seems to have been removed between this date and the restoration of 1902. The balusters of this gallery were fashioned into the present Chancel and Communion Rails.

The Pulpit:   The oak pulpit dates from the early 16th century and is particularly well preserved. During the 1902 restoration it was stored in the attic of the stables of Haddon Lodge. Then, repaired and with the remaining paintwork removed by Mr John Clench, a carpenter of the village, it was placed on the South side of the Nave. It was removed to its present position on the North side in 1904 and stands over the inscription of the earliest dated memorial known in the Church - to "John Cobbe, 1637 ".

The South Chapel:   The dedication of the early 15th century South Chapel is unknown but it may have been a Lady Chapel as was traditional at the time. It is believed that it was originally seperated from the Nave excepting for a small door. The window in the South wall dates from the 15th century and below it, on the exterior, is a Dole Table.

The Dole Table projects from the wall of the South Chapel by about 20cm (8 inches) and is about 90cm (3 feet) from the ground. It was made for "Charitable Contributions to the Poor ".

The Porch:   dates from the late 14th or early 15th centuries. In its west wall is a re-set 13th century lancet window which was probably removed from the Nave or Chancel when the south walls were opened into the South Chapel.

A search of the registers suggests that the artist may have been Edward Curay, the only 'E.C.' at this period, to whose wife Elizabeth a son, John, was born in 1724. There is a memorial in similar script on the wallof the South Chapel tothe boy John who only lived a few weeks and was buried near that inscription.

Above the lancet window is a plaster tablet bearing the drawing of a winged hour-glass beaneath which is the Latin inscription;-

Pereunt et imputantur Horae     E.C. fecit 1721

This is a common sun-dial inscription meaning 'the hours perish and are held to our account '.

The Tower:   The 14th century Tower was the part of the Church which was most in need of attention during the restoration of 1902. The Belfry stage was completely taken down with all the sound stones marked and replaced in their original position during the rebuilding. The Bells were taken down and re-hung in a new iron framework.

The weather vane is dated 1691 and the sun dial dates from the 18th century.

The Bells were taken down and re-hung by Blackbourn of Salisbury in a new iron framework during the rebuilding of the Belfry in 1902.

The 1552 inventory shows four bells in the Church at the time. On September 12th, 1549, the Council deemed it necessary to issue special orders for Devonshire and Cornwall (and it is likely Dorset as well) 'where the rebels have used the bells in every Parish as an instrument to stir the multitude and call them together' that all bells in the two counties should be taken down 'leaving in every church one Bell the least of the Ring that is now in the same, which may serve to call the Parishioners to the Sermon and Divine Service.' It is possible that such orders may be responsible for the fact that only the present No.2 bell has survived of the four pre-Reformation bells which the Church possessed.

Affiliated to the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers, the Bells are still regularly used.

THE BIDDLECOMBE HATCHMENT
The hatchment is believed to relate to John Biddlecombe, blacksmith and clockmaker, who died on May 28th, 1741. It was probably painted by his friend, Edward Curay, witness to his will and author. The winged hourglass motto is repeated on the plaster tablet in the Porch.

Except for the nesting bird and the winged hourglass substituted for the pheonix in rays of sun, these are the arms and motto (With Hamer and Hand All Artes do Stand) of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, London.

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