St Matthew’s Church – Rushall

St Matthew’s Church in Rushall first appears in history in 1086 as a dependancy of Upavon monastic cell established by the great abbey of St Wandrille de Fontenelle, near Rouen.

All that survives from that church is the twelfth century octagonal font with its sixteen blind arches, placed on what is probably a reused Norman capital.

The church was rebuilt in 1332 and from this rebuilding survives the chancel arch, two windows reset in the north wall, the nave buttresses and the western section of the north wall of the nave.

The graveyard was later consecrated in 1402.

Of the three bells now hanging in the tower the treble was founded at Salisbury probably about 1400; the second bell dates to 1606 and the third to 1740.

The existing tower, with some notable gargoyles and a panelled arch facing the nave, was added in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century.

Extensive rebuilding, easily distinguished by being brick, took place in 1812. Further restoration took place in 1873 when the chancel roof was remodelled and in 1905 the church underwent major restoration by the architect C E Ponting.  The church is of brick, stone and flint, with a chancel, nave, north chapel, south porch and west tower housing three bells dating from 1400, 1606 and 1740.