Church Of St Leonard

Church of St Leonard

This is an Anglican parish church located on the north side of Bulford High Street. The building dates primarily to the late 12th century and 13th century, with alterations made in the 14th and 16th centuries, and a chapel added in the early 19th century.

The exterior is rendered in roughcast over mixed Chilmark and Tisbury stone, with a tower constructed of flint and stone. The roofs are tiled. The church comprises a late 12th-century nave and chancel, with a central tower added to the south side of the nave, probably in the 13th century. A chapel forms the north wing, and 20th-century amenities have been added to the gable end.

The nave contains one 2-light window of the 14th century and a rectangular 16th-century light inserted into an earlier opening. A north door is blocked. The chancel displays a late 12th-century corbel table and features single ogee-headed windows, a lancet and 2-light window on the north side. A 15th-century 3-light east window has renewed tracery, and a 3-light west window is also present. The tower is short and massive, with large south buttresses. A lancet window appears on the west side, along with two bell openings. The tower is topped with a pyramidal tiled roof. The east and west sides were probably rebuilt in the 18th century. The entrance in the south side of the tower has 14th-century jambs with a 16th-century moulded semi-circular arch incorporating a keystone. The inner door to the nave dates to the early 13th century and features a bowtell arch with nookshafts displaying stiff-leaf foliage.

The interior nave is plastered with a flagged floor. A 12th-century embrasure to the north window and 13th-century embrasures to all south windows are visible. There is a small 12th-century chancel arch with ovolo moulding to its arrises; the hoodmoulding has been cut away. A cinquefoil-headed shallow altar niche appears to the right, and a triangular-headed inner arch leads to the blocked north door. The roof spans 4 bays with half bays at the ends, probably dating to the 15th century. It features tie-beams, queen struts to principal rafters and high collars, with exposed rafters and ashlars. Corbels for an earlier roof remain visible on the north side. A blocked opening, possibly leading to a former parvise in the tower, is present. A large pointed arch opens into the north chapel, known as Camilla Hall.

The chancel contains three 12th-century round-headed splayed window embrasures and the jamb of a contemporary east window. The north-east window was probably altered after the Reformation. The east window has panelled reveals with ogee-headed niches for figures. A trefoiled piscina is present. The mid-15th-century roof spans 3 bays and includes moulded ties, raking struts, single purlins and rafters, and moulded wall plates. Hammer beams are set against the east wall. A blocked squint is visible.

Camilla Hall is plastered with a flat ceiling. It contains pointed-headed single-light windows, three to each side. A gallery at the north end features a panelled front, now built into a later screen and cupboards. A door in the gable end leads to a kitchen and WCs dating to around 1984.

Extensive but poorly preserved 15th-century wall paintings cover the north, east and west walls of the nave, including a representation of St Christopher. The east wall has been overpainted with three large panels depicting the Commandments. Red colour appears on the chancel arch. Masonry lining painted on the south chancel wall has been overpainted with 16th to 17th-century texts.

The church contains numerous fittings and furnishings. A plain square font at the west end of the nave is raised on 19th-century columns. A late 17th to early 18th-century fielded panelled cover with shaped brackets to the centre post sits above it. The pulpit is presently located in the hall. The chancel features a fine 17th-century communion rail with shaped splat balusters. A late 17th-century altar table with doubled stretchers and turned legs is also present.

Monuments in the chancel include four wall tablets: a white marble tablet on grey with drapery and cornice to Elizabeth Southby, died 1791, with painted arms; a black panel with white marble scroll by Underwood to Anthony Southby, died 1883; a white marble tablet by Osmund to Mary Shaw (Southby), killed in the boat massacre at Cawnpore in 1857, with her husband added; and a Gothic arched limestone tablet to Edmund Southby, died 1886. The nave contains three monuments: a white marble wall tablet to Luis Sturgess, died 1912; a coloured limestone tablet to Brigadier General Carey, died 1944; and a white tablet on streaked grey marble by Sarum Monument Company to Charles Hodges, died 1918. Camilla Hall contains a grey and white marble tablet with flanking columns and an urn in the pediment, commemorating Matthew Devenish, founder of a local non-conformist chapel, died 1811, and his wife and daughter.

A small brass inscription to Thomas Daniell, died 1589, is located in the chancel, along with various 20th-century brasses. Above the south door is a fine statutory framed royal arms on board, dated 1666, bearing the inscription "Fear God, Honour the King."

Five hatchments are displayed: (1) Richard Southby, died 1791; (2) Ann, widow of the above, died 1795; (3) Mary Southby, died 1835; (4) Richard Southby, died 1791; and (5) Charity Pollen (Southby), died 1830.

A glass case contains a Book of Common Prayer dated 1613, Metrical Psalms of 1615, and a Geneva "Breeches" Bible printed by Robert Barker, royal printer, in 1610, all bound together at a later date.