Creation of the Parish of Charlton All Saints

Charlton is a hamlet North of Downton, Wiltshire. Historically, it was a tithing (tenth) of the hundred (administrative district) of Downton. It was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Downton until 1851, when the new parish of Charlton All Saints was created from the tithings of Charlton and Witherington on the consecration of Charlton All Saints Church.

When civil parishes were created across England in the 1890s, Standlynch and Charlton were amalgamated to form the civil parish of Standlynch with Charlton All Saints. In 1934, this civil parish became part of Downton, and still is today.

The ecclesiastical parish of Charlton All Saints remains today and is grouped with 12 other churches to form the Chalke Valley Benefice in the Salisbury Diocese.

Horatio, 3rd Earl Nelson

Horatio, 3rd Earl Nelson (1823-1913) was the great-nephew of Horatio Nelson, the victor of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and lived in the large brick house set among the woods on the hill across the River Avon from Charlton. This was originally called Standlynch House, but since 1805 has been known as Trafalgar House, pronounced locally (as in Spanish) “Trafalgár”. It was given to the Nelson family in perpetuity as the gift of a grateful nation. After the Second World War, it was returned to private hands.

Lord Nelson was a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire and a lifelong politician, sitting in the House of Lords as a Tory supporter. He owned a private chapel on his estate, which seated around 50, and he allowed the poor, elderly and infirm of Charlton to worship there. Those with good health or means for transportation, could travel to their parish church in Downton. However, he felt that this situation was not entirely satisfactory.

In Nov 1848, Lord Nelson wrote to the Warden of Winchester College, who held the tithes for Downton, suggesting that a Church be built in Charlton itself.

“I therefore propose to build and endow with your assistance a church in this district, containing a population of 300 all together, removed here 2 miles from their parish church. I am proposing a plain Early English church and chancel making up with solid and good proportions the want of expensive decorations, to hold between 170 and 200 people, the working drawings of which I will send at my earliest convenience. A cost of between £1000 and £1200 will I think suffice, and towards this I have already obtained from Mr Newman who has property in this parish a suitable site for the church.”

Lord Nelson provided an endowment of £1000, plus gifts from his family of £350 towards the cost of building the church. He encouraged local dignitaries and parishioners to donate towards the Building Fund and later towards the Fund for an Organ.

In 1852, he became one of the two Church Wardens. He held this position for 61 years until his death in 1913. He was a frequent worshipper and often read one of the lessons. We remain indebted to his generosity and his dedication to the people of Charlton.