Donhead St Mary

St John's Charlton

Heavyset on the outside, St John the Baptist Church, is light and airy inside. The Church was built in about 1839 in a 12th century style to replace a smaller church dating from the 14th century located in the centre of the village of Charlton. The position of the new Church – at the crossroads of the current A30 – was chosen to make the Church more accessible to worshippers in Ludwell and the Coombes, whilst continuing to be close enough for those in Charlton.

St John’s was awarded Bronze Eco Church status in summer 2023.

St Leonard's, Semley

A parish church has stood in Semley since Norman times. However the present church is Victorian. The remnants from the older buildings are the Norman font and a thirteenth century effigy of a priest, which are both situated close to the north door. The rebuilding of the church was begun in 1866 by the then Rector of Semley. He took down the old chancel and built a new one entirely at his own expense. The rest of the building was demolished in 1874 and was rebuilt around the new chancel in Perpendicular style. The Church contains some fine stained glass; this includes a spectacular window in the Lady Chapel designed by Henry Haig in memory of WPC Yvonne Fletcher who was tragically shot while on duty at the Libyan Embassy in St James Square, London and died on the 17th April 1984.

The tower is a prominent feature with a small spire in the northwest corner. There is a fine set of 6 bells (one of the heaviest rings in the country) which are in good working order.

St Leonard’s achieved Bronze Eco Church status in March 2023.

St Catherine's, Sedgehill

Sedgehill is the smallest of the Benefice parishes, and as a village, very spread out. First-time visitors often get lost, but we try to make up for this by organizing lots of events that bring us – and anyone else who wants to join in – together. Dedicated to St Catherine in 1395, St. Catherine’s is an understated, beautiful church with wonderful views to the north. It really does seem as if the peace of the Lord is with us when we congregate there.

Donhead St Andrew

Donhead St Andrew is a parish of steep hills, streams, woodland, pasture and high chalk downs with sudden wonderful views. There is no real village centre so the foci for the community are the church and the pub. The houses and farms are scattered along the winding lanes with cottages, some enlarged and modernised, and residences dating from the middle ages to the present.

The Parish Church, dedicated to St Andrew, is situated in the valley beside the river Nadder. There has been a church on this site serving as a centre for Christian worship for at least a thousand years. It is believed that the first church may have been built soon after the founding of Shaftesbury Abbey in about 875. The tall narrow arch leading from the chancel to the vestry is Saxon work from about the 9th or 10th century. The present church is 13th century though much altered in the 19th century and is built of the local green sandstone.

St Mary's, East Knoyle

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, a Grade 1 listed building, has been at the heart of parish life for over a thousand years. The oldest part of the structure is the chancel, on the outside north wall of which there is pre-Norman 'blind arcading'. The nave dates from the 13th century and the tower from about 1450. The six bells are rung as regularly as possible. The plasterwork in the chancel is unique. It was designed by Dr Wren, a 17th century rector, whose famous son Christopher was born in the village.