St Bartholomew Parish Church: Newly restored 'Owen Jones' Chancel.
We offer the following worship services and we are always pleased to welcome visitors and new-comers.
Service Schedule:
1st Sunday 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion
2nd Sunday 9.30 a.m. Breakfast Church or Holy Communion- held in the Village hall
3rd Sunday 9.30 a.m. Morning worship
4th Sunday 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion
5th Sunday 10 a.m. Benefice service in one of the five Benefice churches: (For details each month please see Valley Views section of this web site)
Families are very welcome to attend. The church has an inviting and well resourced children’s area
The Parish of Sutton Waldron
We are a small parish consisting of some 85 dwellings and a population of 225 (2021 Census). Historically, Sutton Waldron was an agricultural community but that is no longer the case. There is no pub nor shop but there is a well used village hall. Breakfast church is held here. The village hall and the church form the village foci. There is a “Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Society” which has “Charity” status. Its aim is to support the maintenance of the fabric of the church. It enables those members of the village and beyond, who do not normally attend church services but are interested in the well-being of the church building, to play their part. Funds raised help reduce the financial burden of the church upkeep and support applications for grants.
Our Church
St. Bartholomew’s is an early Victorian building. Consecrated in 1847. It replaced an earlier Saxon church. In 1834 the Rev’d Anthony Huxtable was appointed rector. He pulled the old church down and at the sole expense of himself and his wife built the present church. Its architect was George Alexander.
The church is grade 2 star listed. It contains unique internal decoration which has recently been restored (completed September 2025). The work of the renown artist, illustrator and architect, Owen Jones (1809-1874), the decoration is recognised as “probably the most important surviving scheme of this pioneer of high Victorian design” (Pevsner and Newman – The Buildings of England – Dorset) Jones was appointed superintendent of the works for the Great Exhibition in London of 1851. The whole interior is of one and complete. John Betjeman said of it that it is “so beautifully proportioned inside and so delicately coloured… that it is as satisfying, soaring, graceful and mysterious within as many a better known mediaeval church” and “one of the best and most lovely examples of Victorian architecture.” John Piper the celebrated 20th century artist visited and produced paintings and lithographs of its interior.
As part of the recent restoration work the church has a new lighting system and high quality audio and visual facilities. With its original, moveable nave and South aisle pews and an uncluttered and open chancel (there are no choir stalls) the church provides an excellent venue for a variety of forms of worship not to mention concerts, plays and other similar activities.
Situated at the very end of Church Lane, both within, amongst the beauty of its decoration, and outside, with its views over the Iwerne Valley, St. Bartholomew’s provides a place of real peace offering spiritual renewal for all.
Visitors are warmly invited to attend services or to visit at their own convenience. The church is open daily at least between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.