St Marys Lydiard Tregoze
Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 3PA
St Mary's Church in the park is celebrating the 411th anniversary of King James I's visit to Lydiard Tregoze in July 1613 and the 432 years since the visit of Queen Elizabeth I in September 1592 & 10 years since the visit of Justin Welby.
St Marys Church has been called one of the most important small parish churches in Great Britain, renowned through the centuries for its extraordinary monuments & wall paintings. The church is the site of over 1100 years of continual Christian worship physically dating from the early 11th century & 13th century Norman times. It was extended in the 14th to 16th century (Tudor Royal connections).
It has an extraordinary collection of nationally significant medieval wall paintings including a rare surviving example of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket and an example of a Renaissance Christ, 15th century English stained glass by John Thornton of Coventry. Gaze upon the newly discovered 15th-century niche & 13th-century wall paintings. These have been the central part of a recently completed £1.15 million National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported conservation project.
The 17th century part is also a rare example of an English Renaissance Church, with an exceptional east window by the leading stained glass artist Abraham Van Linge, and many fine 17th century monuments including the exceptionally fine St John monument, the work of the crown mason Nicholas Stone.
The spectacular painted St John Triptych, pictured, by Royal court painter William Lar
Timings & Tours
- Friday 06 September:
- 1100-1600
- Saturday 07 September:
- 1100-1600
- Sunday 08 September:
- 1400-1600
- Friday 13 September:
- 1100-1600
- Saturday 14 September:
- 1100-1600
- Sunday 15 September:
- 1400-1600
Location & directions
Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 3PA
- Directions:
- postcode for Sat Nav directions is SN5 3PA. The park has two main entrances, Hay Lane and Hook Street. Hay Lane is situated near Lydiard House and St Mary’s Church, please follow the brown signs for House and Church. Hook Street is situated near Forest Café, please follow the brown signs for Lydiard Park. St Mary’s Church is located in Lydiard Park. It is behind Lydiard House and best reached from the Hay Lane entrance. From the M4 motorway: From M4 Junction 16, take the exit towards Swindon (A3102). At the next roundabout, turn left onto the B4354 (Whitehill Way). At the second roundabout on Whitehill Way, turn left into Grange Park Way. By public transport: the nearby major town of Swindon is well-connected by rail. Stagecoach West operates a bus from Swindon to Lydiard Park every 30 minutes. The bus numbers are 1 and 1A.
- Contact on day:
- Paul Gardner
- Telephone number:
- +447831868429
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
Free parking for Blue Badge holders is available in designated spaces in the carpark by the church. The adjacent Coach House Café has a disabled toilet facility. Lydiard House Museum and much of the parkland is also wheelchair friendly.
