ST MARY'S CHURCH

                The story of the St Mary’s church in the recent past has been one of amalgamation beginning in 1963 when our vicarage was combined with the rectory of Collingbourne Ducis, the later becoming the place of residence for the priest of both parishes. In 1975 Everleigh rectory was further included in the benefice which in turn became part of the wider Wexcombe benefice in 1979. Then in 2002 we became part of the Savernake Team Ministry which covers an area from the Chutes to Great Bedwyn. Our parish lies within the diocese of Salisbury. Because of its large size, covering as it does an area all the way from Swindon to Lyme Regis, Episcopal oversight within the diocese is divided between two suffragan bishops, who are under the ultimate authority of the Bishop of Salisbury. These have their seats at Sherbourne and Ramsbury and it is to the later that our vicar is responsible.
                  Today, the church remains at the centre of the village community with a service every Sunday, and the regular celebration of baptisms, weddings and funerals. Wednesday afternoons see activities for the 'Scramblers' and ' Climbers', that's to say, the young folk of the parish. The church is also a venue for the occasional music concert, flower festival and other summer events. It also keeps up and organises a traditional Harvest Supper.
                   The regular worshipping community is small, but special occasions such as Christmas, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest Festival and Remembrance Day are very well supported and show that the wider village community has a deep commitment to their church. Family services arranged in conjunction with the local school are also well attended.
                  The church is managed by two churchwardens and the Parochial Church Council, elected each year from local people. St Mary's is well supported financially by the village as well as the regular congregation and is presently able to meet all its obligations, although some fund raising is necessary when major repairs and improvements are planned and the challenges facing the wider church will mean greater commitment in the years ahead.
                  Projects for the near future include floodlighting ( completed in 2003 ), a patchwork wall hanging that is being designed and sewn in the village, repairs and maintenance to the church bells, and longer term, improved facilities so that the church building may be used for community events.
                    Whilst the church interior may seem almost timeless, there have been some changes of note in recent years. Most obvious is the magnificent two manual, 1210 pipe organ which now stands at the west end. With the effectual demise of the modest instrument which had served for many years, and stood at the east end of the south aisle, the church were fortunate to find and subsequently purchase the present grand affair from the parish church of Lavenham, Suffolk. It gave its first recital in its new home in 1997. Also of note are the two recent memorial windows, being fine contemporary examples of the stainer's craft. Firstly there is the Wilson memorial window in the north side of the chancel, and then the Ruth Fisher window in the vestry area in the north west corner.

The foundation date of the earliest church at Collingbourne Kingston is unknown. The flint,rubble and stone building we see today dates mostly from the late 11th C when the nave, arcades and aisles were built. The chancel arch dates from the 13th C when the chancel was reconstructed. In the 15th C the tower and porch were erected and most of the aisle windows renewed.In the early 18th C the clerestory windows were replaced and the nave roof redesigned And a west gallery installed. This was in turn removed in the restoration of the nave under the direction of John Colson in 1861-2. The original dedication of the church was to John the Baptist. At a time and for reasons unknown this was changed to the present St Mary. Among the memorials, that of the Pile family dominates the south side of the chancel, being a large canopied renaissance structure with fine carved figures of Sir Thomas,his son Gabriel,their wives and children.

Bell Ringing
                   In 1994,after decades of comparative silence for lack of ringers, the church's fine ring of six bells rang out across the village once again, to inform, remind and celebrate. The church is recognised as having one of the finest historic six bell rings in the county, if not country, and it was deemed an unworthy omission to allow them to remain unused, or at least only be heard when enthusiastic outside ringers visited. Accordingly, approaches were made to the Marlborough branch of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers who agreed to train a newly recruited band of potential ringers from scratch. Rather hesitant and diffident clangs ensued for a period but within a short time far more melodious noises emerged from the louvres and the now very keen and competent band of ringers add solemnity, grandeur and sheer joyousness, as appropriate to occasion.
                     That said, there will always be a welcome extended to newcomers who might like to learn the craft or just find out more about the bells and how it all works. As can be well envisaged, keeping many tons of swinging metal in good order inside a centuries old structure requires constant inspection,maintenance and expenditure. At the time of writing the bells face the major need of being taken down and turned, to change the place of wear and avoid future irreparable damage.
              Shortly after the above was written,and during an inspection, the number 2 bell was found to be cracked and deemed unringable. By great good luck a suitable replacement was found through the KeltekTrust and it was installed in the summer of 2005.The opportunity was also taken to renovate the entire ring The old bell can now be seen in its new home in the south aisle of the church.