About the Church
The church at Charlton is thought to date back at least 800 years- possibly more. It is picturesque, with a turret tower and a sundial over the porch. There is a chancel with north chapel and south vestry. These seem to be from the late 12th century. In the 14th century the aisle was extended and the tower built. In the late 16th century a large window was inserted in the nave. The earliest reference to it being dedicated to St. John the Baptist was probably 1763.
The records of Malmesbury Abbey show there was a chapel in Charlton in the 13th century- this probably became the church. The lands at Charlton belonging to Malmesbury Abbey were bought by William Stumpe at the time of the dissolution; his descendents became the owners of Charlton Park and the Earls of Suffolk.
There is an oak panel carved with a lion and unicorn above the pulpit and this is thought to have been made in the 17th century. A larger oak panel screens the organ and is carved with ten faces. The earliest remaining feature is probably a dedication cross found at the north east corner of the east wall. There is a niche above the door from the porch which once held a statue of some kind; probably either of St. John the Baptist or the Virgin Mary.
About the Cache
This cache is hidden in the open, so stealth is required when retrieving from it's hiding place. Please make sure it is closed not too tightly and when replacing it, put back exactly where found otherwise it may get damaged.
This cache is connected to the new Charlton Crawl Series, so why not have a little go if you have a spare hour.
Parking is limited at the church so short stays are welcome but if you wish to go explore more of Charlton, I recommend parking at the Village hall when not busy or in use. Thank You.
About the Church Micro Series
“If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”