Church of St Thomas A Becket

The Church of St Thomas à Becket stands in the village of Box in Wiltshire, south-west England. Built in the 12th century and later remodelled in the 14th, 15th, 18th and 19th centuries, it is a Grade I listed building. The church is adjacent to the ruins of a Roman villa and has origins linked to St Aldhelm’s work in the area. Originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it was rededicated to Thomas Becket after a chapel in his honour was added in 1190. The church became a key stop on the pilgrimage route to Canterbury Cathedral by the late 13th century. The church’s architecture reflects its long history, with 14th-century tower arches, a two-storey vestry, and a rib-vaulted chapel roof. The 15th century saw the tower heightened and a bell installed, while the Victorians enlarged the building in 1831 under architect John Pinch the Younger. In 1896–97, Harold Brakspear restored the interior, revealing hidden memorials and 14th-century tiles. The Hazelbury Chapel, described by Julian Orbach as "highly unusual," features a reredos comparable to that of Salisbury Cathedral. The octagonal font dates to the 15th century, and the tower holds four bells, one from the same period. The churchyard contains grave markers from the 17th century, with some graves arranged in medieval double burials on the south side. A pyramidal tombstone is said to have been designed to stop a widow from dancing on her husband’s grave. Nearby, the 1857 cemetery chapel is noted for its elaborate Gothic stonework and needle spire. The lodge at the entrance matches the chapel’s style. The parish once included Hazlebury and Ditteridge, and the former vicarage, Box House, built around 1810–20, now serves as offices. Notable burials include Sir Hugh Speke, 1st Baronet, and Sir George Speke, 2nd Baronet.