Broad Hinton - Parish Church

Parish Church

The Church of England parish church of Saint Peter ad Vincula ("St Peter in Chains") is one of only 15 churches in England with this dedication, which is in honour of the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome.

The earliest parts of the church building date from late in the 12th century. They include an Early English Gothic priest's doorway, which was later moved from the chancel to the organ chamber. In the 13th century the chancel was rebuilt, the nave was altered and the church was dedicated to Saint Mary. The Perpendicular Gothic tower was built in the 15th or early in the 16th century. A rood stair was inserted early in the 16th century. The nave was re-roofed in 1634 and the east end of the chancel was altered or rebuilt in the 18th century.

The church was restored in 1879 to plans by the Gothic Revival architect C.E. Ponting of Marlborough. He had a new, wider chancel arch built and re-used the old one to link the chancel with the organ chamber. In the 19th century the church was called St. Peter's.