This week we move to another village for our Then and Now series, and in keeping with the tradition over the last decade we start with the village churches.

We will begin in Dilton Marsh with Holy Trinity Church, which sits at the centre of the village, where The Hollow meets St Mary’s Lane and crosses the High Street.

The church, a large and very fine building, was built in 1844 and designed by Thomas Wyatt, in the Romanesque style.

This shows a classical balance of straight lines and curves, which flourished years ago and for a couple of centuries was the dominant form of grand design in Europe.

As such, Holy Trinity Church looks quite different from the traditional English village church. Its broad square tower, high curved archways and semicircular apse at the east, or altar, end are features more common in French or Italian rural churches.

It has some beautiful stained glass windows, many dedicated to members of the Phipps family of Chalcot House. The gallery at the back of the church now stands over a carpeted children’s area and small kitchen. The north transept contains the Lady Chapel, used for smaller services. The south transept houses the organ. The tower room above the crossing contains an 1847 striking clock by Benjamin Vulliamy, with two bells.

The chancel is divided from the rest of the church by a waist high stone wall surrounding the choir stalls, vicar and curate’s desks and a square stone pulpit. At the head of the chancel is the semicircular sanctuary with a carved stone crucifixion scene behind the altar flanked with 12 painted niches representing the apostles.