A tomb covered by a canopy is a striking feature of the parish church of St. Mary in Collingbourne Kingston. The church dates from the 12th century and probably from an even earlier period. The tomb of Sir Gabriel Pile and his wife Anne is one of only three tombs in Wiltshire classified as “eight poster” tombs. Two distinct aspects therefore stand out when considering the site: the church’s early date and the tomb’s unusual form.

Chalk landscape in the Bourne Valley

Collingbourne Kingston lies mostly in the upper Bourne Valley; the entire parish lies on chalk. The Bourne flows from north to south through the centre of the parish and often dries up. On higher ground in the eastern half, clay-with-flints overlies the chalk. This brings together the valley, a river that often dries up and a clearly defined geological difference in the east. The landscape can therefore be viewed both in terms of its position in the Bourne Valley and its underlying geology.

Archaeological remains

Godsbury is an Iron Age enclosure covering 1.5 acres. Another enclosure on Aughton Down dates from a similar period and is similar in size to Godsbury. An enclosure lies at the eastern parish boundary near Heath Copse. Old Hat Barrow is on the western boundary; a burial mound lies near Summer Down Farm. These details include both enclosures and burial mounds, and identify different locations within the parish.

Village architecture and routes

Traditional rural architecture also forms part of the village’s character: Collingbourne Kingston has examples of brick and timber-framed buildings, as well as thatched roofs. These building styles offer another perspective on the village’s history, alongside the church and archaeological remains.

The named routes differ in type and course. The Collingbourne Kingston 1B bridleway runs from the U/C 8053 road via Brunton Farm and Tinkerbarn. Footpath Collingbourne Kingston 33 follows the southern edge of Heath Copse to the Chute 3 path. A byway from Sunton Farm continues as the Collingbourne Kingston byway towards Lynden Barn. When planning, it is worth considering the type and route of each path separately.

Village Hall and regional landscape context

The Village Hall is near the village centre, a short walk along the road towards Brunton. This road branches off the A338 immediately north of St. Mary’s Church. The hall hosts weekly coffee mornings, monthly quiz nights and annual village fetes. If you would like to plan your stay around an event, check the specific dates.

Shalbourne Vale and Wick Down provides a wider regional landscape context: it is a hilly chalk landscape. Its chalk escarpment curves west of Collingbourne Kingston, north of Shalbourne and east of Ashmansworth. This regional perspective adds a named landscape and its precise geographical orientation to the view of the parish, which lies entirely on chalk.

For an overview of the wider area: Wiltshire.