St. John Baptist Membury

The Tall Tower

As the traveller approaches Membury the tall tower of the Church, as seen from many vantage points, dominates not only the village itself, but also the surrounding landscape.

Membury has been a centre of human habitation from Iron Age times, as evidenced by the single-rampart enclosure of between two and three acres, known as "Membury Castle" (see the Local History site for expansion).

This stands high to the east of the village, an ideal natural site for fortification in all directions.   A former Vicar of Membury, the Rev'd F.E.W. Langdon, recorded that in 1914 evidence of habitation within the parish during Roman times was revealed during excavations at Membury Court, (again see Local History site) when remains of a Roman Villa were uncovered. 

The next traces of architectural features associated with a particular period of history at Membury are the twelfth century date, and lead us to the Parish Church.

Local web address:

www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/memburystjohnbaptist