Mary's Church, East Ilsley
East Ilsley Church stands on a very prominent hill in the middle of the village. Some believe the first church built here was that recorded by Robert of Gloucester as having been put up by King Canute in memory of those who fell on both sides, around a thorn tree, at the Battle of Ashdown. The name Ilsley means 'place of conflict' but whether the single thorn tree stood
here or on the adjoining Thorn Down is unclear. The Ilsley site is probably an ancient pagan place of worship, so a sacred tree is quite likely to have stood there. The nave of the present building dates from the 12th century, as does the unusual nine-sided font. This little two-cell structure was given to the Knights Templar by King John in 1199. The warrior monks largely rebuilt the place in about 1240, replacing the chancel and adding the south aisle. The tower was built on the end of the nave in the 14th century, but the north aisle only dates from 1845. Internally, the walls can be seen to incline outwards because of their great age. There are some interesting old carvings including a devil with a man's soul in his mouth. A brass to the wife of William 'Hildesley' (1606) has , unfortunately lost its figured subject, but the inscription is still of interest as it commemorates a member of the great sheep-farming Ilsley family who owned Ilsley Manor for many generations through both the Medieval and Tudor periods.
