St Cyriac’s Lacock
Sheona Beaumont

Blind Sight Press, 2019
15cm x 21cm; 32pp; 56 colour illustrations
saddle stitched, printed on 140gsm uncoated FSC-certified paper, with a 250gsm cover
PB: 978-0-9930431-9-2





A short guidebook introduction to the history of St Cyriac’s Church in Lacock, Wiltshire. Featuring over 40 colour photographs taken by the author, this pocket gem brings the story of the church to life, celebrating its Christian heritage, symbolism, and practices. Set in farmland bounded by the River Avon and by the National Trust’s Lacock Abbey, Lacock’s church has been at the heart of this English village for over 1,000 years. Ancient families (including royalty), a medieval communion cup, and a modern hassock collection are among the highlights.

With grateful thanks to the PCC of Lacock with Bowden Hill and the Friends of Lacock Church for their support in producing this guide, as part of a project to engage arts and tourism. Special thanks go to Churchwardens Fiona Draper, Judith Blakeney, and Janel Doel for their patience, expertise, and enthusiasm for the project. The author remains indebted to the wisdom and cups of tea from local parishioners in Lacock, with whom it has been a privilege to share stories. The staff at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre have been exceptionally helpful in supporting the research. Finally Sheona would like to thank Revd Adam Beaumont for loving Lacock too.

Sheona Beaumont, from the acknowledgements

Selected Features:

  • St Cyriac. St Cyriac, aged three, and his mother Julitta suffered martyrdom in 304 AD, when Christians were persecuted under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.  When Julitta fled to Tarsus from Iconium to escape, …
  • Royal Connections. Both St Cyriac’s and St Anne’s have received the attention of the Royal family over the years.  Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother used to visit Spye Park regularly in the 1950s on her trips to the Cheltenham Races…
  • The Bells. St Cyriac’s six bells are suspended at the top of this tower, the two lightest above the heavier four, and the heaviest weighing just over half a tonne.  Like most aspects of material church history, they have been added to…
  • The Awdrys. The Awdry memorial oak panels and stained glass at the southwest corner of the church commemorate the local Awdry family as descended from Sir John Wither Awdry (1795-1878), his first wife and cousin Dame Sarah…
  • The Baynards. The Baynards were another family of long lineage in the area: ten successive generations as owners of the nearby Lackham estate, and particularly creative with the designs of their monuments in St Cyriac’s…
  • The Talbots. The family with the longest lineage at Lacock is that of the Talbots.  From 1574, when John Talbot married into the Sharington family (Olive Sharington was Sir William’s niece), the Lacock Abbey estate passed through 10 generations…
  • The Lady Chapel. The Lady Chapel presents a glorious piece of highly carved, and originally highly-coloured vaulting (known as polychrome lierne vaulting), probably dating from 1430.  As well as housing Sir William Sharington’s ornate Renaissance tomb…
  • The Lacock Cup. For hundreds of years the chalice used in the Eucharist at St Cyriac’s was the medieval Lacock Cup.  A rare masterpiece from the era, the original was made for someone of importance in the 15th century for secular use…