Medieval church of St Edward, Chilton Polden.
"The fabric of the building which preceded the present church was thought to have dated from the 13th century, although the first reference to a chaplain was in 1468. The chapel was served by curates appointed and paid by the vicar of Moorlinch until a perpetual curacy was created in 1828, sometimes thereafter held with Edington. In 1842 the curacies of Chilton and Edington were united, and in 1863 Chilton and Edington were constituted independent ecclesiastical parishes. The living continued to be held with Edington, and in 1974 was joined with Catcott. In 1982 the three became a united parish called West Poldens. The ecclesiastical parish of Burtle was formed in 1856 from the northern parts of Chilton Polden and Edington.
The patronage of Chilton Polden was retained by the vicar of Moorlinch until 1888 when it was transferred to the bishop of Bath and Wells. The bishop continues as patron of the united benefice.
In 1638 the vicar of Moorlinch had 5 a. of meadow in Chilton, and received some tithes in kind, and compositions from other land and moduses for stock there. In 1838 there were nearly 5 a. of land and a rent charge of £78 4s. was awarded to the vicar of Moorlinch in lieu of vicarial tithes.
From 1828 the curate of Chilton and Edington had an income of £19 and Chilton was later said to be worth £14. The tithe rent charge was assigned to the living and the curacy was further augmented in 1875 by grant of Mrs. Luttrell, Lady Waldegrave, and Miss Field. A further augmentation was made in 1909.
In 1638 the villagers of Chilton shared with Edington the maintenance of a house for the curate in Edington which belonged to Moorlinch vicarage. Probably from 1828 a house in Chilton was occupied by the incumbents of Chilton and Edington, said to have been paid for largely by people from Edington, but c. 1886 claimed for the vicar of Moorlinch. It stood south-east of the church at the eastern end of Church Lane and in 1998 was known as Old Vicarage. It was replaced in 1891 by a house to the south in Priory Road, designed by J. Wallis and known in 1998 as Priory House, which was the benefice house until 1987.
The chapel lacked service books and the figures of the rood in 1557, and services were said in 1586 to have been irregular. In 1815 Richard Luscombe was resident stipendiary curate of Moorlinch and served it and its four chapels including Chilton, taking services at Chilton every other Sunday. Luscombe became vicar of Moorlinch in 1818 and services were slightly more frequent at Chilton in 1827. Services were held once on Sundays in 1840 and communion at least three times a year. By 1843 communion was celebrated eight times a year and by 1912 every Sunday. A house, evidently the former church house, was part of the manor estate in 1664.
The church of St. Edward, dedicated to St. John the Baptist in 1763, comprises a chancel with north organ chamber, nave with north aisle, north vestry, and south porch, and a western bellcot, the result of rebuilding and extension in 1889 to the designs of E. Henry Edwards of Bristol. Only the 14th-century chancel arch, the piscina, the font, and part of the wall plate were retained. The earlier building, which was probably of the 13th century, had comprised a chancel and nave, with a south porch in the centre of the nave south wall. A north transept was added in 1829 to designs of J. W. Wainwright. Before rebuilding there had been 13th-century windows on the north side of the nave and the chancel had been refenestrated in the 14th century. The early 15th-century roofs had moulded timbers with angel supporters. There was a gallery for an organ at the west end of the nave and another for Sunday-school children in the transept. The font had stood in the centre of the nave.
There are two bells, one of the 17th century. The plate includes a cup and cover, possibly of the 18th century, and a salver given in 1776, perhaps by William Tweedie. Records of births, baptisms, marriages, and burials of Chilton people were recorded from 1716 in registers at Chilton and from 1694 in registers at Moorlinch. Chilton church was licensed for marriages by consent of the vicar of Moorlinch in 1863."
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