Community
The Stanton Fitzwarren we know today still clearly keeps to the layout of the medieval village that could so easily have been described at the end of the 14th centrury as such;
Staunton Fitz Waryn, “The farm by the stone” held by the Fitz Waryn family, of 50 taz payers, it is located to the south-west of Hegheworth (Highworth). It is a small linear shaped village with the manor and church at the top end of the street, the mill at the bottom end and the serfs cots between.
Modern day Stanton Fitzwarren in the main still lines the main street although new roads lead into and out the village, At the South end of the village is located a modern day (1930’s) manor house. Next to the manor house is the Church of St. Leonard. This is a grade I listed building dating from the 13th & 14th centuries. However it is the late 12th century Norman font, possibly from an earlier church burnt down in the 13th century that earns the church its grade I listing.
Located in the churchyard is the village War Memorial. The cross was erected in 1916 and had the names of those from the village who fell in the Great World War added later. The cross is grade II listed.
Other listed buildings in the village of interest are the barn at North Farm, the Rectory, Mill Cottage (Listed as Stanton Mill) and the “Bamford’s Frost Protected lift pump” of 1902.
The listed buildings of the village clearly demonstrate the use of locally quarried coral ragstone with Highworth brick as the traditional building materials. Originally most of the buildings would have been thatched. Today thatch can still be found although Cotswold Stone and Welsh Slates predominate. Cotswold stone for walling purposes is not traditional to the area, being a totally different stone to the local Coral Ragstone.