Key facts
OS grid ref: ST898422
Postcode: BA12
Post town: Warminster
What3words: ///qualified.steam.trifle
Unitary Authority: Wiltshire
Parliamentary Constituency: South West Wiltshire
Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny is a picturesque Wiltshire village with a timeless air, halfway between Salisbury and Bath. A very English church, the river, a rolling farmland landscape, a cricket pitch and picture-perfect thatched cottages on roads with names such as Duck Lane.
That said, it’s close to the A36, A303 and A350 and less than three miles from Warminster with all its’ facilities including a train station.
This is a vibrant local community with the Sutton Veny CE Primary School, active Neighbourhood Watch, a local website and newsletter, a popular village hall and the Alexander Memorial Field.
The village hosts all manner of events, from barn dances to flower shows and the bonfire night. There’s Griffin’s Garage and a mobile library, a village produce stall and milk deliveries.
The village is steeped in history and has close affiliations with Australia. During WWI it was a concentration area for units going to and from France, including Australian units. On Anzac Day there’s a memorial service and the children from the school lay flowers on the gravestones of the 144 Australians who died in 1918 and are buried in Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at St John’s Church. In the churchyard is a Portland stone war memorial with the names of local servicemen who died in the two world wars.
There’s a bus service that runs through the village.
History
From the Neolithic age through to the 19th Century, Sutton Veny depended mainly on sheep farming and cloth manufacture. The Domesday Book listed three manors at Sutone or Sudtone, with 43 households and a mill.
There is first mention of a church in the village in 1220 and St Leonard’s Church was built in the 13th Century. It suffered from subsidence and St John’s Church was built in Frome Stone as a replacement. All that is left of the old church today is the chancel which dates from the 13th Century.
There’s an active history group in the village which published a book ‘Sutton Veny – A History’ that is worth a read if you’re interested in the heritage of the village.
Walking and cycling
The area around Sutton Veny is stunning – if you want to explore on foot, here’s a five-mile circular walk from Visit Wiltshire that sets off from the ruins of Old St Leonard’s Church.
