{{Short description|Village in Wiltshire, England}} {{About|the former parish in Wiltshire|the school in Lewisham|Sedgehill School}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Use British English|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | static_image = St Catherine's Church, Sedgehill - geograph.org.uk - 338463.jpg | static_image_caption = St Catherine's Church in 2007 | coordinates = {{coord|51.053|-2.192|type:city(50)_region:GB-WIL|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Sedgehill | civil_parish = Sedgehill and Semley | unitary_england = Wiltshire | lieutenancy_england = Wiltshire | region = South West England | constituency_westminster = Salisbury | post_town = Shaftesbury | postcode_district = SP7 | postcode_area = SP | dial_code = 01747 | os_grid_reference = ST866281 | website = }} '''Sedgehill''' is a small village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Sedgehill and Semley, in the southwest of the county of Wiltshire, England. It lies to the west of the A350 primary route, about {{Convert|3+1/4|mi|km|0|abbr=}} north of Shaftesbury, Dorset.
== History == In the 12th century, and possibly the 11th, the lands which became Sedgehill parish were part of the estates of Shaftesbury Abbey.<ref name="vch" /> After the Dissolution, Sedgehill manor was bought by Thomas Arundell of Wardour Castle (c. 1502 – 1552) and then in 1573 by William Grove (died 1582) who was briefly MP for Shaftesbury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/grove-william-153233-82|title=GROVE, William (1532/33-82), of Shaftesbury, Dorset, and Donhead St. Andrew, Wilts.|website=History of Parliament Online|access-date=2019-12-29|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224115734/https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/grove-william-153233-82|url-status=dead}}</ref> The estate remained in the Grove family (from 1874 the Grove baronets), although reduced in size as farms were sold, until the death of Gerald Grove in 1962.<ref name="vch" />
The population of the parish rose to 216 at the 1871 census, and by 1961 had declined to 130.<ref name="vch" />
On 1 April 1986, on recommendation of Salisbury District Council, the parish was amalgamated with Semley to form "Sedgehill and Semley" civil parish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/12098/salisbury-parishes-order-1986.pdf|title=The Salisbury (Parishes) Order 1986|date=January 1986|website=Local Government Boundary Commission for England|access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/salisbury.html|title=Salisbury Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=28 August 2023}}</ref>
== Parish church == The Church of England parish church of St Catherine has origins in the 14th century.<ref name=chlisting>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1198667|desc=Church of St Katherine|access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref> In 1395 it became a chapelry of the church at Berwick St Leonard, which was connected with Shaftesbury Abbey.<ref name=vch>{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 13 pp169-176 – Parishes: Sedgehill|editor-first=D.A.|editor-last=Crowley|author-first1=Jane|author-last1=Freeman|author-first2=Janet H|author-last2=Stevenson|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol13/pp169-176|publisher=University of London|year=1987|access-date=6 January 2020}}</ref> This pertained until 1914, when Sedgehill was made a parish and supplemented with 318 acres transferred from East Knoyle.<ref>{{London Gazette | issue = 28873 | date = 18 August 1914 | pages = 6488-6492 }}</ref> Today the parish is part of the Benefice of St Bartholomew, which covers six churches including St Leonard's at Semley.<ref>{{cite web|title=St Catherine's Church, Sedgehill|url=http://www.benofbart.org.uk/index.php/sedgehill|website=Benefice of St Bartholomew|access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref>
The church is in limestone with slate roofs. The west tower was built in the 15th century;<ref name=chlisting /> work in the 17th included rebuilding of the tower's upper stage, and the porch was rebuilt in 1765.<ref name=vch /> In 1845 the chancel and nave were rebuilt, and the vestry added.<ref name=vch /> The tower has five bells, including two from the 17th century, but they are said to be unringable.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sedgehill|url=http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?DoveID=SEDGEHILL|website=Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers|access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref> The church was recorded as Grade II* listed in 1966.<ref name=chlisting />
== References == {{commons category}} {{Reflist}}{{authority control}}
Category:Villages in Wiltshire Category:Former civil parishes in Wiltshire