training area since 1933. Parish church The Church of England parish church of St Peter is faced with limestone ashlar except for the oldest part, the chancel of malmstone and flint, which is probably from the 11th century. The nave and west tower are from the 14th century; in the 15th the south porch was added and the tower was raised, and gained an octagonal stair-tower. Restoration in 1868 by W.H. Woodman of Reading included re-roofing of the chancel, rebuilding of the chancel arch and addition of a north vestry. The octagonal font is 13th century. The tower carries six bells: one of c. 1500 and three from the 18th century. The church was designated as Grade I listed in 1962. Today the parish is part of the benefice of the Lavingtons, Cheverells & Easterton. The parish registers, now held at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, cover the years 1653-1987 (baptisms), 1654-1994 (marriages), and 1654-1987 (burials). Chapels A Baptist chapel was built on the High Street in 1837. Known as Little Zoar, it was used until 1907 when it became the Parish Room, continuing in the same role today as the Village Hall. A new chapel was built in red brick and stone in 1911, a short distance to the east; it was in use in 1973 but is now a private residence. Schools Under the Will of J. Townsend, a charity school was established at Great Cheverell in 1725 which provided for six poor children of the parish to be taught reading and the principles of the Church of England, free of charge. By 1834, the school also had about another forty "pay-scholars", for whom a charge was made. A new two-room school for 50-60 pupils was built in 1844 on a High Street plot provided by the rector, R. M. Atkinson, with assistance from the Townsend charity for running costs. This became a National School in 1845, a Board school in 1876 and a Church of England school in 1903. Attendance fell to 35 in 1955 but by 1973 had risen to 51. A larger school, now called Holy Trinity CE Primary Academy, was opened on the south side of the village in 1980 to serve Great Cheverell and nearby parishes including Little Cheverell, Erlestoke and Coulston. Local government Great Cheverell (or Cheverell Magna) is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It is in the