FEW places in England and none in Wiltshire possess such a wealth of interest, historic, ecclesiastical and architectural as Malmesbury. Kings, saints and scholars have conferred upon it undying fame. And although much of its outward glory has departed it is still beautiful in its calm decay with a peaceful beauty that mediaeval destroyer and modern restorer have alike failed entirely to obliterate.

Its natural position on a bold and lofty promontory guarded on the north by the Newnton Brook and on the south by the Avon which unite at its eastern extremity, mark it as an obvious site for early settlement and defence. And as Caer Bladon it was a British fortress when the forest of Braden covered all the country around.

In Saxon days it became an important military station by the name of Ingleburne. It is said that a nunnery existed here as early as the fifth century and that the nuns were expelled by the Saxon Archbishop in consequence of the undue cordiality of their relations with the garrison.

But the place first emerges into definite history with Maeldulph an Irish Monk or hermit who about the middle of the seventh century found his way here and established a small school of learning and built a basilica some remains of which existed for at any rate 500 year and from him the town derives its modern name.

But its true founder was Aldhelm, one of his pupils, a cousin of the King of Wesssex who, on a grant of land and charter of foundation for an Abbey being given by Eleutherius, Bishop of Winchchester, became the first Abbot about the year 670 or 675AD.

Here he remained until 705AD when he was consecrated first Bishop of Sherborne and here on his death in May four years later he was brought back for burial. This anniversary is still observed by the good people of Malmesbury, for Aldhelm was no ordinary man. It is not given for ordinary persons to be commemorated annually for 12 hundred years after they have gone.

We may dismiss the legends that have gathered around his name, foolish monkish stories of hanging clothes to dry on sunbeams and stretching timbers that were found too short and the like. And as for some of his writings that have come down to us, perhaps the less said the better. He has truer claims to our respect than these. He administered his Abbey with skill and success. Standing as it did on the borders of the Saxon Kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia he obtained grants of land from the Kings of each, he negotiated a treaty that because from its situation it would be peculiarly liable to attack in times of war, it should be held sacred and immune from pillage, a unique arrangement, the value of which would be impossible to overstate.

He was also an accomplished musician and a story, preserved by William of Malmesbury has come down to us from King Alfred’s life of St Aldhelm, unfortunately lost, that finding the people unwilling to listen to the preachers of Christianity he went with his harp to the bridge over the Avon and played and sang till he had drawn a crowd and then preached – quite in the manner of the Salvation Army of today.

He also constructed and played in his Abbey Church the first organ ever used in England and he was the first English scholar to teach and write in Latin. And so as churchman, scholar, musician, saint, his memory is still fragrant in his little town and the good he did lives after him.

No one knows precisely where he lies. He was laid at first in the chapel of St Michael adjoining St Mary’s Church which stood in the Abbey precincts but has now entirely disappeared. Then he was moved by Dunstan to a stone tomb in St Mary’s before his body was moved with great pomp into a shrine near the high altar when the dedication of St Mary was transferred to the church at Westport. A well used by Aldhelm and called by his name still exists in the garden of a cottage near the south west angle of the church.