AFTER five years and more than 2,000 hours of work by volunteers a comprehensive record of St John the Baptist Church in Bishopstone has been created.

The comprehensive record formally records contents, artefacts and features of the local parish church.

This officially recognised record of St John the Baptist, Bishopstone, includes photographs, notes and pen and ink drawings that collectively provide a complete picture of the church furnishings and assets – more than 400 separate items.

A specially bound volume of the record was presented to the church and other copies will be kept in the county record office at Chippenham, Historic England, The Church Care library in Westminster and The Victoria and Albert Museum.

The society says it will provide an "invaluable resource" for archivists and academics.

The Arts Society SARUM Church recording team was made up of 13 specialist recorders, including a photographer and an illustrator and met twice a week over the last five years.

St John’s church in Bishopstone was built in the 13th century and has some beautiful stonework carvings, interesting woodwork and a large memorial monument by Pugin for the Reverend George Montgomery, who was a relative of the Earls of Pembroke.

A spokesman for the Arts Society SARUM, said: "An outstanding investigative success was to identify a large 17th century memorial in the North Transept. With extensive 'sleuthing' he was revealed as the Rector Abraham Conham. By chance in our catalogue numbering he was 007, not so secret anymore."