Church of St Candida and Holy Cross

St Candida and Holy Cross
St Candida and Holy Cross from the west
St Candida and Holy Cross
50°45′19″N 2°51′23″W / 50.7554°N 2.8565°W / 50.7554; -2.8565
OS grid reference	SY3968195442
Location	Whitchurch Canonicorum, Dorset
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	cathedralofthevale.co.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Founder(s)	Alfred the Great
Relics held	St Wite (Latin: St Candida)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	5 September 1960[1]
Style	Early English, Perpendicular
Specifications
Tower height	75 feet (23 m)
Materials	Stone, slate roof
Bells	Eight
Tenor bell weight	16 long cwt 3 qr 26 lb (1,902 lb or 863 kg)[2]
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	Salisbury
Archdeaconry	Sherborne
Deanery	Lyme Bay
Parish	Whitchurch Canonicorum
Clergy
Rector	Revd Christopher Martin[3]
Assistant priest(s)	Revd Virginia Luckett[3]
Laity
Churchwarden(s)	Hilary Joyce[3]

The Church of St Candida and Holy Cross is an Anglican church in Whitchurch Canonicorum, Dorset, England. A Saxon church stood on the site but nothing remains of that structure. The earliest parts of the church date from the 12th century when it was rebuilt by Benedictine monks. Further major rebuilding work took place in the 13th century and in the 14th century the church's prominent tower was constructed. The church features some Norman architectural features but is predominantly Early English and Perpendicular. George Somers, founder of the colony of Bermuda, is buried under the vestry and the assassinated Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov is interred in the churchyard. It is an active Church of England parish church in the deanery of Lyme Bay, the archdeaconry of Sherborne, and the diocese of Salisbury. It is one of only two parish churches in the country to have a shrine that contains the relics of their patron saint. The relics belong to St. Candida (the Latin form of Saint Wite) to whom the church is dedicated. The church been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.