Malmesbury abbey had a chapel at Norton in 1151. In 1222 the abbey was licensed to appropriate it on condition that a vicarage was ordained, but it is not clear that this ever occurred. The vicarage of 1283 referred to in the VCH is almost certainly the vicarage of Norton in Durham diocese. It is thus possible that there remained an individual rector at Malmesbury's Norton with a portion of low and untaxable value.