Architecture and Artefacts
Netley Castle
Netley Castle faces out across Southampton Water, its back turned on nearby Netley Abbey and looking out for signs of a possible French invasion Netley Castle started life as the gatehouse to the Cistercian Netley Abbey. The early grounds of the abbey spilled outside of its present day boundaries and road, down to the shore…
Read MoreNetley Abbey
Netley Abbey is the most beautiful historical site in Hampshire. It is the most complete C13th Cistercian monastery in southern England and quite stunning. It is free to visit, take a camera, it will not disappoint.
Read MoreButser Ancient Farm
The Butser Ancient Farm experimental archaeology project is over forty years old and still developing new research into how ancient communities lived. It acts as both a tourist and educational attraction as well as a research site.
Read MoreUpper Wield Church
The church of St James in Upper Wield Hampshire is one of those simple C12th churches whose very simplicity give a sense of its ancient past and a present day serenity. See the monument to a member of one of Hampshire’s important families, the Wallops.
Read MoreRockbourne Roman Villa
Large Roman Villa Fordingbridge Hampshire with worthwhile archaeological finds at the site.
Read MoreBaptismal Font Soberton
The baptismal font Soberton in the church of St Peter’s The font in St Peter’s church Soberton is Victorian with a hexagonal bowl on a single pedestal and a stepped base. The sides of the bowl are decorated with carvings of angels, crossed swords and keys. It has a wooden lid. Our intention is to…
Read MoreBaptismal Font Farringdon
The baptismal font Farringdon All Saints is a bit of a mixed up affair The font basin is a cylindrical tub, undecorated. This suggests a possible earlier date than the four C12th fluted capitals and raised plinth that it rests upon. The oak lid is early but difficult to date precisely. Our intention is to…
Read MoreBaptismal Font Bentley
The church of St Mary’s Bentley Hampshire is a good example of a late C12th Norman font. Quite simple in its decorated square design, the whole is topped by an impressive Gothic Revival cover.
Read MoreBaptismal Font Buriton
The baptismal font in the C12th church of St Mary’s Buriton, is as old as the church itself. The late Norman font was made from a slab of Purbeck marble and lined with lead before receiving its cover (now gone) after the 1234 edict requiring all font basins to be covered.
Read MoreHampshire Baptismal Fonts
Hampshire baptismal fonts range from the Saxon to the modern with an outstanding collection of Norman and Medieval fonts. The historical significance of the baptismal font is immense. Baptism is one of only two rites, the other being the Eucharist, for which there is Biblical authority and as such the act of baptism, in a…
Read MoreBuckler’s Hard
Buckler’s Hard, a place that launched at least three of the warships commanded by Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar The hamlet of Buckler’s Hard, with its two neat rows of brick terraced cottages running out to the Beaulieu River are all that remains today to remind us of the once famous shipyard that used…
Read MoreThe Point Portsmouth
The Point Portsmouth consists of just a few acres around the camber in Old Portsmouth but is bursting with history and character at every step The Point is also known as the Spice Island, the origins of its name lost in the dim past. Maybe it referred to the smell of spices being unloaded or…
Read MoreItchen Abbas Church
Itchen Abbas church of St John the Baptist, is a fine Victorian building that hides a much earlier church Alas the old church placed a great burden on the parish as its ancient walls and tower fell into decay and became unsafe. The church has some architectural remains that suggest it was built in the…
Read MoreAvington Park
Avington Park is a beautiful C18th house whose history is much older than that. It was the lodging house of Nell Gwynne, mistress to King Charles II.
Read MoreThe Church in the Woods Bramdean Common
The Church in the Woods at Bramdean Common is one of the most delightful and moving churches in Hampshire. This simple building was erected to serve an itinerant working community in the late C19th.
Read MoreChesapeake Mill
Chesapeake Mill in Wickham is a fine example of a building whose timbers were once creaking across the worlds oceans Outwardly Chesapeake Mill is a grand brick built building, standing tall and dominating the corner in which it sits. It is now an emporium of antique, brik- a- brak and craft units with a tea…
Read MoreDame Mary Donaldson
Dame Mary Donaldson, born in Wickham, was the first female Lord Mayor of the City of London in 800 years Dame Mary Donaldson was a remarkable woman. She was born in her father’s ironmongers shop in Wickham on 29th August 1921 and baptised Dorothy Mary but was called Mary for most of her life. Her…
Read MorePetersfield War Memorial
The Petersfield War Memorial was designed by Harry Inigo Triggs who lived at the house he designed, Little Boarhunt in Liphook Hampshire
Read MoreSt Mary and St Michael Stoke Charity
The church of St Mary and St Michael Stoke Charity was described by John Betjeman ‘This gem like little church is a veritable treasure house of beautiful things and in itself it is also of great beauty’. Enough said….
Read MoreSt Peter’s Church St Mary Bourne
St Peter’s Church St Mary Bourne is full of puzzles, defaced crusader tombs, a rare Tournai marble font and architecture that bewilders.
Read More