Wessex III 1042 – 1066
The Impact of the Vikings on Churches in Wessex
Hampshire and its neighbouring counties of Berkshire and Wiltshire were at the core of West Saxon Wessex when the Viking raids swept through. The emerging Christian churches were attacked and the fragile shoots of the new religion stamped upon.
Read MoreUntangling the Early Church in Hampshire (Part 1)
Hampshire has a great number of early churches, a number of which still have vestiges of their Anglo Saxon origins peeping through the structure.
Read MoreThe Mysteries of Wymering Manor
Wymering Manor in Portsmouth is one of Hampshire’s oldest and allegedly, most haunted houses. From the outside it presents a bit of a sorry state and its exterior belies its ancient past but it is a house full on intrigue and mystery.
Read MoreCorhampton Church and King Cnut
A possible link between Corhampton church and King Cnut The Anglo Saxon church is awash with historical gems and it’s interesting to consider some of the connections made between its architecture and artefacts and other events that occurred in its long history. Go to the northern side of the church and look at the blocked…
Read MoreRomsey Abbey
Romsey Abbey is an imposing Romanesque church and once one of the most important ecclesiastical sites in England. It’s Abbesses came from royal and high status families and before the black death amassed great wealth.
Read MoreHayling Priory
Hayling Island Priory has long since disappeared without trace but the history of it’s links with the French abbey of Jumièges is well documented and an intriguing part of Hampshire history
Read MoreOld Minster Winchester
The Old Minster Winchester was one of the most important religious houses and places of pilgrimage in the late Anglo Saxon period. It was the initial resting place of King Alfred the Great and the place where King Canute and Edward the Confessor were crowned.
Read MoreEarl Godwin of Wessex
Earl Godwine of Wessex was one of the most powerful men in England before the Norman Conquest, the father of 5 Earls, father to the Queen of England and father-in-law to the King. Father to King Harold II. Quite an achievement for a man who died before he was sixty years old
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